THE WASHINGTON HERALD SUNDAY DECEMBER 16 1906c

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GUNCKELS BOYS1 OF TOLEDOFour Thousand Newsies Combined to Keep theChristmas Spirit Alive All the Year Around

BY LEIGH MITCHELL HODGESt

DAY just before last Christmas awent to Toledo from a neighbor

town to do some shopping She wasa working woman who had learned the great lesson that the surest way to be happy is to makeothers so and for a whole year she had been saving her spare pennies and nickels to get Christmasgifts for some children whb were poorer than her

selfLittleby little the fund grew until it had

mounted to the wonderful sum of 13 and withall this wealth safely stored in her handbag shewent to the city to revel in the joy to which she hadlong looked forward So vast was the undertaking-in her estimation that she asked the manager ofone of the big department stores to let her have aspecial clerk to go around with her and he did so

Then with that infinite care born of the bestsort of love she went from counter to counter selecting the things she thought would mean mostto those for whom they were intended until shesaw by the list she had kept that her purse wouldbear more

clerk counted up the small amountsand they came to 1260 The woman opened herbag to get her pocketbook but it was not there 1

The smile that had glorified her face vanishedShe sank into a chair and cried as if her heartwould break Indeed it was breaking for herewere the toil and sacrifices and hope and planning-of a whole year gone like a dream But sometimesdreams come true after all

was called He heard her sobbingstQryand in response to it he answered in six

ONE oman

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Themanager

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If you nre going to do anything permanent for thenvernRc man yon tare got to before he In n menThe chance of Hacceim lies In working with the boy andnot With mnn That applies peculiarly to those beyswho tend to drift off Into courses which mean that

they are checked they will be formidable additionsto thr criminal population when they grow older

No nation 1 sate unless In the average family therearc healthy happy children

If these children are not brought up well they arenot merely n curse to themselvcn and their parents butthey mean the ruin of the state In the future

Theodore RooseveltJohn B Guacke president of the National Newsboys

Association wIth lire Sob Irigersolls sixty andnearly always all Ms fffe a passenger fora big railroad until the leading men of Toledo got togetherone day and made up a of money that enabled themto offer him a higher salary to leave his position and de-vote his time the

He refused the higher salary but took the new position at just what he was getting and the buelnees menendowed him then and there and so long as he liveshe will give his time to the strange and wonderful workhe began singlehanded fifteen years ago

One Friday morning just that long ago he noted aqueer happening on his way to his office At tjte cornergrocery near his home he had seen the worst boy in theneighborhood buy a bug sock of hickory nuts and thengo over into a vacant lot close by and scatter them undera tree carefully covering them with the autumn loavesthat glided the ground

He couldnt quite fathom the meaning of this so hewaited for Jimmy and asked for an explanation

You see mister termorrow Is Saturday Theres noschool Across the street lives a whole lot of little boysand girls and some of the boys dont like me very well butthat doesnt cut any figure with me They come over hereevery day after school and particularly on Saturday to

begin

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theys dead But that one over there with the leavessometimes has hickory nuts but this year nary a nut ison the eld tree So I bought these here nuts an scatteredem all around the ground an termorrow Ill sneak around

the fence and watch the girls an boys gather thorn Wontthey Be happy

A Noble Young ToughRemember Jimmy was the worst boy In the vicinity

the leader of the gang of young toughs that made life miserable for many And this anewer of his made JohnGunokel do about a years thinking In the space of twominutes

He asked if he might join Jimmy behind the fence thenext day to watch the boys and girls who dont like mevery well gather the nuts he could So togetherthey saw the fun and as a result of it Jimmy was askedto come to Gunckels office Monday and to bring with humall the members of his gang who would like to come alongEight of them came along eight newsboys and bootblacksAnd the firk question put to them was this

Do all you boys want to be my friends like Jimmy isThe response was violently unanimous Then Gunckel

called thorn to his sidewhat good you boys CIt do in title world he

said With all of your push and energy your hustlingyour good boys can turn up something and Imgoing to help you do it How would you like to help memake all the men and women who buy papers oflearn to love you learn to speak kindly to your

