GHID TOLLERS

The
WILLIAM L.
CLEMENTS
LIBRARY
University of Michigan
Gift of
Harold Hunt

50
Frank
Catety



UJU
A STREET SINGER,

THE CHILD TOILERS OF
BOSTON STREETS.
BY
EMMA E. BROWN.
WITH TWELVE DRAWINGS FROM LIFE, BY KATHERINE PEIRSON.
BOSTON:
D. Lothrop & Co., Publishers,
30 & 32 FRANKLIN STREET.

COPYRIGHT
1878,
By D. LOTHROP & Co.
Stereotyped at the Boston Stereotype Foundry,
No. 19 Spring Lane.

CONTENTS.
I.
VENDERS OF CHRISTMAS GREENS,
II.
THE NEWSBOYS.
III.
THE SHOVEL BRIGADE.
IV.
THE ASH PICKERS.
V.
THE FRUIT VENDERS.
VI.
THE BOOTBLACKS.
VII.
THE FLOWER VENDERS.
VIII.
THE STREET MUSICIANS.
IX.
THE BALLOON BOYS.
X.
THE CHESTNUT ROASTERS.
XI.
THE STREET PEDDLERS.
XII.
THE TELEGRAPH BOYS.

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“ WHEN CHRISTMAS SNOW-STORMS MAKE
SMOOTH WHITE LEVELS OF RIVER AND LAKE.”
THE CHILD TOILERS OF BOSTON STREETS.
BY EMMA E. BROWN.
No. 1.-CHRISTMAS GREENS
T is a well-known fact that in all of our large cities down in Quincy Market, is certainly not a favorable
a great number of children are employed in various place for tempering our bleak Boston east winds to the
street occupations; but I think few realize how much "shorn lamb;” but Anna is a brave little girl, and
actually depends upon the labors of these little drawing the old water-proof over her head she man-
“Child Toilers.” In the papers here given, all the ages by vigorous clappings and stampings to keep
facts stated, and all the illustrations, are drawn, not head, hands, and feet in a tolerable state of comfort.
from imagination, but from real life.
Then she is so interested in the arrangement and sale
And, as appropriate to the season, we give first in of her pretty Christmas greens that she doesn't stop
the series a sketch of our little street venders of
to think much about herself or the weather.
All around her little stand, by the great stone
CHRISTMAS GREENS."
pillars, are many "rivals in trade;" for since the
Since early morning, like some wee dryad of the week began, hundreds of teams have come in from
forest, little Anna has stood here in her bower the country with all manner of “green things.” Close
of green. It is a bitter cold day, and a north corner, beside her, stand some fragrant spruces and firs that

CHRISTMAS GREENS.
came from away“ down east,” for although many of - especially, if in addition to their trees, they bring.
the suburban towns, especially Randolph, Needham, as many do, a large assortment of wreaths, crosses,
Stoughton, West Wareham, Walpole, Lincoln, North anchors, and other church emblems made by tasteful
Abington and Natick, furnish our city with much of hands at home.
the so-called "small" trimmings, it is chiefly from the Of course they are liable to have these smaller
grand old forests of Maine, that our finest Christmas
wares stolen, as they have no place to store them
trees, and the "large” trimmings for church and hall over night; but “forewarned” they generally come
are obtained. I am told that one season three thou-“forearmed," and a common custom among them is
sand trees were shipped from Bangor and Portland to have a large box closely fitted to their vehicles
to a single firm on Broad street, and many“ Down where all the choice greens can be securely kept
under lock and key.
Here are two lads, evidently brothers, who have
come from a long distance. They have brought only
trees, and rough boughs ; so, to save the expense of
stabling their poor old horse the greens are all taken
out of the hurdles and deposited in a heterogeneous
mass upon the side-walk. Then, while one brother
stays to arrange and look after their stock in
trade," the other goes home with the empty sledge.
It is a little curious that among all these venders
of Christmas greens, you will seldco find an Italian
boy or girl ; although, in other street occupations,
these dark-eyed children of the south out-number
even in Boston- the German, Irish and American
born.
Besides those who sell Christmas greens on the
corners and in the markets, there are other children
-- mostly Germans - in our different mission-schools,
especially in the one connected with Dr. Ellis's
church on Berkeley street, who gather evergreens
and berries, before the snow comes, in the fields and
woods just about Boston. These the mothers and
older sisters at home make up into wreaths, crosses,
and other emblems; and a few days before Christmas
the children go out upon the street and sell them
from door to door.
“LITTLE ANNA."
The florists seldom, if ever, employ boys and girls
East” farmers come, year after year, to Quincy to sell their holiday decorations; and whenever or
Market with trees they have felled on their own wherever you see these little out door merchants, you
woodlands.
may be pretty sure they are selling on their own re-
If any of these trees become injured by transporta sponsibility.
tion, they are generally stripped, and the twigs woven But we are wandering away from little Anna, and
into festoons; while those that still preserve their it is her “store” that I want you to notice, particu-
native symmetry, are sold, according to size and larly. Perhaps you have already recognized her, for
quality, from twenty-five cents to two and three dollars the picture we give you is taken from life, and all last
apiece. As no rent is demanded for the use of “out- summer she stood at this very same corner, selling
door” corners, these countrymen can sometimes mints and herbs. Her dark hair and eyes certainly
clear hundreds of dollars during the holiday season remind one of the little Italians down in Ferry and
-

CHRISTMAS GREENS.
66
"
North Bennett street; but Anna is of German parent- rule, the demand for them increases every year. And
age, and since the father's death, her mother has truly what better cheer can we give our homes, than
been obliged to go out to service, while a kind old a breath of all these green things that with mute but
aunt who lives in one of those dark tenement houses eloquent lips are always praising the Lord ? Some
on Hanover Avenue, has shared her hard earned home say that the custom of decorating our houses and our
with little Anna.
churches with these fragrant boughs, is borrowed from
Weeks ago, before the drifting snows came, the the old Druids, who sought thus to shelter their wood
men and boys of the family gathered these bright nymphs from the biting frosts; however that may be,
evergreens — feathery "princess pine," and the “run- it is among Christian nations only, that we find the
ning Jennie" that clambers everywhere with her true signification of Christmas greens; for are they
seven-leagued boots," sprays of the Roxbury wax- not all emblems of the true life of life that still abides
work, too, snow-white immortelles, and the dazzling in the heart though all without is cold and dead?
red berries of the bitter-sweet they found down in the Years ago, in the old Puritan families of New Eng-
Waltham Meadows; and could you have looked into land, any festivities at Christmas time would have
Anna's home those long November evenings, you been as severely denounced as that first banjo in
would have seen the whole family busily at work church! But as the years went by, there came, from
upon the fragrant greens — sometimes, “till the wee over the seas, Norse and Swedes and happy German
small hours of night. For it takes a deal of time families who brought with them all manner of quaint,
and patience to make these pretty emblems as any beautiful customs that the little American children
of my little readers know, who have tried the work looked upon with wonder and delight. From their
themselves, for home and school decoration ;, and English cousins they had heard about the great yule-
the modest price that Anna asks for her wreaths log that burned from Christmas eve to Candlemas;
and crosses, is but a just compensation for the labor the mistletoe bough under which so many kisses were
bestowed upon them If she is successful in her hol- stolen; the Glastonbury hawthorn that always blos-
iday sales, she will go to school through the remain- somed on Christmas morning; the games on Twelfth-
ing winter months; and then when the “dandelions" night; and the sweet carols that the little chimney-
come, you will see her again at the corner. And let sweeps sang in the streets.
us not forget that little Anna is but one of many." But the legends about the Christ-child, and the
On the opposite corner of the “ Agricultural Ware- beautiful trees with their waxen tapers and their
house” you will find another little vender of Christ- wonderful fruit of toys and bon-bons
mas greens whose story is no less interesting. Liz is something altogether new to Boston children, a hun-
a little German girl, too; but unlike Anna, she has dred years ago. Now, aside from the large quantities
been brought up a Roman Cathalic. Her father and sold in Quincy Market, on Boylston street corner, and
mother are both living, but the family are poor; and other well-known localities in the business part of our
all through the year, little Liz, the youngest and the city, every florist sells, upon an average, four or five
only child now at home, helps bravely, by her street hundred trees at Christmas time, together with an
vending to keep the dreaded "wolf from the door." indefinite number of wreaths, crosses and other em-
At one time she attended an evening school; but blems. In addition to the evergreens already men-
looking down with reddening cheeks upon her tioned, the holly (originally holy tree), the kalmia,
shabby dress and tattered shawl, she said in answer
or laurel, the inkberry, a great variety of mosses,
to my question:
ferns, grasses and immortelles are always in demand
No, ma'am
- I don't go now
- they all made so for Christmas decorations; and since we have only a
much fun of me!"
poor substitute in this country for mistletoe, all our
Poor little Liz !
large florist establishments send directly to England
Will no one share with her, and the large class she for this magical parasite, that is said to possess
represents, a drop from their "over-flowing cups ?” especial power when found growing upon oak boughs.
These hard times have affected the sale of Christ- Of the many varieties of roseum or "everlasting"
mas greens, more than one might imagine ; but, as a flowers, I am told, that large quantities are grown
66
this was
66

CHRISTMAS GREENS.
66
upon the waste lands at Cape Cod; then they are as imported articles, the work can be done (and
taken to wholesale establishments in Paris and Lon- probably is done, in many instances), at our own
don, made into all sorts of designs, and frequently dye-houses. Indeed, quite a field is opened here, for
adorned with artificial colors, before they again cross home ingenuity; for by the use of a camel's hair brush
the water to be sold in our city as choice importations. and good, durable colors, skillful fingers can produce
The natural colors of these “immortelle " flowers, far prettier effects, than any we find among the so
are white (which needs, however, a thorough bleach- called imported designs.
ing before use), a brilliant yellow, and, among the It is a good thing for both the florists and the
amaranth” family, various shades of crimson. street venders when Christmas comes upon a Satur-
Sometimes, especially when the wreaths, crosses day, for then the whole preceeding week can be devoted
etc., are intended for memorial purposes as well as to the display and sale of Christmas greens. Should a
for Christmas decorations, the natural tints are pre- Sunday come between, the “out door” corners must
ferred; for white is always in demand, and yellow in “shut up shop" and put their wares out of the way;
France, is considered a badge of mourning and used but sometimes quick sales bring the largest profit;
at funerals as we would use white or black. There and the night before Christmas always presents one
is, among the “roseums," a shaded orange that is of the liveliest sights imaginable down in Quincy
not natural, but you can readily tell whether the color Market. Then every scrap of green is eagerly gath-
is artificial or not by noticing the separate flowers ered up and sold by handfuls; for there is always the
which always lose somewhat of their perfect “rose “late" customer for Christmas greens as for every-
form, when subjected to the dyeing process. Aside thing else; and many an enterprising little urchin, by
from this, it is really a very easy matter to tint the careful"gathering up of the fragments," succeeds in
stiff petals of “everlasting” flowers; and although, turning at the eleventh hour, literally — a goodly
as we said before, most of these decorations are sold number of pennies for Christmas morning.
>

ch
THE CHILD TOILERS OF BOSTON STREETS.
No. II.-THE NEWS BOYS.
BY EMMA E. BROWN.
ID you ever stop to think what a curious sort of ſing of lodging and clothes, - depended upon the
DI
life our little newsboys lead? Taking a car pennies he could earn each day?
one afternoon, just below the Herald office on Wash- Yet among the three hundred newsboys who throng
ington Street, I was greatly entertained by a bevy of our Boston streets, I find there is scarcely one upon
these little fellows, who came trooping in and soon
whose exertions does not depend his own support, and,
filled up all the vacant seats about me.
in many instances, the maintenance of a whole
Their arms were full of the latest edition, fresh family!
from the press; and with a nimbleness of finger that It was only to-day that an instance came to my no-
could only have come from long practice, they quickly tice deserving especial mention. Down by Snow-hill
folded the damp sheets, slung them across their shoul- Street is a poor Italian family, consisting of father,
ders, and then, with hands jingling the change in their mother, and (if I remember rightly) five children.
pockets, they began to talk over the day's losses and Two of the boys are licensed to sell newspapers,
gains, and the splendid sales in store for them be- but at one time last winter the elder brother was
cause of the "big sensation," all with a shrewdness taken ill, and the father was sick in bed for months.
and keen business insight worthy of State Street or During all this time the whole burden came upon lit-
the Exchange.
tle Antonio, who is only twelve years old, and so very
It was amusing and painful both — this precocious slight you would think him much younger.
child-talk. The largest boy among them was scarcely
But the brave lad at once “took in the situation,"
older than little Tom, who comes every morning to and by rising early and working late, he managed to
his papa for spending-money, and who reckons its earn enough each day from the sale of his papers to
value simply by the amount of toys or candies it will support them all till father and mother were able to
buy.
work again.
What would our little boy think, I wonder, if his Then there is little Joseph Dondaro, whose shrill
breakfast, his dinner, and his supper - to say noth- 1 voice you may have heard on the corner last evening

THE NEWSBOYS.
He is a
RRIBLE
FALUK
IREIG
NEW
as he shouted his “ Herald ! Five o'clock !"
Down on North Margin Street is a neat brick
tiny boy, with jet-black eyes, hair to match, and a building known as the “School for Newsboys and
nut-brown complexion that is not wholly due to dust Bootblacks,” and here it was that I first saw little
and tan. For Joe is of Jewish parentage, and a hard Joseph. For, by the conditions of his license, every
life the little fellow has had ever since he can remem- minor, in our well-regulated city, is expected to attend
ber. His mother died about a year ago, and the school at least two hours each day during the school
wretched drunkard he calls “father” is so cruel to year.
Joe and his little sister, that the children were only Many of our public schools admit such pupils, and
too glad when, sorne months since, he took his hand- I think the Eliot school alone contains some forty
organ and, leaving the little ones to look after them- newsboys; but as "two-hour” pupils need separate
classes, they cause, of course, a deal of irregularity
in graded schools; and so, some ten years back, two
special schools -one on North Margin Street, under
AGEDY .
the charge of Miss Brackett, the other in East-street
RK
Place, under Miss Taylor, were opened to give cur
MAINE
newsboys, boot-blacks, and little street-peddlers the
benefit of thorough instruction at such hours of the
day as would least interfere with their "trade."
Before the city fathers, however, had thought of
this excellent arrangement, certain kind ladies had
by
established, in the old church on Chauncy Street, a
free day school for these little street venders; and
had it not been for the benevolence, zeal, and success-
ful labors of those early workers, I doubt if the pres-
ent fine schools would ever have had an existence.
The school in East-street Place, which is composed
almost exclusively of newsboys, numbers between
twenty and thirty pupils, and is open from nine to
eleven in the morning, and from twelve till two in the
afternoon. Nearly all the boys here are of Irish
parentage, while in the school on North Margin
Street, which is somewhat larger, by far the greater
proportion are Italians.
It is an interesting sight to watch these little street
Arabs poring over their well-thumbed books; and as
I studied their bright, intelligent faces, I couldn't help
thinking what a safeguard through the day these
selves, wandered off into the country -- nobody knew precious two hours may be to them!
whither
For besides learning to "read, write and cipher,"
Since then Joe, with all the dignity of ten years, has the kind, judicious, Christian training they are con-
taken upon himself the entire responsibility, and tried stantly receiving in these excellent schools is really of
to fill the place of father and mother both to his little more value to them than any amount of mere book
sister, who is only six years old.
knowledge.
Upon an average he can earn by the sale of his Here is a little fellow who was pronounced incor-
papers three dollars a week; out of this sum he pays rigible when first brought in from the streets; but
for the rent of their one room on Endicott Street, patient instruction, and the kind, firm control of his
seventy-five cents per week, while the remainder — teacher, have already wrought such a change in him
just think how small ! — must feed and clothe them. that Johnny is now considered one of the brightest,
CABLE
ARTHQUAKE
LAPAN
LOGAETH
WELLIGENCE
THE NEWSBOY.

