CHAPTER XII.
The reader will observe that when Boyville was well organized no boys were admitted to membership except those who sold newspapers or shined shoes. But later, after many years of work, incident after incident came to the president of the wrong-doings of the carriers who occasionally sold extras. Those boys came from the best families and much was expected from them by the sellers. But some of them proved to be very bad boys. The following is one of a number of incidents that induced the president to include the carriers in the association.
A very kind lady, living in the heart of the city, and who was a subscriber to one of the dailies, reported to the president; “a boy who carried my paper and whom I owed eighteen cents, has skipped with a dollar. He did not have the change and asked permission to cross the street to get it. I saw him run down the street as fast as his little legs would carry him. I knew he was running away and would not return. It is not so much on account of the money, that I call your attention to this, as it is to correct the boy, and save him from future wrong doing.”
She was asked to describe the boy. As it was dark this was difficult.
“But I did notice,” she said, “that he had on a very bright pink necktie.”
This was the first instance she knew of the boy being dishonest. He had always delivered the paper promptly, never missing a day.
“But, a big new dollar was too much for him.”