Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 8.djvu/860

 840 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

of his fellows, and defended himself on the ground that " De baby's sick, ye know ; and she likes pictures ; dey keeps her from cryin' see ? " The club gave sympathetic consideration to this plea, but finally pronounced that " He didn't need to hook 'em," meaning that, if he had asked, they would, under these cir- cumstances, have been given to him ; and I doubt not they would have been. Sly as they are in these transactions "on de side," they are all very boastful of their prowess in legitimate business, and fond of comparing adventures around the club-room fire.

"Once I heard a man on de street say it was war," said a boy shortly after the blowing up of the "Maine." "I was playin 1 nibs in de alley; but wen I heard dat, I skipped home to get me money. I knew dere'd be a nextra. Me mudder was gone out, but I got de bank where we kept de money. I couldn't open it, but I smashed it wid a stone. Dere was most four dollars in it. I run all de way to de Journal office. I was de first. It was a beat sure. I was out all night, and" with immense pride " I made most nine dollars." "What did you do with the money?" I asked. " O, I give it to me mudder ; she had to have it for de kids."

" I made five dollars last time 'twas "lection," said another, a pretty Russian-Jewish boy; "but I got so tired und sleepy. I went into a saloon and lay down by de stove. It was rainin'. I put me hand over me pocket dat had de money in, and went to sleep. But a bloke he moved me hand while I was sleepin', und took de money off me. I found out who he was, und I laid for him all right. One night I hid in de alley by de saloon, und when I see him comin', I up wid a big rock und took him in de back. You ought ter heard him holler ! " It was the dreadful fate of this boy to see his mother burned to death in the explo- sion of a gasoline stove. A neighbor came running to tell me of the tragedy, and I went at once to the poor home. The wail of the orphan reached my ears as I turned into the alley upon which the board shanty fronted ; but even while the boy clung to me, and sobbed out his grief and horror, he sought to make interest with me for the disposal of "de kids." He had four sisters, all younger than himself; and these were to be, for the