THE NEWSBOYS.
their own
best-behaved boys in the whole school. He and his conduct on the street, however, is the exception, not
little brother Michael are both licensed newsboys, and the rule, among our Boston newsboys. The bright
upon them depends the main support of the family, badge they wear upon their jackets, with their num-
for their father, too, is a miserable drunkard.
ber and “Licensed” upon it, is in itself a guarantee
Questioning one after another, your heart aches for of good behavior; for before obtaining this from the
these little child toilers," who must needs learn so city government, the boys are on probation a certain
early in life all the “rough and tumble” of this length of time. If they prové worthy, and promise
strange, work-a-day world. Nevertheless, there is a faithfully to comply with the terms and conditions of
bright side to the picture, for, thrown upon
a "Minor's License;" application is made for them,
resources, and stimulated by the thought of weaker by some responsible person, to the Board of Alder-
ones who depend upon them, these little fellows early men; and in due course of time they receive their
develop a sturdy self-reliance, and a brave fortitude license papers. Each boy has his own number, and
that in after-life is of inestimable benefit to them.
by the payment of one dollar, the silver badges are
Here, for instance, is little Robert Kelly, only given them, which they promise to wear conspicuously
twelve years of age, who helps support a family of in sight, and, on no condition, transfer, exchange,
eight persons. His father gets occasional jobs when borrow or lend. If at any time they wish to give up
he can, at the coal wharves; but, after all, it is upon licenses, these badges are returned, and their
little Robert that the steady maintenance depends. money is paid back to them.
At home, he is his mother's right hand man in Happening in, one day, at the office on Pemberton
doing all sorts of chores; and at school his neat, tidy Square, I watched with not a little interest, a group
appearance, and good conduct, are especially praise of “candidates” as the boys are called before they
worthy.
have received their badges. The little fellows eagerly
Another boy, John Falvey, by name, is fourteen crowded round the officer's desk, each with his own
years of age, and the oldest of four children. His story to tell, and one after another they received their
father is scarcely ever in a condition to earn anything, license papers and bright silver badges. One boy,
and the mother, with her home cares, can do but who stood apart from the rest, had come to give up
little. So the support of the family comes upon John his license and badge; but as the latter was some-
and his youngest brother, who have bravely taken up what marred by careless usage, I noticed he received
the burden together. These few instances might be but seventy-five cents for it. Another little urchin
multiplied by a score of others; but I think enough who could hardly reach up to the desk on tip-toe, laid
have already been given, to show my readers how down the two half dollars he had brought, and re-
much depends upon the labors of this class of little ceived not only his badge but a silver quarter beside.
This greatly surprised and delighted him; but Mr.
To be sure, their behavior upon the street, is not Wright, who has charge of these matters and is always
always what it should be. Sometimes, I am sorry to
a kind friend to the boys, explained that the badge he
say, they are rude, noisy, and otherwise disagreeable had given him, though “second-hand,” would answer
to passers-by. There is one sad picture that haunts every purpose, and the extra quarter was greatly
me as I write, and I wouldn't show it to my “ Wide needed at home. Opening the big books where all
Awake” readers, only that I want them to know all the boy's licenses - or rather copies of them
about the temptations and dangers that beset our filed, one gets an insight into the workings of this ad-
little newsboys. One night, not long ago, a tiny lad, mirable system. "A gentleman came to me the other
not more than nine years old, was found - must I day,” said one of the officers in charge, and told me
write the ugly words ?-just beastly drunk, under the how a certain newsboy had cheated him. “I had no
steps in William's Court! Perhaps it was his first pennies,” the gentleman went on to say, “but taking
taste of the vile liquor at all events, let us hope it one of the boy's papers, I handed him a twenty-five
will be the last — but the lager beer wagons offer cent piece which he ran around the corner to change.
great temptations to the hungry, thirsty boys, and I Of course, that was the last of the boy and the twenty-
fear that many of them are frequent customers. Bad five -- now, sir, don't misunderstand me — I don't
men.
-
-
are
-

THE NEWSBOYS.
-
66
care for the missing change, but I do care for the the little urchins rushing, tumbling, screaming, hurry
morals of your newsboys!”
ing hither and thither, and reaching pell-mell one over
'Begging the gentleman to wait a few moments, I the other, look more like little elves than actual chil-
looked over my books," said the officer, "found the dren; but while you are wondering where they have
boy's number which the gentleman had noticed upon all come from, so suddenly, and why it is they do not
his badge, and in the course of fifteen minutes the get into some inextricable tangle, there comes an
lad stood before us. He hung down his head when unexpected lull - in another instant the court is
we began to question him, and I feared, at first, that deserted, and up and down Washington street, on
the boy was guilty; but the alacrity with which he Tremont Row, at the depots, the ferries, the different
handed the gentleman his change, and his repeated street corners, the entrance to theatre, concert and
declarations that he came back to his stand just as lecture rooms, on the horse-cars, the Common, the
quick as he could, but the gentleman had gone,' quite gardens, the various public squares, the evening trains
satisfied the latter, and we both concluded it was no matter where you turn, the newsboy's shrill cry
better to let the little fellow go. But you can see by pierces your brain.
this instance what kind of reins we hold over the During “elections," the little fellows are frequently
boys, and how quickly any misdemeanor on their part up all night; and any "special" news matter, -as a
renders them liable to forfeiture of license.""
great fire, a murder, or a disaster at sea,
- is always
In selling papers, the old proverb holds true — it is looked upon as a windfall, because of the
the "early bird that gets the worm," and a deal of sales it will bring. The Sunday papers all give them
competition is shown among these enterprising little a larger percentage of profit, than the dailies; but
venders.
through the week more Heralds are sold upon the
The several editions are hardly out of press, before street than any other of our city journals.
our newsboys are “on the spot;" and Herald, Four- It would be interesting if we could trace out the
nal, Globe, Advertiser, Traveller, Times, Transcript, histories of our little newsboys, as, one after another,
and Post are sounded through the streets by three they outgrow their street occupations, and seek more
hundred pairs of lungs, long before the ink is dry, manly employments.
But if you want to see a genuine “rush,” look into Sometimes, they learn a trade, enter shops, or set
Williams Court some afternoon between the hours of up business for themselves; and to one lad who has
three and four. For the “five o'clock edition," as it proved himself especially worthy, I am told a fine
is called, though really ready for distribution an hour position has been given, in one of our leading news-
or two earlier, is the most important issue of the day; paper establishments. The life of a newsboy, as you
and the “hand to hand” scramble then, for the first see, is certainly one that is full of temptation, full of
sheets as they come from the printers, is an exciting hardship; but always proves a good training school,
scene, well worth witnessing.
if right influences can only be thrown about the
In the peculiar, weird light of the narrow Court, boy,
extra"

11
ELDERNE
IL
LENKIAI TINKLELUT LEILIGHEID EN APLICAR TOLEDO
ME LO ANTICONCILITETE
THE CHILD TOILERS OF BOSTON STREETS.
No. 111.-THE SHOVEL BRIGADE.
-
BY EMMA E. BROWN.
“Mup
, old fellow, I say !"
Y eyes, Mike! here's a job sure's fun! Wake | but one unbroken mass of pure white snow. How
up, old fellow, I say!”.
pretty Ferry Court looks in its new dress! Why!
"Heigho! What's up, Jack?” yawns sleepy Mike even the old ash-heaps, the refuse barrels, and the
from the farthest corner of the old mat that has broken bottles, stand out like so many groups of
served them both for a bed.
carved marble.
“Big snowstorm reg'lar nor'easter— foot and But that isn't what Jack is thinking about, as he
half deep, and not a sidewalk shovelled yet! Hurry stands there at the window with hands in his pocket!
up, old Lazybones, or Teddy and Jim'll be ahead of The truth is, the little fellow is cold, hungry and
sleepy -- he was out last night till nearly midnight
It is hardly light, and Jack, as he rubs off a corner selling newspapers, — and though he wouldn't miss
of the frosty pane, can see nothing in the street below these extra "jobs” for the world, he doesn't quite
-
us!”

THE SHOVEL BRIGADE.
-
and you
66
-
relish the idea of starting off without his breakfast. A ring at the area bell, a smiling assent from the
“I say, Mike, do yer think they'll give us a bite at jolly-faced cook, and Jack and Mike begin work in
the big house 'round the corner?”
good earnest.
“Like enough, Jack, there's a jolly fat cook there! “I say, though, didn't that steak smell bunkum,
but hold on a minute. It's dry snow — just like Mike?'
powder. We'll need the big broom and shovel both." “Yis, and the coffee what steamed on the stove !
"All right. Start along, Slow-coach, I'll take one Let's hurry up and p'raps we'll get a smack! I won-
take t'other.”
der how Nick gets along with that one little shovel of
And Jack, foremost in everything, leads off with his? Let's lend him a hand if we git through
the great iron shovel shouldered like a musket, while first."
Mike, with the old twig broom, lags on behind.
Jack demurs a little at Jack's last proposition, but
Half way down the street they meet little Nicholas scrapes on with dogged persistency.
Grasaro, who means to get a "job,” too, before it is “Whew! it make's a fellow's fingers ache, though!”
time to give his customers a “shine.” They are old exclaimed Mike, as he stops a moment to blow vigor-
comrades — the three boys, — for though Nicholas is ously upon the purple tips. If he hadn't looked up
only a boot-black not “up” in the newspaper trade just then he wouldn't have seen the tall beaver. But
like Jack and Mike, they all belong to the same “fra- look up he did, and there was the tempting target!
ternity," and meet daily at the “Newsboys' and Boot- Quick as a flash the broom was dropped, the snow-
blacks' School," down on North Margin Street.
Jack and Mike have the true Irish brogue, but
Nicholas is an Italian boy, as you can tell at once
when you get a full look at his face. These extra
jobs” he is always on the lookout for, at least, he
well understands how much the extra pennies are
needed at home; and I'm sure I don't know what
would become of the family if it were not for little
Nicholas. The poor father has long been helpless
from paralysis, and I fear he will never leave his bed
again. The mother tries to earn what she can, and
at one time she had a fruit-stand. But there are
many days when the sick man needs her constant
care, and Nicholas' little sister is hardly able to look
after the stand all by herself.
So they must depend upon what Nicholas can
earn; and the "shines
- notwithstanding the nice
place the little fellow has, down in Brattle Street
seldom “net” more than four dollars a week. An
extra job, therefore, is well worth the trouble of rising
an hour or two earlier to secure, and Nicholas knows
he will have beside — what poor Jack and Mike know
nothing about — a warm welcome when he gets
back !
But the clock has struck seven, and the boys'
tracks in the snow are already followed by larger and
heavier ones.
“We mustn't let the city men git ahead of us!” ball fired, and off rolled the new beaver way across
shouts Jack, as he makes a bee line to the “big house the street, on a revolving tour of exploration. And
'round the corner.”
off started the repentant little Arab, the very same
>
-
-
KP
Two MEMBERS OF THE "SHovel BRIGADE.''

THE SHOVEL BRIGADE.
instant, in hot pursuit! I'm glad to say he didn't millionaire have opened his heavy purse a bit wider to
take the offered dime from unsuspecting young Har- poor little Nicholas ?
vard, for it was pure mischief - nothing else - that The boy cannot bear to go home with this meagre
prompted this sudden episode.
sum; so, while Jack and Mike are feasting in the warm
All up and down the street, on either side, the kitchen, he looks about for another “job.” This
Shovel Brigade are now busily at work. Yes, and all time he is more fortunate; a sweet-faced old lady
the neighboring streets, too, are alive with these ani- taps on the window to him, for she has seen his faith-
mated silhouettes — for just like shadow pictures the ful labor across the way -- somebody always sees
black figures stand out on the white background ! faithful labor sooner or later, and Nicholas' black
If you open your window and listen, the scraping eyes fairly dance when she offers him twenty-five
shovel, the swirring brooms, and the occasional thuds cents for cleaning steps, pavement and upper
of snow sound, in the crisp electric atmosphere, not balcony.
unlike the chords of a distant “ street band."
Two hours later the boys, rather tired, to be sure,
Here and there you will note the bright badge of after their hard morning's work, but all aglow with
some wide-awake policeman, who is on the lookout exercise and excitement combined, meet in the little
for neglected sidewalks ; for although it is a well- school-room and compare notes with their comrades.
known regulation in our good city that, if a snow- They are a whole hour late, and all truancy or un-
storm comes at night, every pavement must be clear necessary tardiness is always punished as it deserves;
before nine o'clock the next morning, there are some but this morning the kind teacher is quite ready to
sleepy households that need constant reminders. excuse them, for she knows all about “her boys,"
Should the snow come in the daytime it must, accord- and is as glad as they are when these extra jobs
ing to law, be removed in the space of an hour after come, and they can carry home a few extra pennies.
it has stopped falling — an excellent rule, if it were I have given you a peep into two of these homes?
only carried out; but often the work is delayed, or Would you like to see another? Come then with
so poorly done that treacherous spots are left, and Louis, another little Italian boy, who has earned fifty
many serious accidents occur in consequence. cents this morning by "shoveling" and "shining”
Jack and Mike, however, have finished their "job" both. He is in a hurry to tell the good news, and
in the most approved style this morning. To be scampers up the four rickety flights, two steps at a
sure, in spite of its depth, it was a light snow
- dry, time.
feathery, and far easier to remove than the wet, heavy It is one of the darkest, dingiest, most unwhole-
snows that sometimes come; but the boys are faith- some rooms in the whole tenement, but it is all the
ful little fellows, and whether the work be light or home that Louis knows anything about.
heavy, they always do their “level best.” That is cooking-stove, with clothes drying on the line just
why the owner of the big house was so ready to over it, an old mattress in the corner, a table with the
employ them this morning; he watched them from remains of cold potatoes, maccaroni, etc., still upon
the window last time, and remembers how well they it, one or two broken chairs, and the baby's cradle,
managed the troublesome drifts that blew around the make up the furniture of the room.
He is a kind-hearted man, and Jack is not But five little children, ranging all the way from
doomed to disappointment this morning; the jolly- six months upward, fill whatever empty spaces are
faced cook has orders to have a good hot breakfast left, and unless you step carefully you may tread on
all ready for them when the work is done; and then, some of the little creatures ! The mother, who is
besides, there is a bright silver dime waiting on the mending a tiny garment whlle its owner is asleep,
table for each of them.
welcomes Louis with a sunny smile, No matter how
Little Nicholas is just as hungry and just as deserv- tired or discouraged she is, there always seems to be
ing, but all he receives for his hard work is a nickel a rich fund of love in this mother's heart for each and
five cent piece! Well, that, to be sure, is better than all of her little brood.
nothing - it will buy a loaf of bread at the baker's The father -- it is the same old story, but just as
round the block; but why couldn't the thoughtless sad nevertheless, - loves his bottle better than he
-
A rusty
corner.