Aw de peoples dont f r ng a boy called Indian

Well I dont know about that There Is ono thingcertain there can be no harm in trying The trouble ispeople dont know you and you wont let them got

with you Lets make a start First I want toknow If every one of you wants to be a friend of mine Youdo thats good And whenever you see me on the streetit doesnt make any difference what I am doing or who Iam talking to will you come to me and say goodmorning-or goodevening they all agreed And another thingwhen you boys are downtown and hurt yourself or getInto some trouble lose your papers your money or someone frightens you I want you to call on mo and I will tryto help you Notice I soy when you are In trouble

when you are doing well and everything comes yourway you need no assistance You can take care of

What do you say boys to thisThat WItS the beginning of what has grown into

an organized movement that has made the man back of itthe bestloved being In Toledo today likewise its moatuseful citizen After the eight urchins left him that dayhe held a little thoughtsession with himself

My what a boy who has Influence among his fellowcompanions do lie pondered If each boy could beplaced on his honor each boy aiming to do the best hecan to uplift his associates trying to correct the little evilsfrom which spring so many crimes how much happinesshow many useful lives would result If men would try toInstil Into the young hearts of our boys our newsboys because they are tempted more than any other class a spiritof trust and love instead of a spirit of fear and hate andrevenge what a happy unselfish world we would have

Suppose these newsboys the boys who are so often ac-

cused of being bad treated as Christ treatedwrongdoers not as criminals but as misdirected andguided boys putting everything in their way tothem to do right Suppose they were warned of danger

hunt hickory nuts but old trees dont

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words that meant absolutely nothing-to her at the moment

Youll get it Ill telephone

He away Five minuteslater he came back and sent a clerk fye37 twith her to a little office around in Gunckela side street There at a desk sata man whose face of itself is enoughto cheer oVie He asked the woman dfc7ef 3to describe her purse She did mHe opened a drawer and handed itto her She opened it and clutched A ori h-at its contents Her every pennywas there

And where did you get it she asked weeping again but this time for joy

One of my boys brought i to me answeredGunckel

Yes one of Gunckels boys he has morethan 4000 in Toledo wisp of a newsboyhad found the treasure in a street car And of

he brought it to Gunckel Why thatswhat every newsboy in Toledo does when he findsanything and if he happens to find troublestead of treasure he brings that to Gunckel tooand if he wants to talk it all over with some onehe comes to Gunckel

And John E Gunckel is the reason why it issafer to lose things in Toledo than in any otherplace in this country or in the whole world forthat matter

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were propped up when about to fall sad personal effortswere made to find the good In each boy and to cultivate itas a husbandman would his garden pulling oat and de-stroying the weeds removing the genus of disorder andkeeping a watchful eye over all even until the ripening of

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the fruit What might be the resultWhat Brought

Now the really great part of this thougplacing a boy on his honor At least so ittoday Honest John Gunckel has moreupon any owe of whom with justprove the rule he can rely absolutely

Four thousand newsfceyg in Toledo yiYes and do you want to know why

better class of people began to see what athe newsies and bootblacks how

tint how seldom one was seen smoking orand After a few hundred lost purses wateof jewelry been returned by Gunckelsthem who young boys wondered If Gttake them under his wing too

Of course he would If they were newsa newsboy meant to have had twothirty days So all of a sudden hundreds ofhomes in the city became newsies In man

routo was right at home and motherfather the other but Gunckel took

association and gave each the membershipcertificate which pledges the boy to nothinghe does not approve of swearing lying stdrinking Intoxicating liquors or smoking ci

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and

Is that aboutproven For

than 4CM aidsexceptions to

a askWell after the

was comingthey were set

to swearhes and piecesboys those of

wouldnt

And to becustomers for

in the bestinstances theone customer

ni all into thebadge and thebut states that

gamblingand is

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KEEPING CHRISTMAS DAY AT SEApossible the Christmas that

at sea is made as muchupon land from the stand-

point of the culinary achievements ofthe dinner and the wholesouled merrymaking thatmarks the day

Yet quite often it is no different in any wayfrom other storms for instance

dreary watches and long hours of exposure or when the avocations of business must bepushed without ceasing-

It is rare however that Jack permits the day to

of grog has a different taste

is always an interesting occasion on boarda war ship Hearts of officers and men alike warm to thehappy time and all thoughts turn to the loved ones athomeOn

that day the gifts from home are taken from theirhiding places and the packages opened with eager fingers

