The more experience the president had with the street-boys, boys who
spent most of their time in selling papers or shining shoes, the
greater his desire to keep in close personal touch with each boy. He
had learned that it was not wise to censure a bad boy, to punish a
boy who had violated any of the rules. That belonged entirely to the
officers.
Some of the best suggestions for gaining the most good came from the
boys, and boys whom the general public would ignore, pay no attention
to. The boys were working out their own salvation. Solving the boy
problem themselves.
The strongest argument for self-government, among boys, was solved
by the boys, the sellers. This was when they began to bring to the
president money and valuable articles they found on the streets, and
the sincere, earnest request, in every case, “to please find the
owner—it doesn’t belong to me.”
[Illustration: “PRESIDENT, I HAVE ALREADY LICKED DE KID.”
_See Page 77_
]
It was through the honesty of one of the hustling sellers that this new
work was started, which became part of the great work and was carried
on so successfully, and to such an extent that hundreds of valuable
articles, from fifty cents in pennies to a diamond necklace, were found
and returned to the owners. The following incident was the starting
point.
A stranger gave a little seller, what he supposed was a new bright
penny, for an evening paper, and passed on. The boy renewed his work,
and a few moments later another gentleman purchased a paper, giving
the boy a dime. In counting out nine cents, as change, the seller
handed the man the new penny he had just received from a stranger. The
customer said:
“My dear son, this is not a penny; it is a five dollar goldpiece.”
“I didn’t know it, sir”, replied the boy. “If you will please to hold
my papers I will run after the man and try to find him—this isn’t
mine.”
Around the corner the lad went at full speed. Up and down the street he
looked but failed to see his man. He returned very much disappointed.
“He’s gone,” he said, “here’s your change—nine cents.”
During this little talk a dozen or more newsboys gathered around the
man and when they learned what had happened several of the boys said:
“Harry, what you goin’ to do with the mon.?”
“Our president will tell us what to do, come on,” replied the little
merchant.
Off the crowd started down the street, around the corner and a noisier
lot of boys never entered the president’s office.
Each of the twenty boys present wanted to explain what he knew about
the transaction.
All the details of how the seller received the money, and how hard he
had tried to find the real owner were gone over several times.
The president complimented not only the boy who received the gold, but
the boys who were so deeply interested in trying to find the owner. An
appreciative present was given to the boy, and it was understood that
every effort possible would be made to find the owner. When it was
first advertised a generous clothier, a lover of newsboys, presented
the boy with a suit of clothes. After advertising thirty days and no
owner claiming the five dollars, it was given to the boy. Nothing ever
happened in the neighborhood where the newsboy lived that created such
an excitement. The newsie posed as an honest boy, and was complimented
by men and women, as well as being a hero among the boys and girls. Its
effect was far-reaching, and did good not only to the boys, but it had
a most desirable effect upon the people.
More particularly from this incident than any other did the newsboys
“get next” and begin bringing to the president everything they found.
Among the articles brought to him with instructions to find the owners,
were diamonds, watches, money, in amounts ranging from fifty cents to
eighty dollars; rings, robes, hats, gloves, valuable papers, badges of
all kinds, handkerchiefs, money-saving banks, hundreds of addressed
stamped letters, pictures, pocket-books of all kinds, keys, etc.
Among the live things the boys brought to the office was a dog. One
afternoon, late in the autumn, four newsies walked into the president’s
office, talking and laughing, as they always do, and one of the boys,
being “soaking wet,” led a little woolly dog who seemed to enjoy the
fun as well as the boys.
“My! how did you get so wet?” asked the president. “And what have we
here?”
“A man trowed de dog into the river. He tried to drown him. I jumped
into de water and saved him.”
“Yes, president,” said the hero, “I thought it would please you to save
the dog’s life.”
Of course it pleased the president, and the boys agreed it was a very
brave act. This little incident had its effect upon the boy, and they
always looked upon him as a great fellow, and it wasn’t long until they
elected him to an important office.
It is a noticeable fact that newsboys have a peculiarly natural way of
drawing, what they call, tramp dogs to them. Many a newsboy has been
seen caring for a poor dog, who had either lost its owner or was hurt.
Sympathy is aroused very quickly. Often a poor, worthless dog has
been taken into a seller’s favorite lunch-room and given a square
meal. From a boy who jumped into fifteen feet of water to save a
little dog, something might be expected. He was watched. At one of
the regular meetings of an auxiliary he showed the metal he was made
of by introducing the following preamble and resolution, and spoke so
strongly in its favor that it was passed unanimously.
“WHEREAS, It has come to our notice that boys throughout the city, and
boys, too, from our swell families, are killing the song birds in the
little patches of groves within the city limits, by the use of the
Flobert rifle; therefore be it
_Resolved_, That the members of the Boyville Newsboys’ Association
bitterly disapprove of this wanton slaughter of our song birds, and
we, therefore, pledge ourselves to do everything in our power to stop
boys, whether members of this association or not, from killing, in any
manner, these birds.”
In his closing remarks he said: “If we expects people to show us
kindness we must also do something what’s right. And what can we do
better’n protect the dumb animals. Let us show, what we are trying to
get, kindness, justice and mercy.”
A short time after the adoption of the above resolution one of the
trustees attention was called to a member, a boy eleven years of age,
who was very much worked up over the acts of some of his associates,
not members of the association. The boys had made a trap and were
trying to catch the robins that made their summer homes in the yards
along the street.
The little boy always told his mother his troubles and in this case
went to her for advice. She told him she would pray that God would tell
the birds not to go near the trap. He seemed satisfied, but went away
deeply buried in thought.
A few days later he was sitting on the fence, at his home, when the
trustee passed. Knowing of the incident he asked the boy about the trap.
“Well, the trap was set all right,” he said, “and my mother prayed
hard, asking God to strengthen the instinct of the birds so they would
keep out of danger—not go near the trap.”
“Did God answer your mother’s prayer?” asked the gentleman.
“Sure thing He did,” the newsy quickly answered.
“Why were you so certain?”
“Because when it got dark I went to the barnyard and busted the trap
all to pieces. There wasn’t enough wood left to make a tooth pick.”
The trustee slowly walked away saying to himself:
“Action was needed with prayer.”