THE SHOVEL BRIGADE.
does his helpless family: and Louis, ever since he recruits. These last are generally strong, able-bodied
was a wee baby, has seen so much of the misery men employed by the city authorities; and there is
caused by strong drink, that I hope he will take warn- scarcely a day after the first snow comes when you
ing and never touch it himself.
will not find them at work somewhere. Often the
That bright half-dollar! How the mother's eyes horse-car tracks become clogged, or the gutters need
glisten as Louis twirls it on the table and asks her attention. Then, the snow itself, after it is shovelled
what he shall buy first! A hard question surely, from the pavements must be carted, or rather sledded
when so many things are needed; but hunger is the off; and this work gives employment to a large num-
loudest call after all, and there are a dozen eager ber of men and boys throughout the winter months.
mouths all waiting to be fed. Louis will earn an- Truly it is an “ill wind” that blows nobody any
other "fifty" perhaps, at his stand this afternoon; good," and when these driving snowstorms come,
but unexpected jobs, like the morning shovelling, will spoiling the skating for so many boys and blocking
always seem like especial “god-sends."
the trains, let us remember Jack and Mike, Nicholas,
Just think how many miles of pavement, all within Louis and all their little comrades, and the men with
the limits of the city, have been travelled to-day by families who are eagerly waiting for a job,” and al-
this indefatigable Shovel Brigade; yet there is a deal ways hail the "falling skies” with undisguised de-
of after work” still, for the crow-bar and pick-ax- light.


A STREET PEDDLER.

THE LITTLE ASH-PICKERS.
THE CHILD TOILERS OF BOSTON STREETS.
No. IV.-THE LITTLE ASH-PICKERS.
BY EMMA E. BROWN.
Di
66
one
id you ever put your hand into a “grab-bag"? fast as her heavy load and her new boots will allow.
If so, you know just how little Rosa feels as, A copper boiler! Just think what luck! Why, it's a
standing on tip-toe, she pokes her long stick down into regular “bonanza" - at least, so the old junk dealers
the ashes!
say, and who should know better than they? Perhaps
There are just fifty of them —great, dusty, ugly bar- you wonder, as I did, what possible use could be made
rels - waiting with open mouths on each side of the of an old boiler with the bottom burned off. It's a se-
open alley-way between Boylston and Newbury Streets, cret of the trade, but I will tell you, for that pretty gal-
and Rosa with her hook and her bag is the very first vanized coal-hod by the grate knows the whole story !
on the spot " this morning. By and by the city “Once upon a time" it was — would you believe it?--
carts will come, but just now the field is all her own, an old dilapidated boiler itself! But from ash-barrel
and the little girl goes to work with an energy worthy to junk-shop, from furnace to hard-ware, it has gone so
some better employment.
far up in the social scale that now even the stiff poker
“Hullo!
What's this?"
and tongs are quite willing to keep company with it.
An old coffee-pot, sure enough, with the handle There is a heavy clatter down in the alleyway now,
knocked off! Rosa looks it all over, taps it with her for the city carts have come; and trudging just be-
knuckles, holds it up to the light, and considers. The hind is a little tatterdemalion with an old basket on
bottom is sound the cover tight. Yes, it is a deal
his arm.
He helps the men put back the empty bar-
better than the old one at home, so she tucks it into rels, and for this service they let him look over the
the old tow bag, and pokes again. Dear me! what rubbish before it is thrown into the big blue carts.
a fumbling there is this time! The little red hood is But little Rosa, as you and I know, has already had
all enveloped in dust as Rosa draws out, one after the “first pick," of five barrels, and Billy wonders he
the other, a pair of old, battered boots, minus every doesn't find much of anything for a while but bits of
button. But, beating out the ashes, she shoves her coal which Rosa hadn't time to take. Billy, by the
little bare feet into the discarded French kids, and way, is a famous little coal picker. Down by the
pronounces them a "perfect fit.” She will find plenty wharves and the freight depots, he finds so many
of buttons before she gets through with those fifty pieces that he doesn't have to depend upon the refuse
barrels, and with big needle and stout thread the little of ash barrels ; although I see he is very ready to
cobbler knows she can make the old boots “most as take whatever he can find here.
good as new.
One morning, just about light, there was an alarm
It is the bits of half-burned coal that she came out of fire that started Billy to his feet at once. Now
so early for this morning — breakfast can't be cooked you must know that to run after the big “ Steamer"
till she brings her bag home -- but coffee-pots and is one of Billy's greatest delights; but his passion for
boots are not to be found every day, and Rosa is on picking up coal is still greater, and hose wagon,
the lookout now for new treasures. Here is an old steamer and all, were suddenly deserted that morning
hat that will do for little Tony; and away down to the for a tempting “ dump,” that caught his keen eye as
bottom of barrel number five gleam the shining sides he scampered down the street. An hour later, when
of an old copper boiler! With furtive glances up and the firemen came back, Billy's old basket was heaped
down the alley, Rosa seizes this last " find,” crams it to the brim, and I don't know but the enterprising
into her bag, and scuffles off around the corner as little fellow will set up trade” for himself, since he
22

THE LITTLE ASH-PICKERS.
finds he can sell his coal for twenty cents a bushel. combings are straightened out and made into puffs,
Perhaps my Wide Awake readers are wondering curls, frizzes, and — nobody knows what! Old bot-
what the “ dump” is, where Billy lays in his stock. tles find a market, too, and bits of leather, wood and
Down by the Albany depot, in various vacant lots rope are always carefully gathered up. Sometimes,
throughout the city, and over in East Boston, there gold and silver coins, spoons, forks, rings, watch-
are certain places where the city carts regularly de- charms, and various other pieces of jewelry, are
posit their contents. These forlorn heaps of debris found ; but it is not often that such articles reach the
are the so-called "dumps," and men, women and chil-“ dump,” even when through carelessness they find
dren may be seen busily at work here almost any their way into ash barrels.
hour of the day. Some collect old bones that they There are many wonderful stories told ; but, after
sell at half a cent a pound; others take only paper all, it is by the careful "gathering up of fragments"
not by any special “luck”
that these ash-pickers
manage, sometimes, to get sixteen and twenty dollars a
week just from their "pickings!”
In a single season nine tons of coal were collected
at the East Boston dumps, and this is but one item
among many.
Here is a ragged old man with his wheelbarrow
and empty bags ; let us follow him and see what he
will find to-day. Little Tommy, only nine years old,
is his constant companion, and I don't know what
the old man would do without the bright eyes and
nimble fingers of this tiny boy.
"I say, daddy, we'll have to hurry, for I can hear
the big carts coming ; there's lots going to the
'dump' to-day!”
“Hey?"
And the old man puts his hand to his ear as
Tommy repeats in a higher sharper key the warning
words. It is evident he hears this time, for the jog
trot is suddenly quickened, and it is as much as
Tommy can do to keep pace with the rattling, squeak-
ing wheelbarrow. They are just in time to have the
first "haul," and with miser-like delight the old man
crams into one bag every rag and scrap of paper he
can find, while Tommy's smutty fingers are gathering
up
the coal.
“ THE LITTLE ASH-PICKER."
But look! there is still another bag in the wheel-
rags; and here is the little fellow who is on the look- barrow — yes, tie'o more, that they mean to carry back
out for bits of old iron.
“chuck full.” Into one goes all sorts of rusty nails,
It is curious to notice how much honor for each old screws, broken locks, bits of wire, iron filings,
other's specialties there is among this ragged crowd. etc. ; into the other is crammed anything that can be
Every bag is as secure from pilfering as if it were un- converted into firewood, such as old cigar and fruit
der lock and key; and any man, woman or child, who boxes, pieces of rotten shingles, laths, chips,
dares trespass on somebody's else“ dump," is looked matter what, so long as it can come under the head
upon as no better than a sneak and a thief.
of “kindlings.”
There seems to be scarcely anything in these mot- You see the old man understands “business;' he
ley heaps that is not put to some use. Even old hair sorts out his findings with as much care and method
no

THE LITTLE ASH-PICKERS.
as a salesman arranges his new goods on shelves and ure of one just as I saw it, not a great while ago.
counters. A sharp cuff on the ear, and Tommy sud- The door was wide open, and the little, dark, low
denly remembers that he has made a mistake. The room was just packed - way to the ceiling and way
old man has found two iron nails in his paper bag," to the sidewalk — with all manner of outlandish
and such carelessness is altogether too much for any things. There were all sorts of broken tools, rusty
ash-picker's patience. Tommy hangs down his head, bolts, nuts, chains, parts of iron railings, old kettles,
whimpers a little, and then goes to work again with pans, horse shoes, etc.; then there were great tow
tingling ears, but a better memory.
bags crammed so full of paper rags that half of their
All day long they keep at work, wheeling the bar- many-colored contents were scattered on the floor,
row back and forth, till it grows too dark to pick up and thinking of the mischief a single match might do
even coal. And when I tell you that for three whole here I didn't wonder the junk dealer had hung up
years the old man and Tommy have worked together in a conspicuous place the warning words, “No
in this way, at this same old dump in East Boston, I smoking allowed.” There was only a narrow space
think
you
will understand how it is they have been left just in the middle of the room, and even here
able not only to earn a living but to lay up pennies you could scarcely take a step without treading upon
for a rainy day.
something
At one time, the neighbors used to notice a little A short distance from this junk shop is another,
girl in man's hat and coat, who worked at a part of where one window is filled with tailor "chips," and
the dump not far from the old man and Tommy. reading the sign over the door you will see that this
Poor child ! if you could have seen her and the shop makes a specialty of “ paper stock.” A little
wretched place she called home, I know you would farther on and you will find a “Black and White
have pitied and longed to help her. I believe she Smith," whose doorway is curiously decorated with
ran away, at last, from the cruel woman who beat her old iron cables, broken anchors, rusty kettles, pans,
without mercy, and drove her out to work at the and old, old things I had never seen before“
" dump," no matter how cold or how stormy the
or land.”
weather might be.
They tell me these old junk dealers make heaps of
Sometimes the truant officers find dozens of chil-
money out of the seeming rubbish brought to them by
dren here among the ash-heaps in school hours ; in- the ash pickers; and I think it is easy to understand
deed it is a frequent excuse with a certain class when when we consider how many things in daily use are
they are late, or absent from school for a number of made from this same old "junk.”
days, that they hadn't no coal t'home, and so they For our pretty superfine stationery, our books, yes,
had to go to the dump.” There is one little girl, even the pages of " Wide Awake," maybe, are made
I've forgotten her name - who actually picked up from the motley “paper stock;" while from bits of
all the coal used by the family from April till Novem- melted glass come our window panes, and our lamp
ber.
shades; and as to the old rusty metal, why, all man-
Down on Church Green, on the right hand side as ner of kitchen furniture is made from that! Truly
you leave Summer Street, are a number of old junk the little ash-pickers and the old junk dealers ought
shops that are well worth a visit. Here it is that to have their reward, for they help not a little in car-
many of our little ash pickers find a market for their rying out that twice-repeated command to “ gather up
"treasures;" and I'm going to give you a pict the fragments that nothing may be lost."
on sea

THE FRUIT-VENDERS:
THE CHILD TOILERS OF BOSTON STREETS.
No. V.-THE FRUIT-VENDERS.
BY EMMA E. BROWN.
-
SHER
carry home.
sance
such a
66
HE was selling grapes the first time I saw her, will show you what becomes of all those precious pen-
great purple bunches that looked so tempting nies that little Amelia picks up at the “corner.”
I didn't wonder half her stock was gone, though it Such a rickety old tenement house as it used to
was still early in the day. Such a happy face as it be! But now, a more manly landlord has cleansed
was under the old brown hat! It had been a very and put into repair this miserable building, and we
successful day, and little Amelia had “good news” to need not be afraid to-day to go up the new clean
stairway. Two rooms, as neat as neat can be, with a
By-and-by I'm going to tell you all about her home, few pictures on the four walls, - the commonest of
her good auntie, and the little cousins who seemed to prints to be sure, but pretty pictures for all that; a
her like brothers and sisters; but, first of all, I want nicely scoured floor, a few hard chairs, and a bed in
to give you a picture of little Amelia herself.
one corner of the larger room where Amelia's uncle,
Perched on her rough board seat, you will find her a helpless cripple, lies all day long. This is the home
almost any day at her special corner, which is far to which our little fruit girl is so eager to carry the
down on “new” Washington Street.
news of a successful day. Her own father, in a fit of
You know a deal is said, now-a-days, about the “nui- despondency, shot himself; and then there followed
of these street stands; but I don't believe any long weary days and weeks when the poor mother,
skittish horse ever took fright at this innocent little utterly discouraged and heart-broken, grew paler,
fruit tray. O, it takes up
wee bit” of room thinner, weaker, until at last, death came with its
at the broad corner ! And, as to interfering with the longed-for rest, and little Amelia was left without fa-
trade of the big fruit stores — why! what are the few ther or mother — all alone in the wide world!
cents our little girl earns at her stand, compared to Well, the good auntie, who, with a helpless hus-
the sales made every day by confectioners, corner band and four little children dependent upon her,
grocers, provision merchants, and a host of others had found ways and means to care for her sick sis-
who do not call themselves "fruit dealers” at all! ter, now opened heart and home to poor little Amelia.
O, Consistency, thou art a jewel, a rare jewel !
So, ever since her mother's death she has never
But little Amelia doesn't mean to borrow any known what it was to be without some one to love
trouble. Nobody disturbed her yesterday, and no- and care for her, and that, I think, is one secret of
body has disturbed her to-day. Really, that tip end her bright happy face; for, if there is only “love at
of Washington and Elm Streets seems as much her home,” we can always work with a light heart and
very own as if she had in her pocket the “warranty willing hands.
deed” for it, all signed and witnessed.
This fruit stand that Amelia and her auntie tend
“ And a very good corner it is,” she says to her- alternately, is the sole means of support of the whole
self, remembering how many people, on their way to family. And when we stop to think of the seven hun-
the Boston and Maine depot, stop just here for a half gry mouths to feed, and the rent - not less than eight
dozen oranges, a couple of lemons, or a nice ripe ba- dollars a month — that must be paid for their rooms
nana to eat on the way.
down on Mechanic Street, it is very easy to see what
Sometimes, she can make five dollars a week, but becomes of all the bright pennies.
that is only when the weather is fine.
Such a brave, cheerful spirit as this noble-hearted
Come with me away down to the North End and I woman has shown, ever since the sad accident that
6

THE FRUIT-VENDERS.
ED
DE
NA
crippled her hard-working husband. He was a gar week's mending at the same time. Old grand-
dener, she tells me, upon a gentleman's place in Som- mothers are here, too, with funny looking caps; and
erville, and one day when pruning trees, he fell in out of every window, almost, there are two or three
such a way upon the sharp instruments that his spine unkempt heads peering down on the scene below
was very badly hurt. That was four or five years And oh, such a jabbering from top to bottom ! Of
ago and he has not been able to do a day's work course, it is all in Italian; even the babies don't seem
since, — indeed, I doubt if he is ever able to do any- to cry like other children. And there is one little
thing more, but patient Mrs. Vicarro never com- black-eyed morsel with arms and feet strapped down
plains of her hard lot.
to a board — like an Indian pappoose, I was going to
"God has taken care of us,” she says, "and I am
just as sure as can be He always will !”
To give her husband every possible comfort and to
keep a pleasant home for the little ones, has been her
chief desire, and she has worked hard to obtain it.
At first, she took in washing and ironing, but that was
never so profitable as the fruit stand has been. For,
among the Italians in Boston there are a number who
are able to club together and obtain large quantities
of fruit at very low prices.
The shrewdest one in the little circle is deputed to
make the daily purchase. Much of the fruit is ob-
tained directly of the importers at the wharves, who
carefully assort it; that which is likely to keep only
a short time, being sold to the agents of the street
venders at far lower prices than the fruit stores pay
for the carefully selected fruits.
North Market Street is also a busy scene early in
the morning, many of the little fruit-sellers resorting
thither to buy their daily stock-in-trade.
“And I've always found good friends," says Mrs.
Viccaro, whose cheery face fairly beamed as she
told me how they had been helped over the “hard
places."
As I write, another picture comes up before me.
R.
It is late in the afternoon, and a ray of the bright
golden sunset streams into the narrow court and rests
lovingly upon a rough box of house plants, high up say; but, dear me, it looks more like an Egyptian
on the brick wall. In one window is a large English mummy!
ivy, so green and thrifty I know its owner loves and “Her make straight,” says the proud little mother
cares for what is beautiful, but with this exception in broken Italian.
just see how forlorn and dreary it is — this misera- The baby looks up at us with eyes so big and so
ble, filthy Court!
black and so round and so wise that we haven't a
There are all sorts of broken things scattered
word to say.
But when little Rosanna comes run-
about, and in one corner an old umbrella man is look- ning to us with her basket of fruit, we can better un-
ing over his "stock in trade." Babies in arms, and derstand what makes the ten-year-old child so very
little creatures just big enough to toddle about, crowd small and slight for her age. And did you ever see
together upon the dirty steps, while their mothers an Italian boy or girl that was not under size? Poor
strive to catch a breath of fresh air, and do their 1 little creatures! This curious custom may possibly
“ LITTLE AMELIA."

