Between sobs and tears they both tried to tell why they were fighting. While telling their story, a boy about fourteen years of age entered the office. He was also crying, but more seriously. The president turned to him and sympathetically asked, “what is the matter?” With his hands rubbing his eyes he answered: “One of the newsies run out of the alley and throwed my papers into the gutter and they’re all spoiled.”
“Where did the boy go?”
“He runned away and left me alone.”
“How many papers had you?”
“I had four.”
The two boys that were crying, forgot their troubles and became interested in the other boy. Calling the two boys, the president asked them if they would run out and try to find the bad boy who threw the papers in the street. Of course they were delighted to go. Taking the crying fourteen-year-old newsboy by the hand, the little fellows left the office.
After waiting an hour, and no signs of the boys returning, the president went upon the street and to his surprise saw the two little boys, who were to hunt down the villain, playing together.
“Well, what was done with the boy who ruined Joe’s stock of papers; did you find them?”
“You see, we went to the alley, we looked ebery place fur the kid as what threw de papers into de gutter, but he had skipped. So me an’ Skinny talked it over quickly an’ we just gave Joe eight cents an’ told him to go home, to fade away, to forget it. As de case wus settled we thought it no use ter bother you wid dis trouble, an’ we resumed our bizness.”
Certainly a new way of settling troubles.