“Blow it in? Would that be honest? No, sir, as soon as I found de dough I broughts it to you to tell us what we must do wid it, see?”
“That’s all right,” said the president, “and you are teaching us all a good lesson. How often we say; ‘it is just like finding it.’ and even grown people wish they could find money, and would they turn it over to someone, and ask him to please find the owner? Not that they would think they were doing anything wrong by keeping what they found; they simply never thought of trying to find the owner. You have done a great thing, and here is a bright, new dollar, for your honesty. I will advertise this in the daily papers for thirty days, and if I can’t find the owner, it shall all go to you.”
Proudly they walked out of the office, all trying to get closer to the happy finder, the honest boy.
The money was advertised, and in a few days the rightful owner was found. He wanted to see the newsboy. For his honesty he presented him with five dollars, adding: “In six months I want to see you in this hotel. In one year if you are reported all right by the officers of the association I want you to write me at this address.” And he handed him his card, which gave Indianapolis, Indiana, as his home. Six months passed. The boy met him in the hotel. The officers reported that he was one of the finest and best boys on the street. A year passed, and one day he received a letter requesting him to “take the next train for Indianapolis, provided the president of Boyville says you do not swear, steal, lie or smoke cigarettes.”
The president could truthfully vouch for all these, and the boy was sent to his new home. Seven years have passed, and that boy today is foreman of one of the largest manufacturing institutions in the state of Indiana.
What effect did the good work of these two boys have upon the family? It caused them to stand on the street posing as relatives to two honest boys.
Does it pay to take an interest in a bad boy?
A boy of eleven years of age made application to become a member. He was approved by the proper officers. A sealed note accompanied the application. It read: “He is accused of giving wrong change to customers, and runs away with money.”
As soon as he received his membership card, and badge, and left the president’s office two officers were on his track. They watched him sell papers. Three days passed when he “stumbled against something.” A gentleman in the post-office gave him twenty-five cents for a morning paper. He had no change, but excused himself to “step across the way to get it.” Instead of going into the store the little boy started in a run around the building and was lost from sight. The gentleman made this remark to a friend: “I might of expected it.” This was overheard by two newsboys. One said: “Oh, no mister, your money is not lost. We’ll have it for you in ten minutes. Don’t you be uneasy. You stand right where you are for a few minutes.”