THE FRUIT-VENDERS.
-
help to make them straight and supple, but, hindering ite color — and, very often, the tray is placed on
all muscular movement for months and months, how wheels so that it can be easily carried about. Then
it must retard their growth and strength in every there is the big broad basket with its fat cover that
way.
serves for a table, while the under part is used as a
Rosanna Vorpiano! Isn't that a musical name? sort of refrigerator. This is certainly more picturesque
And doesn't the child look as if she had just stepped than the wooden tray, but I don't believe it is half as
out of a "genre" picture? Her old checked ging- convenient.
ham dress is partly covered by a little apron, tied be- One day I watched with a deal of interest the
hind with an old shoe-string; and the buttons on her "setting up of a stand" on the Common. It was a
dress, as diverse in color and shape as "Joseph's very modest affair - two little saw-horses, and just
coat," give a very funny effect as she turns suddenly a rough board thrown across, - but everything was
round into the broad light. It is a warm day, but she arranged in “apple pie” order. There was a nice
has thrown over her tight jet braids an old knitted white cloth to cover the uneven planks, and then, one
hood — black and purple, -- and the frizzy curls that after another, the little hand baskets were emptied of
blow about her forehead look like so many imps that their contents. Of course, every apple and pear was
have come out to frolic with her roguish black eyes. duly polished with a bit of rag before it was laid on
As she stands there, leaning against the steps with the cloth; and, somehow, the biggest and fairest al-
that old basket on her arm, half-filled with bright red ways found their way to the top.
apples, I long to put her upon canvas.
At the main entrance to the Common, on Charles
She has made fifty cents to-day, — can't you hear Street, is an old woman whose weather-beaten face
the dimes jingling in her pocket, — and to-morrow she shows a long apprenticeship in that trade. On cold
means to start very, very early to market.
days she protects herself from the bleak east winds
Up and down Tremont and Washington Streets, by a wide long strip of black enamel cloth, which she
through Temple Place, Winter, Bromfield Street, - fastens to the high fence just behind her; and a very
up long flights of stairs into offices and “composing nice background it makes for her odd little stand and
rooms," and into scores of close rooms that swarm her picturesque self. As the weather changes from
with heated and thirsty toilers, – wherever she can biting cold to scorching heat, old umbrellas are sub-
find a customer — little Rosanna goes, up and down, stituted; but, no matter what the season may be,
up and down, all day long. She doesn't aspire to a our fruit venders will always be found at their
“stand” yet ; thinks she would like to go to school ; posts.
but I'm much afraid this roving sort of street-life To the passers-by, it may seem an idle, romantic
will bring out all the "gypsey” in our little Italian sort of life; but they know nothing of the hard labor
girl and utterly unfit her for any kind of study.
done at home, night and morning, to give this leisure
Oh! there is so much want and suffering all about through the day. In little baskets and crates and
us! Do my
“WIDE AWAKE” readers realize, I won- carts and wheelbarrows, all the unsold fruit is carried
der, how many of their brothers and sisters are toiling, home every night; and every morning it must be car-
all day long, just for a place to lay their head and a ried to the "stand," and polished and re-arranged.
bit of bread to eat! Amelia and Rosanna are not And many are the stockings and mittens that have
imaginary characters, — what I have told you about been knit by these indefatigable little women, while
them is true all through ! — and then there are so waiting for customers.
many others like them! Alike, and yet different, The constant exposure to all sorts of weather ren-
too; for each of the three hundred fruit stands, scat- ders the fruit-vender's life anything but a desirable
tered about our Boston streets, and every little basket one; still, to a large class of deserving poor, it offers
peddler, have a story "all their own."
one means of earning an honest livelihood. And,
And did you ever notice what a variety there is in while these modest little stands do not interfere with
the stands themselves ? Sometimes you will find public travel, it does seem as if our good city ought
them nicely painted, - green seems to be the favor- | both to protect and to patronize them.

THE BOOTBLACKS.
THE CHILD TOILERS OF BOSTON STREETS.
No. v.-THE BOOT BLACKS.
BY EMMA E. BROWN.
"HA
cents -
66
AVE a 'shine,' mister? Only five cents!” old woman undertook when she tried to whittle down
It is a very small voice from a very small a crow-bar into a knitting-needle. Lo, another ten
boy, and there is such a crowd hurrying to and fro - or rather twenty cents, for you see there were
that little Fred can hardly make himself heard. two boxes to be mounted, was paid to the old shoe-
But he has his regular customers who know just maker who had done the job for other bootblacks,
where to find him and who pay him twenty-five cents dozens of times before.
a week.
And then that particular corner of his, down “Ain't it nice, though ? " exclaimed Paul, as he
on Hanover and Blackstone Streets, is such a good drew his little brown hand over the smooth white
stand that the little fellow seldom fails to earn forty last.
or fifty cents each day. Sometimes, on Sundays, he And, really, it did begin to look like business when
can make from a dollar to a dollar and a half; but the boys fastened the leather straps to their neat
then these are always considered "red letter days little boxes, slung them across their shoulders, and
for the whole bootblack brigade.
marched down Hanover Street merrily whistling
Paul, an older brother, has a stand on Causeway 'Mulligan Guards.
Street, and you would have laughed to see how the Now, for the blacking. Should they patronize Bix-
two boys managed when they first “set up trade.” by, Day & Martin, or that new firm with the unpro-
Of course there were the license papers and the nounceable name? It was a hard question to de-
bright silver badges (just like the newsboys' I told cide; but as Fred insisted that the latter was the
you about ) that they had to get from the city. But best, — all the boys said so ! - Paul yielded the point,
then, there was a great deal more to be done before and for three cents each the boxes of blacking were
they were ready to give their customers a "shine." bought and pocketed.
A rough pine box, -that was the beginning of the “A ‘dauber,' next! hurrah for a dauber'!” shouted
“stock in trade” — and since they both wanted one
Paul.
the two boys started off together.
shiner,' too !” added Fred, as they
“I say, Fred, let's go down to the tobaker' store counted out the last of the bright pennies their fond,
on Causeway Street," suggested bright, black-eyed hard-working mother had given them for "capital.”
Paul. “Mebbe we'll find something there!"
Dear me! it will take every one,” sighed Paul ;
"All right!” shouted Fred. And lookee here - “but then, we must have 'em!”
why not take a big long feller and go halves ? "
“Of course we must!” echoed Fred.
6 And then,
Now, it does seem strange that an empty box you see, they'll last — O, forever!”
should have cost the boys a single penny, but I know Paul, however, examines the brushes very carefully
they had to pay ten cents for the particular piece of before parting with those precious pennies. “For
lumber Fred selected ; and when they had sawed it sometimes, you know," he whispered to Fred, “ they
in two, the next thing in order was to have a wooden do cheat a feller awfully with old moth-eaten things."
shoe, or rather a “last," put upon each half.
Forty cents for the “shiner," a few cents less for
With a good box of carpenter's tools they might, the “dauber," and now their stock in trade is com-
perhaps, have done the work themselves; but to try plete. No, not quite ; for they must each have a
it with a jack-knife was about as hopeless a job as the bit of carpeting, the careful mother says, to save the
66 And a

THE BOOTBLACKS.
brought up in a bar-room; BOOTH
IT
لیکن میرا
やすく​冷たい
​knees of their trowsers. This, however, needn't cost And I don't believe Antonio will be "behind time"
them a penny, for she has found two strips that will be again, for a very, very long while.
just the thing Yes, and here are two little over- Stupid and indolent, he is withal so good-natured,
hauls, dark blue and snuff brown, that they can draw kind-hearted and generous, that he is a great favorite
right over their jackets. Dear me! how I wish all with the boys ; and really, there is the making of a
our little bootblacks had good thoughtful mothers noble man in Antonio. But, oh dear! that dreadful
like Mrs. Anato.
liquor saloon down in Ferry Court! Just as soon as
But Fred and Paul are more highly favored than he is out of school and back from work, his father
most of their comrades. In spite of poverty, they makes him tend at the bar, and unless some kind
have a home and a father and mother to love and Providence interferes, I'm afraid the poor boy, so ea-
care for them; while here
sily influenced by good or
is Antonio Leveroni,
evil, will be dragged down
into what the sailors call
and little Frank Dondaro,
RUFFALO
the “Black Sea.”
whose mother is dead and
Henry Gardella, the fine,
whose father is just a
BILL INSTRELA manly boy who sits near
wretched drunkard.
Antonio, has, I am glad to
I want to tell you, by the
say, far better influences
way, more of Antonio; and
thrown about him. When
HOVA
if you would like to know
he came into the school,
how he looks, just imagine
ATHENAI some five years ago, he did
Dickens' “Fat Boy,” with
n't know his letters. And
jet-black hair banged over
U he was, moreover, such a
his forehead, and those
wee bit of a boy that to
great, liquid, Italian eyes,
reach the platform his
that have just about the
teacher didn't, to be sure,
same expression in them,
put him into a pint-pot-
a big Newfoundland
like the little man in Mother
dog's. Antonio's stand for
Goose, - but she did perch
blacking boots is down on
him upon a big wash-basin
South Market Street, and
turned upside down. Now,
his home is in Ferry Court.
he measures nearly six
But I always think of him
feet.
just as I saw him at the
I do wish
you
could hear
North Margin Street school.
him recite a lesson in ge-
He was nearly an hour
ography. You see he has
late, and came creeping
come right from his stand
or rather rolling in, — with a downcast, crestfallen at the Crawford House, and his smutty face and
look.
hands, his soiled shirt-sleeves, and old faded-out over-
“ Job!” was the only excuse he had to offer, alls are anything but becoming. Never mind! He
and I'm afraid it wasn't any excuse at all ; for, if he knows all about Asia Minor, can name all the rivers
began sawing wood at eight o'clock as he said, there in Europe, tell you the latest source of the Nile, rat-
was no reason in the world why he couldn't have left tle off the lakes of British America, bound all the
off when school-time came. The truth is, he is a lazy Western territories, and — well ! tell you just about
boy and doesn't like to study. But the few, firm, everything in geography that you don't quite exactly
kind words from Mr. Wright, the city officer, who remember yourself.
was waiting for the tardy boys, did far more good than And just think, my little WIDE AWAKE scholars,
any amount of scolding or whipping could have done. how very few advantages these poor boys can have.
as
A BOOTBLACK.

THE BOOTBLACKS.
Two hours of study each day through the school Years ago, the boys used to get ten cents a shine,
year, – that is all, — and very few can have even this but there has been so much competition since the
after they are fifteen. For the licenses, making this "high-toned" stands made their appearance that no
time in school one of the most important conditions, one will pay, nowadays, more than five cents a
are usually granted to boys between the ages of ten shine.
and fifteen. After this, the newsboys, the bootblacks, Perhaps you are wondering what the "high-toned
and the little street peddlers, generally learn a trade stands” may be. Well, it is an odd name to give
or take up some kind of work that hinders any more them, but that is what the little fellows call those big
school attendance.
stands with the comfortable arm-chairs and the patent
Such a ragged, dirty, little crowd as they are, this iron foot-rests, where grown-up men do the "shining."
score or more of bootblacks, that daily gather in the Many crippled soldiers make a living in this way; and
small school-room on North Margin Street! It on Court Street, at Boylston Market, in numerous al-
seems hardly large enough for newsboys, peddlers and ley ways, on the Common, - indeed, all through the
all; but as the school has two sessions, part come city you will find the “high-toned" establishments of
from nine to eleven in the morning, and the other these dangerous rivals in trade.
half from one to three in the afternoon.
The little fellows look with wistful eyes upon the
Looking into their brown faces and great black grand “out-fit” that must have cost “such heaps of
eyes, you don't need to hear the strange outlandish money.” But if they can't give a comfortable seat to
names that show their Italian parentage. But I think their customers — what of that? It isn't a chair and
it is a little curious that while our newsboys are patent foot-rests, but just a pair of clean, highly-pol-
made up of Germans, Irish and Americans, as well ished boots that is wanted.
as Italians, these little bootblacks are, every one of It might, perhaps, console our little Boston boot-
them, Italian boys. To be sure, the whole brigade blacks if they knew their London brothers carried,
numbers only forty here in Boston, where our news- just as they do, a small box slung across their shoul-
boys count up to, at least, three hundred ; but since ders which contains all their “stock in trade."
boot-blacking is, on the whole, so profitable, I wonder
Ragged School Shoeblack Societies” num-
some of our enterprising little German, Irish, or Yan- ber a great many recruits in London, and you can al-
kee boys have not taken up the business.
ways tell them by their dark gray suits piped with red,
Upon an average, Fred and Paul can each earn their bright jackets, and peculiar caps with number
four dollars a week; while it is seldom that a news- and badge attached. Since the “brigade” was
boy can make- even when including the extra Sun- formed, nine hundred thousand dollars have been
day sales
- more than three dollars. Still, the boot- earned by these enterprising little fellows, and I don't
black trade isn't quite so steady as the selling of doubt but that our Boston bootblacks are doing quite
newspapers; for through the winter months the little as well in proportion to their numbers.
fellows have but few customers; and if they were Rather a dirty, disagreeable trade, my WIDE AWAKE
not allowed to take up “inside jobs,” many of them
readers
may think; but let us not forget that a great
would find it hard to make a living.
part of Dickens' early life was spent in work just as
The licenses given to bootblacks by the city gov- lowly as this. I don't know that he ever actually
ernment, always assign the places for their stands; blacked boots for a living, but I do know that with
and they are not allowed to make any change unless other poor boys (in ragged aprons and paper caps),
by special permit. But if they are quiet and well-be- he used to paste labels upon blacking bottles.
haved, no objection is made to their stepping into of- After all, it isn't so much what we do as how we
fices, saloons, depots, or hotel entrances in the neigh- do it; and the little bootblack who does his work
borhood of their stands; and it is in such places that faithfully, is worthy of far more honor than the better-
the little bootblacks find a good many extra jobs, even dressed, but idle, thoughtless boys, who stoop to make
in stormy weather.
fun of his smutty fingers.
The 66

THE FLOWER-VENDERS.
THE CHILD TOILERS OF BOSTON STREETS.
No.VII.-THE FLOWER-VENDERS.
BY EMMA E. BROWN.
B
-
-
EAUTIFUL Fresh Pond-blue and sparkling in the other boys — a little jealous of Tommy's success
the summer sunlight, - far behind the city
will not wait for him to gather more. The little
spires and the glittering dome of the State House, - fellow, however, is equal to the occasion. With
and, here, just in the fore-ground of our picture, five twenty-five cents in his pocket, he feels quite rich
little barefoot boys with hats thrown back, and ragged enough to buy at wholesale ; and since "a bird in the
pants rolled up to their knees.
hand is always worth two in the bush,” Ned, Jack,
“My! Ain't it nice and cool, though!” exclaimed Michael and Teddy each agree to sell him a few of
Tommy
their lilies at a very low figure. So the bunches and
“ And ain't them lilies just 'stunners'!” echoed the pennies are pretty equally divided, and the five
little, freckled-faced Ned.
boys, in the best of humor again, start off together for
They have had a long, hot tramp from the city this the city. Oh dear! how fast the beautiful blossoms
morning, but that is all forgotten now. O, that wither!
cool, beautiful water! The boys are almost tempted “We'll hev' to hev' a tub or a pail to put 'em in,
to take a "plunge”; but time is precious, pennies just as soon as ever we can!” says little Jack.
must be earned, and there are the great creamy lilies “Umph! I mean to sell mine 'fore they need a
all ready for the first picker.
tub!” says Ned.
“If we only had a boat now," sighs little Jack. “So do I, but then you see I mightn't, after all !”
“Pooh! who wants a boat, as can wade like a duck! says Jack, who has a large bump of caution, and is
Look'ee here, boys, I'll be cap'n and you foller!” rather apt to look upon the dark side.
shouts Tommy, suiting the action to the word.
The boys sell, however, a few more of their lilies,
And so the procession moves on, with many fright on the way back; and when they separate at Bowdoin
ened cries from little Jack, who lags behind, and Square little Jack feels quite encouraged. He and
somehow manages to fall into all the muddy places! Ned are going up and down Washington Street, but,
But now the boys are knee-deep in the water, and al- first of all, he runs home for his mother's old blue
though the very biggest lilies and the very pinkest floor pail.
buds always do seem to be just out of reach, and “It'll be sort o' heavy to lug about, but thin I know
although many a dainty blossom near at hand snaps it'll pay !” says Jack to himself, as he dips the droop-
its long stem in the pulling, not many minutes have ing white beauties down into the cool, fresh water.
passed before each little fellow has his arms full of With the brightest of lily smiles they thank him, and
the fragrant "water queens.”
everybody that passes exclaims at their beauty. No
O, how fresh and pretty they are! No wonder fear, little Jack, but you will sell all your lilies to-
the sick lady who sees them from her carriage wants day !
a handful, and bids her coachman call the boys. Tommy prefers Tremont Street. It was down by
Tommy is the first to hear – he is always first in St. Paul's Church that I first saw him, but that was
everything !- and before the other boys are out of weeks ago when the trailing arbutus came.
With an
the water, he has scrambled through the bushes, eye to effect, he had fixed his little bouquets in a
reached the lady's carriage, and sold all his lilies, at fanciful manner, sticking the stems through the iron
a cent apiece!
fence, so that only the pretty pink and white flowers
But now he has none to carry back to the city, and I in their evergreen circle could be seen.

Where THE LILLIES COME FROM.


THE FLOWER-VENDERS.
“Fresh Plymouth May flowers, only ten cents a flowers !” to the passers-by, and both were very eager
bunch!”
to sell their bunches. At last, a lady stopped and
Such a clear, shrill voice, and such a bright little looked into each basket. Timid little Johnnie leaned
face! He had sold a dollar's worth already, but early forward on his crutch, anxious to sell, if possible;
in the day the bunches had brought fifteen and and, looking at Jimmy's face, I saw a real battle was
twenty cents apiece. Then, he was only Mr. Some- going on, though he said not a word.
body's agent, but no that the lilies have come he is
selling for himself.
“Yer see, m'am," he exclaimed, “May flowers
can't be got round here. They pick 'em down to
Plymouth and the Cape — where the pink pond lilies
come from, yer know,- and sometimes they git a few
of these 'butus flowers at Marshfield and Scituate. I
s'pose boys there git five cents a bunch for 'em, thin
they're sint up to Boston by express, all wrapped up
in cotton ( the flowers I mean — not the boys!) and
the big florists buy 'em.”
"But how much do they give you for selling
them?"
“Oh! that depends! If we sell 'em for twenty
cents a bunch, we git three cents; two for fifteen,
and only one for ten!”
But little Julie Sullivan managed to do better than
this, or rather her brother did for her. I wonder if
you remember Julie's round, freckled face, and bright
red hair! She was standing on Winter Street near
Music Hall, that particular afternoon; but I imagine
she travels up and down Washington and Tremont
Streets, too. She is only eight years old, and so shy
that you cannot get many words from her.
But, by numerous questions, I find she lives on Es-
sex Street, that her father, a day laborer, had his hand
ONE OF THE FLOWER GIRLS.
badly hurt on the railroad a few months ago, and that The lady evidently wanted but one bouquet, and,
she and her brother Jimmy, who is a few years older, although Jimmy's flowers were equally large and
are doing what they can to help the family. The boy fresh, she seemed more inclined to patronize John-
had been to the Old Colony Depot himself, bought nie's basket. Now, instead of urging his own flowers
the flowers from the man who had gathered them at upon the lady, as I am very sure some boys would
Plymouth; and he and Julie were selling them on have done, Jimmy at once devoted all his energies to
the street at lower prices, but far better profits, than the selling of Johnnie's bouquets.
keen little Tommy !
“ There, mum,” he said, pointing to one of the
And here, by the way, I want to tell you something prettiest bunches in the lame boy's basket, " that's
about this same Jimmy that pleased me very much. only ten cents, and it's rale fresh, mum !”
He is a strong, hearty boy — not handsome, by any Johnnie looks up gratefully; and, with eager, un-
means, but with a good, honest face that you like to selfish interest, Jimmy goes on to tell the lady how
look at. Just beside him on Winter Street that day Johnnie was run over, down by the Albany Depot.
so near that their baskets touched — stood lame “Why, mum! he was in the hospital for months ;
Johnnie Collins.
and he hasn't any toes, mum, but the big one, on that
Both boys were calling out, “Nice Plymouth May foot as is left!"

THE FLOWER-VENDERS.
Before this explicit explanation, however, the lady bag; and I'm always sure to find it full when I go
has bought Johnnie's bunch of flowers, and has prom- home at night! Mother died last winter about Christ-
ised to come and see both him and Jimmy.
mas time, so I live with grandmother now. Usually,
At the entrance of one of our large hotels here in I earn about six dollars a week, that I carry home to
Boston, you will frequently see, at noon, and early in her, but sometimes I can make ten."
the evening, a little flaxen-haired girl, with button-hole Brave little Mary! She tells her story in the sim-
bouquets to sell. She is rather tall of her age, has a plest, most unaffected way; but I know that for
sweet, gentle face, and looks as if she might have a nearly four years she was the sole support and com-
story, doesn't she? Well, here it is, just as little blue- fort of that poor sick mother, and those little helpless
eyed Mary told it to me herself; and though it does children!
6 read like a book" I find it all true.
Now that she is growing into her teens, I wish our
“I was nine years old, m'am, when I first began to little flower-girl might have some better field of labor
sell flowers; but that was four years ago. You see opened to her. I fear she has never been to school
we were very poor.
Father was dead, and mother much — her opportunities have been few and far be-
was sick in bed. I was the oldest, and there were tween - but she is very quick, intelligent, and eager
lots of little ones younger than me. One day mother to learn. These hotel offices, however unexceptiona-
was sicker than usual, and we hadn't a bit of coal in ble they may be, are certainly not the best of school-
the house, nor anything to eat. Mother had just rooms; and I want such influences thrown about our
twenty-five cents left in her pocket-book — that was bright, energetic little Mary that she may grow up
all — but I happened to remember how an aunt of into a good, noble, useful woman!
mine used to make a good deal of money by selling There are other little flower-sellers that I might tell
flowers. So I asked mother to let me take the quar- you about -- the “Boston-rose-bud” boy who stands
ter and see what I could do with it. Well, she let me on Winter Street, and holds an odd little tray all full
have it, and I went right to a florist and got some of holes, of different sizes, into which he tucks his
flowers — it don't take many, you know, for a button- bouquets. Sometimes, he has pretty little bunches of
hole, just a little bit of green and a few buds are English violets, and great purple and gold pansies;
enough — and then I went around to the St. James but “rose buds seem to be his particular specialty,
and some other hotels, to sell them. Folks were real and he sells them at various prices, according to their
kind, m'am, and I made fifty cents, on that first quarter! size and variety. Then, in the depots, at the ferries,
“Ever since then, I've kept on selling flowers; I in the cars, at the entrance of concert rooms and the
never go near the saloons, m'am, but I have found atres, you will find these little flower-venders, at al-
good sales for my bouquets at the large hotels. Now, most any season of the year. At the holidays, and
I always come here, for the ladies and gentlemen just before Easter, they sell more, perhaps, than at
know me, and do a great deal to help me. Some- any other time; but flowers are so fashionable, now-
times, they give me great, beautiful bouquets, that I a-days, at all sorts of entertainments, that the trade
can make up into lots of little ones. Here are some in them is really very good all through the year.
of them," and the little girl showed me two or three There are about one hundred florists in, and
dainty little bunches — a pansy and white pink with a just about, Boston ; and boys and girls are frequently
bit of smilax between — rosebud and heliotrope bou- ) employed by them in picking and arranging the flow-
quets that she sold at fifteen cents apiece.
ers. Very few, however, send children upon the
“They used to give me nice things, too, to carry street to sell bouquets. In almost every instance,
home to mother — pieces of chicken, you know, and you will find that the children themselves have
such like — why! there's one particular place in the bought the flowers at wholesale prices, and so sell in-
dining-room now, where they put my brown paper dependently of the florists.
-

52
Clari
THE CHILD TOILERS OF BOSTON STREETS.
No. VIII. - THE STREET MUSICIANS.
BY EMMA E. BROWN.
B
UT we must hey the monish.”
I don't think the little girl knew (when she stepped
That was what the old Jew said when Mr. inside) what a bad, dangerous place it was ; she only
Coles, the kind city officer who looks after these little thought of the pennies the rude, drunken men had
steeet-waifs, took the child home.
promised her - those bright, beautiful pennies that
You see he had found Katrina playing upon her would save her from cross words and angry blows
violin in one of those dreadful bar-rooms down at the when she went home at night.
North End.
Poor little Katrina ! She is only eleven years old,

THE STREET MUSICIANS.
66
"
yet she has seen more of life - and the dark side of the good city of Boston he had no right to send his
it too — than many thrice her age! It is four years child out upon the street in school hours. Confirmed
since she came from Italy.
truancy, like confirmed drunkenness, is a culpable of-
When we lived there," says little Katrina, "I used fence; and, according to Boston laws, children that
to carry stones and mortar on my head to the men cannot be kept in school are sent"down to the Island"
that were making buildings. They paid us fifty cents for terms of six months to two years, according to the
a day, and lots of us used to do that sort of work. We degree of offence.
lived near Naples, and I've got two grandmothers Little Katrina, however, is very glad to go to school;
and one grandfather there now !”
indeed, it is the exception when the children them-
“And how did it happen that you came to Amer- selves rebel against the law.
ica?"
“ After school in the afternoon," says our little
"Well, father came over first, and when he got violinist, “I generally go out on the street and play
back he said I must learn to play the violin. So I until eight and nine o'clock in the evening. Some-
took lessons three months, and we paid the man that times I go alone up on Beacon Street ; I like to sing
showed me how, fifteen dollars --- five dollars each and play there. Once some bad boys made fun of
month."
me, but I spoke just as cross as I could to them, and
" And did you like to play ?”
when they didn't mind, I called a policeman!”
"Oh ! ever so much - and I learned to sing too !' She is a funny little thing - this Katrina ! I
Then father bought me a violin - I guess he paid fif- think Topsy must have looked somewhat like her,
teen dollars for it — and it wasn't long after that we only Katrina has an olive skin and Topsy's was jet
came over in a great big boat. I liked that!”
black.
Little Katrina's black eyes sparkled as she told Come with me, little WIDE-AWAKE readers, and I
about that long, nice ride on the water. Evidently, will show you another picture.
she didn't know what it was to be sea-sick.
Isn't it a funny-looking court, - so narrow you can
“We stayed in New York a while after we landed - touch both walls as you pass between them ! And
father, mother and me. I couldn't talk English then, isn't this an odd-looking building? Why, it is so
but I learned by listening real hard."
crowded and wedged in it makes one think of an old
Katrina talks very plainly now, only hesitates some- tooth that ought to be pulled to make room for new
times in getting hold of the right word.
ones! Up a few steps, down a few more, and we
“Father and me used to go about together, he with come to a little room that seems more like a den than
the harp and I with the violin. Mother don't know anything else. Oh! it is so low and dark and damp.
how to play nor sing either.”
There are two windows, to be sure, in it, but they
“And how much could you earn in this way — you are so little and so dusty that hardly a bit of light comes
and
your
father?”
through.
“Oh! sometimes fifty cents through the day, and At one an old man with grey hair, but keen black
sometimes a dollar or a dollar and a half.
We didn't eyes, sits busily at work. It is a shoe-last that he has
stay long, though, in New York; we lived longest in in his hand, and under the table is any quantity of
New Haven. Then father took us to Portland, but leather clippings.
you
know they don't have saloons there : so we couldn't Shoe-making is his trade, but music is his delight;
get much money!”
and close beside the table is his harp- such a large
An honest confession, wasn't it?
one that it almost touches the low ceiling! On the
But does your father let you go into saloons to wall hang two violins, and a third rests upon the win-
play and sing?”
dow sill.
He don't like to have me go alone, and I never Pictures of all sizes, and all colors too, are tacked
stay very late !"
helter-skelter between the windows and over the chim-
Since Mr. Coles found the child, some months ago, ney-piece, while just above the door hangs an old
she has attended the Cushman school pretty regu- horse-shoe — for luck, you know !
larly. The father found to his astonishment that in Pasquale is not at home -- that we can see for our-
66
66

THE STREET MUSICIANS.
selves - but the old father would like to explain why. His father carries a hand-organ, and I think the
He cannot understand our English, and we are little fellow plays sometimes on a tambourine. But it
equally ignorant of his rapid Italian; but --- and
and is the rare singing of those beautiful Italian airs that
isn't it funny and foolish? - we all begin to talk louder brings the crowds and the coppers !
and louder, as if by this means we may at last come It is not often you see children, or women either,
to make each other understand! Finally, with a laugh, with hand-organs — the instrument is too heavy to
we give it up ; but the old man takes the covering off take about; but I remember a woman once came into
his harp, tunes the really fine instrument, and gives us our street with a hand-organ fastened to a wheel-bar-
some excellent music.
row, and in the other half of this strange turn-out was
The violins belong to Pasquale, and his father is a basket, and in the basket a real live baby - just
evidently very proud of his little son, for nearly every think of that! And just think of being lulled to sleep
thing he tries to tell us has Pasquale's name in it.
Close by the violin, on the window, is a large toy-
boat very nicely made and rigged. The old man
nods his head with delight when we notice it. Yes,
it is Pasquale's work, no doubt, for he is a very intel-
ligent boy. But what a pity he is not at home to-day !
However, we may find him on the street, and we are
very glad to have seen just where and how he lives.
Pasquale Carvalo ! That is his name; and if a
black-eyed, black-haired boy of twelve, with a fine,
earnest face, happens to come to your window with
his violin, give him a few pennies, and some kind
words too, for Pasquale needs them all. He is doing
wonderfully well in his studies at school, and if right
influences are only thrown about him, I think he will
make a fine man.
And here is our little accordeon boy, Auguste by
ME
FIATALOS
name.
AUGUSTE.
I first met him in a horse-car, and his little brother
was with him that day. The two boys had been out
to Brookline, they said, and had made fifty cents since
they left home.
Many children in our city learn to play the accor-
deon ; for it is much easier to learn, and the instrument
is far cheaper than the violin. Sometimes you hear
it well-played, and then the instrument sounds very
sweetly; but I remember two little girls, ragged, un-
tidy children they were, who used to make most horri- by “Captain Jinks" and "Molly Darling" ground
ble discords upon them. And then when they tried to into one's very ears! But this strange baby seems to
sing, too --- why ! everybody in the neighborhood ran enjoy it - don't you think she will be a musical won-
to their windows and shut them down with a bang! | der if she ever lives to grow up p?
The children had mistaken their calling, like so many But the monkeys - I haven't told you a word
other people in this big world of ours.
about them, and they are most important personages
But there is one little boy - I have not seen him, among our street musicians.
a lady was telling me about him — who has such a Why, yes, indeed! don't they always draw the big-
wonderful voice that crowds always gather when he gest crowds and haven't I seen them playing on tam-
begins to sing
borines and fiddles just like little men for all the world?

THE STREET MUSICIANS.
There was one, I remember, dressed just like a upon his haunches, now eating with all his might, and
soldier in bright scarlet uniform. He had a sword at running about like a school-boy let loose from study.
his side and a rifle on his shoulder, – yes, and he Oh, dear! what a strange, gypsey-sort of life these
knew how to use them too! Of course he danced, street-musicians have to follow! Even the little boot-
turned soinersets, made bows to those who had any- blacks look down upon them with pity, and are
thing to give him, and snapped his great white teeth ashamed to own the fact if they have ever been in the
if anybody scolded him.
business themselves.
Then I remember seeing another that was taking It may do very well for monkeys, but I heartily wish
real comfort "in his own house." It was a curious there was not a child in our city who had to earn a
little room where a number of hand-organ men had living in this wretched, beggarly way. Will the good
congregated ; and while the master was taking his day ever come, I wonder, when street musicians will
lunch, Mr. Monkey was taking his ease, now resting | just be an interesting matter of history?

THE BALLOON VENDERS.
THE CHILD TOILERS OF BOSTON STREETS.
No. IX.-THE BALLOON VENDERS.
BY EMMA E. BROWN.
ED, white and blue! how they sway in the the string are filled with hydrogen gas, but are not a
breeze, and how they glisten in the sunlight! bit better or stronger than those blown up with the
Pedro holds them high up, that every one who breath.
passes may see how bright and pretty they are.
“Only, to be sure, the hydrogen gas does make
He is standing on the Common, just at the end of them a little lighter," adds Pedro who is anxious to
the long flag-stone walk that makes a diagonal cut tell the whole truth.
to Boylston Street and Park Square.
Papa Randolph, however, is satisfied with these
It is one of the very best places to sell his bal- convenient little empty bags that can be blown up
loons; for, no matter what time of day it is, there with the breath, and stops to buy a white one for
always seems to be a moving crowd just here. Some- Maud, a blue one for Tom, and a red one for Harry ;
times there is a long procession to and from the and while he is tucking them into his pocket a lady-
Providence depot; and then a great many people somebody's dear mamma, I know, - is asking Pedro
who live on Columbus Avenue, Boylston Street, and for a couple more.
the Back Bay, find this particular flag-stone walk the
Trade is brisk to-day, and Pedro will have to get a
nearest as well as the pleasantest way“ down town." new stock of balloons by afternoon. Would you like
Yes, indeed ! Pedro had a good eye for business to know just where he goes to buy them, and wouldn't
when he chose his stand right here.
you like to see how the pretty little things are made ?
"Only ten cents apiece !"
Let us follow him as he saunters down Boylston
Grave Papa Randolph has just come from his law- Street. There! he is just turning into Carver Street,
office, and is in a brown study over some puzzling and, if we hurry a bit, we can catch up with him.
case in court," as he hurries on to catch the train. Dear me! what a funny little doorway it is where
But Pedro has somehow managed to catch his eye Pedro says we must stop. I'm going to write down
the odd sign just over the entrance, for it is a genuine
The children ! — why! he had nearly forgotten curiosity in the way of spelling and punctuation.
them! But here are these bright balloons - would
Here it is :
it be possible to carry them home?
Pedro seems to read his thoughts, for, taking out of
ESTOUP NOEL & Co.
his coat pocket a little flat bag with a bright magenta
FRENCH CUTLERY
tube at one end he puts it to his mouth; and in a
REPAIERD, AT SHORT, NOTICE, RAZARS
few seconds holds up to the light the pretty red bal-
put in order.
loon he has blown up so quickly from what seemed
but a bit of brown rubber.
Another second — the big, round ball goes off with The sign is evidently home made, and is painted
a sharp whistle, and nothing is left in Pedro's sun- in red and black letters upon a white ground, so that
burnt hand, but a mass of wrinkled gutta percha!
it stands out in bold relief. The door, or rather gate,
The
grave lawyer looks on with interest -- he likes is very low and very narrow we will let Pedro go
to sift matters to the bottom — and Pedro explains first, and then follow, one by one.
how the balloons already inflated that he holds up on “Bow bow-wow !” Why! what is this? A big,
and ear.
ALSO BALOON MAKER.

THE BALLOON VENDERS.
-
black Newfoundland, sure enough, and I do believe children! These no harm never !” he adds with
Pedro trod upon his toes, for the dog and the kennel many gestures. We nod assent, which brings another
together quite fill up the narrow passage way! There grimace of delight to Estoup's broad, good-natured
is plenty of room overhead, though, way up to the face.
sky! For it is an open court, and looking in between “But how about the whistles do
you make them
the old, broken-down, picturesque buildings I could too ?”
easily imagine myself in some far away city of the Oui, oui ! make all — right here!”
East.
Pedro buys a dozen of the balloons and pays
" MADE A REPAIERT."
seventy cents for them ; so we know just how much
profit he gets when he sells them on the Common.
These are the mysterious words we read over the “And do you have a great demand for the bal-
inner door which is half way open. A stout, good-loons?" we ask Estoup.
natured looking Frenchman answers our knock, and With just a bit of a consequential air, he shows us
we step down into a dark little basement room that
a large order he has lately had from California.
smells very strong of rubber and dres.
“Me'makes twenty-five gross a week sometime
There is a nicely polished cooking stove that fills Fourth of July me no make them fast enough.
up a goodly portion of the room, and all sorts of “But where is your little boy? Doesn't he help
“kitchen furniture" sem in the act of changing you?”
places." Estoup can talk English, and understands “Oh! non ! non ! — him way off — seminaire in
it, too; but he jabbers F ench a great deal faster! France -me no want him to make balloons -- me
Yes, he has plenty of balloons already made, but give him an educate.'”
the man who makes them for him is out of town to- Estoup fears we may not understand ; and repeats
day. Estoup, however, is very obliging. He will tell his words with gestures innumerable, .
us just how the work is done, and some day, perhaps, With true fatherly pride, he talks about this little
we can come in again.
son who is to have such a fine "educate ; " and we
Here are the sheets of rubber-a peculiar kind of can't help wondering if the boy is making a good use
gutta percha that Estoup says cannot be bought in of his opportunities. .
this country
Surely, he ought to study very hard, and grow up a
"Way over England - come," he explains, and comfort and honor to such a loving, devoted father!
when we take the rubber in our hands, its tint and its Please, sir, can I have a cent's worth of that
firm, close texture is quite different, we find, from rubber?"
ordinary rubber.
It is a child's voice, and looking up we see a little
Then Estoup takes up a forlorn looking little “wad” girl standing in the door-way.
of nondescript color, puts it to his lips, and with Estoup welcomes her with a smile, and gets the
every puff of breath we can see it grow bigger and cent's worth of rubber with as much alacrity as if it
bluer.
were one of those "big orders."
“ Him four parts — see !” and, like a miniature You see he is every inch a Frenchman, and never
globe quartered in regular divisions, we notice how forgets his manners! I don't wonder people like to
neatly and firmly the four parts of the little balloon trade with him, for to be always obliging and always
have been cemented together.
polite even in little things - is the mark of a true
Then, Estoup brings out two big jars, such as chem- gentleman.
ists use, and shows us how the vitriol is poured upon As far as the making of toy balloons is concerned,
the pieces of zinc, and a kind of gas formed to in- I believe Estoup & Co. to have the whole monopoly
flate the rubber.
in Boston.
"Dye all through - blue, red, white — no wash Doubtless many toy shops in the city - especially
off !” and Estoup puts them to his tongue that we the larger establishments -- send directly to New
may see for ourselves.
York or Paris for the ready-made article ; but Estoup
“Pictures, flags --- paint-pot -- bad, poison the land his man “Friday” know the secret, and I think
66
-

THE BALLOON VENDERS.
their little balloons are quite as well made as those they called “balloon" from the French word " bal
that come from a greater distance.
lon" meaning "little ball."
How ingenious all these French people are! Why, After a few experiments, just among themselves,
if it hadn't been for their busy brains, I don't believe they resolved to have a public exhibition in the large
we should have had any sort of balloons, at all! open square where everybody could see this wonder-
Ever and ever so many years ago, there was an old ful little ball that was lighter than the air itself.
Catholic priest, Father Lauretus Laurus by name, It was a lovely June morning in the year 1783, and
a great crowd gathered in the square to see this first
ascent. The balloon itself looked just like folds of
paper; but when a fire was kindled underneath, in-
stead of burning up it began to rise higher and higher,
till at last it was out of sight! For ten minutes it
hung suspended in the air, then floated gently down
and landed in a vineyard
- a mile and a half from
the city.
Well, after this, the two brothers made a larger
bag, fastened a little basket to it, and into the basket
they put a sheep, a cock, and a duck. These were
the first living creatures that ever went "up in a bal-
loon;" and they evidently enjoyed their funny ride in
the air, for all three were bright and lively when the
balloon came down to earth again. The cock's wing
to be sure, was just a little lame, but that probably
came about from his uneasy fluttering.
Now, certain courageous Frenchmen began to won-
der if it wouldn't be possible for themselves to take
an air-voyage in just the same way.
The wise and the cautious shook their heads and
said it was a very fool-hardy, dangerous experi-
ment; but Pilatre de Rozier, a young French natur
alist, was determined to run the risk.
At last, he persuaded the Marquis d' Arlandes
to go with him, and on the twenty-first of No-
“PEDRO.”
vember, that very same year, (1783,) they made
their first ascent.
who said if any one would take the egg of a goose, Of course, this a much larger balloon
blow out the inside, and fill it with morning dew, than any of the others, and I think the bag
something very wonderful would happen.
made of silk, dipped into a solution of
But to see it best, you must put it out in the hot sun Indian-rubber. Moreover, instead of being filled
at the foot of a long ladder. Then, when the egg with heated air like the Montgolfier balloons, it
grew very hot, it would begin of its own accord to was inflated, if I remember rightly, with hydrogen gas.
mount up the ladder -round by round! Of course,
It was
a dull, cloudy day when the two
this was all a fancy of Father Lauretus' brain, but got into the little car that was fastened to this
you see he had the right theory, after all, about the mysterious air bag. I don't wonder the Marquis
expansion of heated air.
was a little frightened when the cords that held
It was a good many years after this, that Stephen the balloon to the ground were cut away, and up,
and Joseph Montgolfier, two brothers who lived near up, three thousand feet they rose – as if on the
Lyons, in France -- actually made a little bag which wings of some great bird !
was
was
men

THE BALLOON VENDERS.
There was
a crowd watching them from the It is shaped and colored just like Pedro's, but
chateau gardens of Muette, where the balloon had I see there are two holes instead of one, in the
been fastened; but Rozier and the Marquis soon empty rubber bag.
lost sight of them. Six miles of space they A little metal tube is thrust into the first hole,
traversed in twenty-five minutes, and when they and into the second a sort of flute whistle made
were ready to come down the balloon was rest- of some bright colored wood.
ing over the Boulevards.
When I saw him, he was showing a young
O! so many questions as they had to answer girl how to use it ; first, he blew up the bag by
when, safe and sound, they fairly reached the means of the little metal tube, and then as the air
ground.
began to escape he moved his fingers rapidly up and
The curious people flocked around them, like as down the long piece of colored wood.
.
many magpies, and those who had croaked loudest
O dear, such an unearthly noise as it made! I
about the “wild goose scheme” were now ready suppose he called it “music,” but it sounded more
to try the venture themselves.
like an Indian war-whoop than anything else I could
Since that ascent, there have been many others think of.
far more wonderful, but not one of greater in- Perhaps “the boys” may enjoy this noisy toy,
terest or importance; for this, you know, was the but I know the little girls like Pedro's balloons a
very first ascent that anyone had dared to make; great deal better.
and to do what nobody else has ever done before Why, it is most as good as a kite, to have one of
always takes a deal of noteworthy courage and these light pretty balls that float so quietly high up
enterprise.
in the air.
But we have wandered away from Pedro, and Sometimes they are fastened to a long stick that
his little toy balloons. Pedro is back at his post will easily bend without breaking; but a good, stout
on the Common now; and there is a little girl string answers every purpose if the balloon is well
not far away from him, who is selling balloons too. inflated.
Really, I am afraid he will find her a danger- It is a pretty sight to see the children at play with
ous “rival in trade.
these bright toys on the Common and Public Gar.
Sometimes, you will see the little empty bags dens. In and out among the trees and shrubbery,
taken about in a basket.
they look like colored lights when the sunshine falls
There is a boy — or rather man, I have seen upon them. But, woe to the unfortunate balloon that
on Washington Street, who has a wooden box gets caught and torn in the branches ! A hole as big
slung over his neck with a leather strap; and in as a pin's head is enough to burst the brilliant bub-
the box he carries, among other articles, a new- ble; and no doubt it is a very good thing for the
fashioned kind of balloon that he sells at twenty-trade that these pretty delicate toys are, at best, but
five cents apiece.
>
short-lived.
なんで​また​レンレール
​(**)

bebe
posed
biber
ho
bo

AN ASH-PICKER.

THE STREET PEDDLERS.
THE CHILD TOILERS OF BOSTON STREETS.
No. X.-THE STREET PEDDLERS.
BY EMMA E. BROWN.
22
as
ID
you
ever think what the word "peddler" Down on State Street you may meet little Joseph
comes from ? Sometimes we see it spelt "ped- Conio some day, He's a funny-looking child with
lar” and “pedler ;” but the first way is the best hair cropped close to his head and great ears that
at least so the big dictionary says, and of course it stand out on either side like big cockle shells.
knows better about such things than anybody else. When I saw him he was barefoot, and I presume
But it isn't quite sure, after all, what the word it- you will find him so most of the year; for boots and
self comes from. There is the German “bettler” shoes, except in the bleakest of weather, are among
that certainly sounds like "peddler;" but it means the "non-essentials” with these little street urchins.
"beggar," and I don't like to apply that term to our But when you look at Joseph's eyes you'll forget all
busy little venders. "Pedester" is the Latin word about his dirt and rags. The long lashes and heavy
for "going on foot,” and perhaps it comes from that; arched brows frame in a pair of liquid black orbs
but the Scotch term "pedder” is still nearer our that would do for one of Coreggio's cherubs. And a
word, and means one who carries a "ped” or basket. bright, honest face it is, that looks up
into
yours.
So, without questioning where the Scotch people got Joseph is a great favorite with all who know him ;
their word, I think we must have borrowed ours right and he tells me he has one kind friend on State
from them, don't you?
Street who, very often, pays him money but never
Such a variety of little “pedders" and "peds will take a bit of his fruit and candy.
we have in our Boston Streets ! Down by Boylston Joseph says he is twelve years old, but he looks a
Market there is - or was - a little fellow who ped-deal younger ; and, when I say as much, the child
dled canes, and his “ped” was just an old tow bag. gravely remarks:
They were very modest walking sticks - only ten "I s'pose I'm so little 'cause I work so hard.
cents apiece — and as they were nicely polished I've Why, sometimes I carry eighty pounds of paper all
no doubt he found a ready sale for them.
at once!”
Then, here is a little girl, Mary Wilton by name, This leads me to question him further and I find
who peddles candy, and her "ped" is a bright tin that, now-a-days, he thinks it more profitable to col-
All her candy is “home-made," so you needn't lect waste paper than to peddle fruit and candies.
be afraid to buy it. She and her brother Willy live “You see, they know me now at the offices there
just over Charlestown bridge, and what they earn by on State Street, and the gentlemen save the paper
peddling fruit and candy goes a great way towards
for me.
I
carry down a big tow bag, fill it chuck full,
supporting the family.
and then take it round to the junk shops.”
A favorite place of Mary's is the right hand side of “And how much money do they give you for it?”
Court Street, as you leave Tremont Row. Sometimes A cent a pound; and I generally carry down a
you will find her sitting, with her little candy tray, in good many in my bag."
the doorway close by Pierce's grocery. I wish she There are Frank, Poli, and a little sister whose
could go to school and give up this gypsy sort of name I've forgotten, — all younger than Joseph, -
life ; but the poor mother says she cannot get along whatever the little fellow can earn, whether by ped-
without the money that Mary brings home at night. dling or by picking up waste paper, is a great help at
And so, unless the father gives up drinking, I am home.
afraid our little girl will have to keep on with her Then, here is another street peddler, little Stephen
peddling
Magini by name, whose flaxen hair and blue eyes
66
SO

THE STREET PEDDLERS.
look as if they ought by right to belong to some genu- ing away on a banana as if she wanted to get it out
ine Saxon child. His own brother Augustus, how- of sight as quickly as possible; and when I stepped
ever, has the usual Italian complexion; and I find up to buy something from her basket, she started sud-
that little Stevie is no less a child of the sunny South denly, hung down her head, tucked the old cloth
than he. For in Italy there are two types of nation- tightly over the fruit, and ran off - out of the Post
ality entirely distinct in their looks, and Stevie's fa- Office and down Water Street as fast as her feet
ther, who has very light hair and eyes, belongs to one, could carry her.
while his dark-eyed mother belongs to another.
It was very evident that the child had stolen her
Stevie is in school this morning -- he comes two bananas, but when I thought of the wretched home
hours every day — and he stumbles through a spell she had come from, where her theft had, doubtless,
ing lesson with so much perseverance that I think he been praised as "smartness," I felt more like pitying
means to be a good scholar. But it is very funny to than blaming her. Poor little girl! What will be-
hear these Italian children try to spell English words. come of her if she is left tɔ grow up under such
The e's are all a's and the i's e's to their ears; for at wicked influences !
home they never hear anything but Italian. Stevie, "Please, sir, won't you buy a cake of soap?”
however, picks up a good many English words on the It is a very pitiful voice, and the gentleman looks
street, so he has a curious combination just now in up to see before him a forlorn little specimen of hu-
his little brain.
manity with two cakes of soap in her hand.
If you meet a curly-headed, rosy-cheeked urchin on “No, child, I don't want any to-day,"
the street with fruit and candies to sell, who answers “But please, sir, do buy one cake, — mother's sick
to the name of “Stevie," you may be pretty sure it is and father can't get any work. I haven't had a thing
the very one I am telling you about. And, if you to eat since morning."
can, just stop and buy something out of his basket,
The gentleman keeps on writing, and the child
for the money you give him will not be wasted. There keeps on whining.
are lots of little ones at home, and Stevie's mother “But I told you I didn't want any soap. Here!
finds it hard work to keep them all in food and clothing. take this quarter and run off.”
Here is a little girl, at the entrance of one of our This is just what the child expected; those three
big dry-goods stores, who has cocoa-nut-cakes to cakes of soap, that she slid off the counter at the big
sell.
store when no one was looking, she knows will last
“Only eight cents a dozen !” she calls to the pass- her all day, if she can only find the right persons to
ers-by; but I do not think she finds a ready sale for impose upon. For the child's story is all false ; and
them here. By and by, I shouldn't wonder if she had the gentleman just taken the trouble to inquire
wandered up Tremont Street, so as to be “on the into the matter he would soon have found out the
spot” when the school bells ring for recess. There, truth for himself. When he does know it he will
among the school-children, her little cakes will be in probably say:
great demand, and she will sell them at so much a-piece, “They are all alike-a thieving, lying set, the
which is more profitable than to sell them by the whole of them !"
dozen.
But this is not so. There are, even among the
Sometimes, at the entrance of public buildings, you poorest and most ignorant, those who are honest,
will notice a placard printed in large letters, “No truthful, and willing to work; but we must learn to
peddlers allowed here.” Well, I suppose they are, seek them out; must go into the “highways and
oftentimes, a real nuisance; for I know some of these hedges” ourselves, and then we shall know just who
little street-peddlers are veritable “tramps," and often do need and are really worthy of our help.
have a long story to tell that hasn't a word of truth Some time ago, a little German girl came to a
in it.
friend's house on Beacon Street and rang the bell.
I saw a little girl in the Post Office one day, hurry. She had a basket on her arm and in the basket were
ing along with a big basket on her arm that was cov- trimming laces, pins, needles, sewing-silk and buttons.
ered over with an old blue cloth. She was munch- Now, it happened the lady wanted some of these

THE STREET PEDDLERS.
לל
very articles, and so she told the servant to bring the peddled now-a-days upon the street. Here is a boy
little girl up to her room.
with sponges, another with tooth-picks, and still an-
I don't think child had ever seen so grand a other with the “little Harry lamps." In one door-
house before. It seemed just like a dream to her, way stands a keen-eyed Jew with neck-ties and scarf-
and she wondered if they were not stepping on real pins to sell ; in another, a man with rubber balls and
flowers as she followed the servant through the long funny toy spiders on an elastic string.
halls and up the broad stairway. But if she had been Here are the new-fashioned crimping pins — “just
"born to the purple” she couldn't have behaved in a a few more left, ladies !” — and here are the “roly-
prettier manner. Her neat dress, her gentle quiet poly dolls," and the reins with jingling bells. Tissue
ways, and her modest straight-forward replies to the paper of all colors, plaster-paris images, books, chro-
mos, imitation bronzes, eye-glasses, jewelry, oil paint-
ings (so-called), and even live puppies, you will see of-
fered for sale on our Boston streets. At the holiday
season, why it actually seems as if all the stores were
turning themselves inside out.
But the indefatigable peddlers do not stop here.
In the depots, at the wharves, on the cars, anywhere
and everywhere they are not actually forbidden and
there is any possibility of selling their wares, you will
be sure to find them.
Well! it is certainly better than begging, and in
these days when it is so hard to get any kind of work
it is oftentimes the only way that many have of earn-
ing a livelihood.
I know of a man whose helpless family is dependent
upon charity, just because he is too proud to do me-
nial work or anything like peddling. One of his chil-
dren is a little invalid, and if it were not for kind
friends who send the child many necessaries as well
as delicacies I don't know how the family would get
along. They live in a tenement house down by one
of our large depots, and people coming into town
have often noticed the pale sweet face at the window.
One day, somebody threw a flower into the little
girl's hands. She was so delighted that the next day
they brought her some more; and then others began
to bring her fruit and toys and all sorts of pretty
things. Finally they proposed that she should have
lady's questions, showed, at once, how well she had a little basket which she could draw up and down
been brought up. But my friend, although she was
from her window with a cord. And ever since then
very much pleased and bought more of the little girl's these kind friends who come in on the cars have kept
wares than she actually wanted, was not satisfied un- the basket filled with all sorts of "goodies.”
til she had been to the child's home and proved the It is one of the few bright spots in poor little An-
truth of her simple touching story. It was, as she nie's life, and I wish you could see her eyes sparkle
thought, just as the little girl had said, and ever as she draws up the mysterious basket. I don't
since then the poor struggling family have not wanted know as we can class her among the little peddlers,
the help and encouragement of warm, true friends. but I couldn't lay down my pen till I had told you
It is curious to notice what a variety of articles are about her curious little "ped.”
A STREET PEDDLER.

THE CHESTNUT ROASTERS.
THE CHILD TOILERS OF BOSTON STREETS.
No. XI.-THE CHESTNUT ROASTERS.
BY EMMA E. BROWN.
HOW
row good the smoking chestnuts smell, as we red squirrel dart across the path. There he is
turn the corner! Yes, this very east wind coming back again now with his cheeks full of nuts.
that blows little Katie “almost to pieces” is truly the And here is his mate, just peeping out of their home
best advertisement in the world for her great in the old hollow tree. Dear me, if we only had
brown nuts.
teeth like the squirrels and could climb as fast as
Just see how nicely they are roasted. She has they, how easy it would be to gather our nuts. But
learned the secret of turning them at the right here we are, right under the beautiful trees, and just
moment — when they snap, you know — and it is see what a soft, dainty carpet the falling leaves have
very seldom you will find a burnt one in the whole lot. made.
Some of the nuts she keeps in a little pile at one Brown and green and gold - what prettier combi-
side of her tray, for a customer may come and call
nation of colors could we have ? And here are tall
for some raw ones; but almost everybody likes the straight trunks for pillars, and a bit of blue sky for
roasted nuts better, and so she reserves only a few our ceiling. Truly we are treading a king's palace
in the raw state.
to-day.
This little “roaster” of Katie's is an ingenious But what is the matter with Robbie ? There he
thing in its way. It looks like a miniature stove, has stands, shaking his little sun-burnt fingers, and crying,
a grate above, and a sort of oven beneath that holds alternately.
the charcoal. Sometimes, in the short afternoons O, I see now what it is. He has picked off the
when she stays out after dark, she fastens a torch tree -- the foolish boy — a couple of those great,
to the roaster; and very picturesque the little stand prickly, "shut-up” burrs, and is trying to open them
looks, and the little vender, too, in the flickering, red himself. Ah, little Robbie, you must not be in such a
light.
hurry; Jack Frost can do that work a great deal better
The smaller chestnuts were gathered by Katie's than you, and these tight burrs were getting all ready
father and brothers, who walked a long distance to for his magic touch to-night. You might as well
find them.
throw them away at once ; for, even if you manage
I wonder how many of my Wide Awake readers to split open the burrs, the nuts inside will be green
know what it is to go chestnutting.
and unfit to eat.
Suppose, this bright afternoon, we try the fun Just see what Percy has picked up on the ground.
ourselves. Up on the hill-side, where it is warm and A dozen big ripe nuts that dropped off their ugly
dry, we shall find the best trees; and long before coverings long ago ; and Beth holds in her hand a
we reach them, the rich, russet leaves among the wide-open burr, with three nuts all cosily packed
evergreens and the oaks will point out the way, like together inside, like little brown birds in their soft
so many lighted candles.
warm nest. For the inside of the burr, you see, is
How still the woods are! All the birds have flown, just as delicate and silky as the outside is rough and
excepting the little pewit and the big black crow; for prickly. Isn't it wonderful, how much care is taken
it is a long journey South, and the bob-o-links, the to protect and ripen one little nut?
thrushes, and the finches, started weeks ago. Now Think of those beautiful spring days when the
and then a dead leaf drops to the ground with a birds and the blossoms unfolded ; when April
crisp, rustling sound; and a moment ago I saw a showers and bright May sunshine bathed and kissed
И?

THE CHESTNUT ROASTERS.
)
-
the long fragrant tassels till, one by one, they flew was plenty of room for them all. Ever after that,
away, and left in their places tiny green balls on the the tree was called the "Hundred-Horse Chestnut."
old, weather-beaten tree.
These European trees are not very different from
You could scarcely see them at first, these wee ours, but the nut that grows upon them is much
little creatures they were so very small and weak; larger. The best kind for eating, the French call
but, day by day, the warm sun nourished them, and marrows; and all these big nuts that Katie has in
summer winds tenderly rocked them, till, by and her "roaster," have come from over the scas. She
by — all over the tree — these funny porcupine-look- charges twenty-five cents a pint for these - just
ing burrs began to peer out in the sauciest manner double what she does for the natives,- for she had
possible. It seemed as if they knew how much time to pay a good price for them, herself; and each one
and care it had taken to make them, and what treas-
ures they held inside ; for tighter and tighter they
clung to the tree, and no rude winds or rains could
even peep in at their close-barred doors. It was no
admittance to everybody till the little nuts inside
were fully grown and fairly ripe. Then the poor old
burrs didn't care — Jack Frost and the cold north
winds and the driving storms might come and break
open the doors whenever they pleased - the big
brown nuts were now able to take care of themselves,
and as for the burrs, why, they were so tired out that
they just longed to lie down on the dead leaves, and
go quietly to sleep.
Over the sea, in Gloucestershire, England, is an
old, old chestnut tree that has given birth to more
than a thousand generations of nuts. In King
John's time it was known as a boundary mark; and I
doubt if there is another chestnut tree in all the
world that is quite so old as this.
But, on Mt. Etna, there is a very wonderful one
that measures nearly two hundred feet in circumfer-
It is hard to imagine a tree so large as this,
K.P.
but just take a bit of string some day and put it
around the biggest tree you can find; then you will
understand better how many trees of ordinary size it of the foreign nuts is equal to a couple of ours.
would take to make one that would measure two Little Augustus Magini tells me that when they
hundred feet around, like this one up on Mt. Etna. lived in Genoa he used to go out into the chestnut
One part of the trunk is hollow, and sometimes groves about the city and gather the nuts, just as we
whole flocks of sheep with their shepherds get inside have been doing to-day.
for protection from the sun or rain.
“We'd shake the trees, and the big ripe burrs
Once upon a time, Joanna of Arragon, with a hun would tumble down,” he says.
dred horsemen, all from the noble families of Catania, "But did you never have any frost there?
rode up the mountain side ; and just as the royal "P'raps, but it wasn't cold like as it is here. Some-
party reached this wonderful tree, there came up a times, though, we did have a little snow."
sudden and
very
violent storm.
Just think of snow in sunny Italy ; but Genoa, you
At first, they hardly knew what to do, but the big know, is farther north than Florence and Naples.
tree threw out its great arms so invitingly that they And they used to grind up the nuts and make
drove in under the branches, and, sure enough, there flour out of 'em,” adds Augustus.
ence.
LITTLE KATIE,
وو
66

THE CHESTNUT ROASTERS.
“ Then I suppose you have eaten it often. How nut wood is often used for hard finish in buildings,
very golden and fragrant it must be ! ”
and for furniture. Sometimes, it is put with black
“Yes," says Augustus, “and sweet, like as though walnut, and then the contrast of light straw with dark
it was part sugar.”
brown is very effective.
“And what did they do with the flour - make During the latter part of the last century, Thomas
bread and cakes out of it?"
Jefferson tried to introduce the European chestnut
Augustus is a little doubtful — he was a very little into Virginia, but I do not think it has taken very
fellow when they left Italy, and he doesn't quite re- kindly to our soil. We have plenty of horse chestnuts,
member. But we know that puddings, cakes, bread but these trees are altogether different from the chest-
and soup-thickening are made from this kind of nut whose fruit is fit to eat, and which resemble the
chestnut flour, or rather meal ; and all throughout the horse chestnut only in size. The tree itself is so large
southern portions of Europe it forms a staple article and so beautiful, both in its form and foliage, I don't
of food
among
the
poor.
wonder Salvator Rosa delighted to bring it, as often
Sometimes, the chestnuts are simply boiled as possible, into his paintings.
roasted, and eaten with milk; but in whatever form But here is little Katie, waiting to give us our pint
they are taken the nuts contain a deal of nutriment, of chestnuts and our change.
and I don't know how the working classes could get
We have wandered “over the seas and far away,”
along without them. For meat costs a deal, and but we shall eat our chestnuts with all the better
chestnuts there are very plenty and very cheap. relish, for that. Chestnut vending, during the season,
Beside the flour, there is a kind of crumb-like is quite the fashion here in Boston ; and on the Com-
sugar made from the nut that is quite good for many mon you will find another little girl, Adeline Barr by
purposes ; and, all throughout Spain, Italy, Switzer- name, who sells chestnuts with her cakes and fruits
land and Germany, the wood of the sweet chestnut is and candies.
much valued by cabinet makers and coopers.
Her father is a Greek, she tells me, and he is
On the banks of the beautiful Rhine, along the usually at the stand himself ; but when I saw little
slopes of the Jura, the Pyrenees and the Alps, you Adeline she was “keeping shop” all by herself ; and
will find the chestnut tree; and in England, too, for I couldn't help wondering that so tiny a child should
there it is grown for coppice-wood and for building be left to take the entire charge.
purposes, as well as for its fruit.
When the chestnuts first come, they seem to mark,
The wood of the chestnut is very much like oak, as the strawberries do, a decided change of season.
both in color and texture; and when it is well sea- We can't help calling it.“ 6 summer
soned, as in old buildings, it is very difficult to tell the how early it may be — whenever the great red berries
two apart. Some say that the roof of Westminster make their appearance; and so to-day we say,
Abbey is really made of chestnut, although it looks “Autumn and old Jack Frost have surely come, for
exactly like oak, and is usually described as such. don't you see the chestnuts are all ripe, and in the
In our own country, too, we find that native chest-market?”
no matter

THE TELEGRAPH BOYS.
THE CHILD TOILERS OF BOSTON STREETS.
No. XII.-THE TELEGRAPH BOYS.
BY EMMA E. BROWN.
now a
TI
"HERE are about one hundred and seventy- words, " District Telegraph,” are printed in raised
five boys in all, that fit about our Boston white letters on a black band.
streets with these magic telegrams. And a busier set The boys employed by the “Atlantic and Pacific
of little fellows — except it be the cash boys -1 Telegraph Company'' have gray uniforms, something
don't believe you will find in the whole city.
like the letter carriers; but we do not often see them
The Western Union Office, including all its on the street for the whole force numbers now only
branches, employs about one hundred and fifty boys; about seventeen boys.
and the Main Office on State Street has seventy-five So much for round figures and uniforms -
of the whole number.
word about the boys themselves. Some of the little
I wonder if you have ever noticed their uniform. fellows are seemingly not more than twelve years old,
It is a dark navy blue, and the short coat has upon but most of them are between the ages of fourteen
each shoulder a three-cornered piece of red; while and eighteen. Nearly every one is earning his own
the pockets, if I remember rightly, and the pantaloons, living, and many of them have others depending
too, are corded with the same color.
upon their earnings.
The cap has a decided military air; and the raised The “District Telegraph” boys are paid three and
letters, " WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH," are printed four dollars a week by the Company according to the
in heavy black upon a white band.
amount of work they do ; while the Western Union
These uniforms are all made in New York, and the boys receive so much for the delivery of each mes-
boys each buy them of the Company - paying fifteen sage. I believe the lowest price paid is two and a
dollars for the suit.
half cents, and the highest twenty-five.
No boy is allowed to have the position unless he The “Union” boys at the Main Office are arranged
wears the uniform; and when the regulation was first in three divisions each numbering twenty-five boys.
put in force (a few years ago) it created a good deal By this means the day and night work are very
of ill-feeling
evenly divided.
The boys thought it unjust that they should be The boy who through the week is kept up latest
compelled to spend so large a part of their earnings goes by the name of the “Good-night boy."
in this way; but after a little they began to see how Hither and thither all through the city, and at all
much better it was to have an “official” suit. It hours of the day and night, the little fellows hurry
gave a certain dignity to their work, and after all along with their dispatches. And just think what
the price was just about the same as they would have important messages they carry in those great yellow
to pay for any good suit of clothing.
envelopes !
So I think there is not a word of complaint now-a- Here is a “Western Union"
cap dodging in and
days about the “regulation.”
out among the crowds on Washington and Tremont
The District Telegraph boys have a uniform, too, streets. He is hurrying on as fast as he can, for
which is very like the “Western Union;" but if you somebody's darling lies just at the point of death,
notice closely you will see that, instead of the three- and the few words he carries are fraught with terrible
cornered piece on their shoulders, they have a sort of import for somebody.
clover leaf made of scarlet cord. Then the letters While he is on his way, another boy is carrying a
upon their caps are just the reverse in color ; for the message of good news - the safe arrival of some

THE TELEGRAPH BOYS.
-
one at
dear friend in a foreign port; and here is another was not till 1844 that the first public telegraph was
with a mysterious urgent request that only the re- laid in our country.
It extended from Washington
ceiver can understand.
to Baltimore, a distance, as you remember, of forty
The rise and the fall of gold, the fluctuations of miles. Since then, there has been no end to the lines
the market, weather records, war news, political nom- of telegraphing that have been laid all over our
inations, the latest word from Congress — all matters, country from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast; and now,
whether of public or private interest, which flash across as you know, the great ocean itself is spanned by the
the wires are recorded at the various Offices and de- same magic wire; for Cyrus Field conquered every
livered by these swift, trusty little messengers in an in- difficulty and showed us how even the deep waters
credibly short space of time.
could be made a connecting medium.
As I stood waiting in the Main Office, and read Of course my WIDE AWAKE readers know how the
upon the walls, “Messages sent at all hours to all messages travel over the wires ; but perhaps they do
parts of the world,” I couldn't help contrasting the not quite understand what the District Telegraph
world of to-day with the world of “a hundred years means; there are only four offices in Boston
ago." Then telegraphing seemed but an idle dream, the South End Post Office, one at the State House,
too wonderful to be ever realized.
another on Brimmer Street, and the fourth at the
Perhaps you have rea ! how at first, they tried for Brunswick Hotel. It was at this latter office that I
each message as many wires as there are letters of saw how the system worked.
the alphabet; and when, in 1816, Ronalds thought a There are ten boys employed here, and they are on
single wire would do, he was told by the British gov- duty ten hours each day. Of this number, two are
ernment that“ telegraphs of any kind are now wholly up all night, and the ten take turns in sharing this
unnecessary, and no other than the one now in use night work. Their uniform I described as being very
will be adopted."
similar though quite distinct from the Western Union
Just think what a remark that was for enlightened boys; and I might have added that it is a good deal
England to make.
fresher-looking, for the “ District” boys have not
But she couldn't stop the busy brains from think- been so long in “office."
ing and wondering and planning.
At the Brunswick, there are three circuits of the
Dyar, Ampere, Baron Schilling, Moncke and Cooke, District telegraph ; and as the name implies the lines
one after the other, kept the ball of inquiry and ex- are all confined to city limits. The various wires in
periment constantly in motion ; and each added some the office are connected with private houses and are
new suggestion to the growing idea of a practical for the especial convenience of those who may desire
system of telegraphing. At last, in 1835, the first immediate attendance.
actual electric telegraph was constructed in England A strip of paper passes under the electric needle,
from Paddington to Drayton, a distance of thirteen and each of the three circuits has a separate instru-
miles. There were five needles connected with it, and
While I was there a call came from one of
the six wires, wound round with hemp, were laid in the circuits, so I had the satisfaction of seeing just
pipes along the surface of the ground.
how the whole thing was managed.
Four years later, a certain Dr. O'Shaughnessy When the needle moves a bell rings - once, if it is
built at Calcutta the first over-ground line of iron just an errand boy that is wanted ; twice, if a police-
wire, which he drew over bamboo poles.
man is called ; and three times if any one desires a
But it remained for our own countryman, Samuel hack to be sent to his residence. Well, this time the
F. B. Morse, to perfect the great discovery; and it bell rang twice, very violently, too, – and the clerk in
was during his voyage home from France in 1832 charge quickly lifted up the paper under the needle,
that he first conceived the idea of making signs at a read the number of dots pricked upon it - opened a
distance, by means of a pencil moved by an electric little drawer just above that had the same number
magnet. The model he formed had but one conduct- printed upon it, found in the drawer the gentleman's
ing medium, and the paper was moved under the address; and, in far less time than I can possibly
pencil by clock work. This he made in 1835, but it write it down, it was all done and the policeman run-
ment.

THE TELEGRAPH BOYS.
as
ning fast to relieve the frightened household. The boys tell me that, of the four uses made of the
The truth was that in one of those pretty brown District Telegraphing, the call for messengers to run
stone fronts on the Back Bay there was just then, errands comes the most frequently; then the call for
even while I sat there, a great commotion.
hacks; while the alarm of fire is about as frequent as
It seems hardly possible that anything of the kind the double click for policemen.
could occur in such a locality of the city; but we At the Office at Hotel Brunswick, many of the
must remember that even in the most elegant of boys understand how to manage the telegraph battery
mansions there must always be a “down-stairs themselves, and one little fellow who has been there
well as an “up-stairs."
quite a long time receives an extra dollar a week for
Now a certain Maria in one of these lower domains work done in the Office.
had been cook and queen for so many years that At the State House Office thirty District ” boys
nobody thought of disputing her rights. She could
make the whitest of bread, the puffiest of pastry, the
lightest, most mouth-melting of cakes — indeed, there
seemed to be nothing in all Miss Parloa's art to which
this fat Maria was not equal. But alas ! she had one
great failing — and the little black bottle on the cor-
ner shelf in the cupboard told the whole story.
Well, on this particular day that I began to tell you
about, the children up in the nursery heard a great
outcry from the basement.
Harry was the boldest of the little trio, and scam-
pered down stairs to see what was the matter ; but
soon, with all the color out his rosy cheeks, he came
running back — crying at the top of his lungs. The
little fellow was terribly frightened, but managed to
tell his mamma that there was a big rough man in the
kitchen, that Maria had thrown a plate at him, and
that her faee was just as red as red could be !
“Oh, dear!” exclaimed nurse; "it is that horrid
son of hers and they are having a regular drunken
quarrel down there, dear, I shouldn't wonder if they
killed each other! dear, what shall we do?”
Nobody dared go down and separate them, but sud-
denly mamma thought of the District Telegraph that
had been brought to the house only a few days
before.
"Why, we can send right away for a policeman I
never thought we should need our telegraph for are employed ; at the South End Post Office ten; and
this !”
at the Brimmer Street Office only three are needed.
A little click of the magnetic wire, twice repeated, - It is about four years since the system of this Dis-
an answering “click click” at the office, — and then trict telegraphing was put into working order ; and a
a third "click, click” at the Police Station (for year ago last August a Telephone Despatch Company
there are wires from each District Telegraph Office was formed. The three offices of this latter Company
to the various Fire Departments, Hack Stands and are on Washington Street, Charles Street, and under
Police Stations in the city); and then, before Harry was Hotel Berkeley.
half through his crying, the policeman stood at the Only sixteen boys are as yet employed in all the
door.
telephone offices combined.
HI
25
;
A TELEGRAPH Boy.
-


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of the finest character painting is to be found in her books, the sale of all
of which increases each year.
Four Girls at Chautauqua. 12mo. Illustrated. $1.50.
The most fascinating of watering-place stories. Every page rustles with the
green leaves and fresh winds of a camping-out life. The four girls, full
of fun, but each with peculiar depths of character, encounter life's most
profound experiences and changes, during their fortnight at the beautiful
Chautauqua summer resort.
Household Puzzles.
Illustrated. $1.50.
How to make one dollar do the work of five. A family of beautiful girls
seek to solve this puzzle.” Piquant, humorous, but written with an
intense purpose.
Grandpa's Darlings. 16mo. Illustrated. $1.25.
A big book, full of "good times” for the little people of the family.
The Chautauqua Girls at Home. A Sequel to Four Girls at Chau-
tauqua. $1.50.
ILLUSTRATION FROM POETS' HOMES.
I2mo.
BOOKS FOR ADULTS.
Poets' Homes. Quarto, $2.00; gilt edges, $2.50,
A collection of entertaining papers, concerning the homes, habits, and work
of prominent American authors, prepared by R. H. Stoddard, George
Lowell Austin, &c. Fully illustrated by views, interiors, and portraits.
Unerring Guide (The). By. Rev. H. V. Dexter, D. D. 16mo.
Cloth. $1.50.
The texts of the Bible enjoining duties upon man, classified under appropri-
ate headings.
At Eventide. By Nehemiah Adams, D. D. $1.25.
Discourses which are the result of a ripe scholarship. Models for style; full
of stimulating thoughts and pleasant suggestions, and touching the heart
by a tender pathos.
Brewer Lectures. By eminent European divines.
Words of Truth Series. 4 vols. Extra cloth, $4.00; Gilt edge, $6.00.
Words of Truth. Good Times. Pictures from Nature. Life Scenes.
Light at Evening Time; or Jewels from God's Word. In very large
print, with an introduction by Theodore L. Cuyler, D. D. A delightful
book for old people. With steel Frontispiece. Large 4to. Extra cloth
binding, $2.00; Japanese leather, $4.00.
Poems By Mrs. S. M. B. Piatt. Elegant quarto. Illustrated by Miss
L. B. Humphrey, Jessie Curtis, and Robert Lewis. $1.50.
A fine Portrait lends added value to the volume, this being the only collec-
tion of Mrs. Piatt's thus accompanied.
ILLUSTRATION FROM POEMS FOR OUR DARLINGS.
I
Brown, E. E. (Emma Elizabeth)

1878
Br
37089-G
[Hunty