Perhaps they have been stored away for several weeksbut no one would open a Christmas parcel before the dayarrived

On many ships it Is customary to appoint a temporarySanta Claus All the packages from home are piled upona table the expectant recipients group themselves uponone side while the jolly distributer picks up the gifts oneby one and reads the names

Sometimes a Christmas tree is mounted In the wardroom and the gifts are hung upon It

WHENEVER

dayswhen ne-cessitate

universalChristmas

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WINTER ON THE RESERVATION

The piMa trees are buried deepBeneath a pall of snow

TJ ponies Meddle like sheepAnd stand with treads drooped kw

Beneath the naked tossing treesDown where Ute beads

Are tepees lashed by Terr brazeThe king of wiater scads

No stormproof hides of buffaloBat canvas homes are theys

And Icy winds and sifting mewFarce entrance night and day

About each tiny tepee fireThe sMreriag chttdren creep T

As grisly shapes eer clutching higherThe chill black shadows l a

tad whistling loud with mecking screamsA train goes whirling past

A at those who must it seemsHeap wee unto the last

Denver KepaoHcm

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Irq 1z1 flew ieiunchel and e5oneofonttOod so benoftta of said menmersidp and the re8pet mad esteem of the public

Tf you make a boy promise not to do a thing and hedoss ft says Otmckel be nothing left but a brokenpromise and most boys dont know bow to midThinking they are worthless when broken they profitleg 7 the original Brit en c the Soy in aflght to keep others as well as hims tf froth doing certainthings that are not right or beneficial you achieve the de-sired remit as a rule

So every member of the association is in a sense binbrothers keeper IDa lint duty after for hisown conduct is to keep Ida eye peeled tor pitfalls thatHe to the paUla of other and guide UMM aroundthose if possible There are now six separate organhatkuof avocation in the city and M boy placers throughwhom John bracket does his work His idea te to haveboys govern thssBselves you see And thus far it hasproven such a success in Toledo that a national associationhas been formed It already includes membership te sev-eral States and even in England

So in addition to its excellent municipal rule Of the reg-ular sort Toledo has a newsboy government And the wayin which it is carried on Is interesting

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Upon the dinner the beat of the steward andcook are expended and it goes a great way toward

the seafaring man to an enforced aVKOce from

homeTheevening brings a memorahie round of festivities-

to the wardroom where all tile ofltoei gather te celebratethe joyous

Toasts are offered and reminiscences exchanged Thefirst tout te always to the President oC the Halted Statescommanderinchfef of the navy and then the aavy Istoasted

Finally as the evening wears to dose thelast and real toast te given Sweethearts and Wires

This baa come to be the distinctive toast of the navalman and with genome feeling the timehonored hope teexpressed May our sweethearts soon become our wivesand may our wives always be oar sweethearts

In the quarters of the crew toasts do net sucha prominent place in the days festivities but the savory

plum duff Jacks traditional holiday te haltedwith delight

On all naval and merchant ships the plum drifiT haslong stood a the outward symbol of Christmas festivity

the ideal adjunct of holidaymaking and fewAthletic and other amusements are generallypart of the sales Christmas anil them aretalked over in the forecastle for days afterward

One of the keenest enjoyments of the season howeverIs the receipt of letters from home especially when thathome is far away

Unless curtailed by exceedingly had weather the Christ-mas celebration on a big passenger Utter nt an event of interest

The dinner is a thing of Joy and felicitous speechesfrequently enliven the occasion Many set and impromptutoasts are given

In the evening a concert or entertainment Is generallyheld in the cabin for which the best talent on board ispressed into service although very Uttle pressure is required to persuade daek to do Ms or peat

Not infrequently In the tempeatuoes North Atlantic

efforts

Occupy

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celebration

lies

rec-onciling

season

Its sailors

games

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THE ONE ROAD-

A wood road and jMd reedAnd a road hr sand and MB

A highroad and a lyresAnd a road hr plain sad tea

A fair read and aAnd a road by rate and MM

A read and a steep readAnd a foot road swat sad

A town road and a down reelsAnd the Kings n d hadTheres but one ta all UM wertdThe way that leafs to tbee

iMarie Van Van in

SILEXT ONES

Life and lore and death aH OMWithout sound of step r dnsftWithout beraW withoutThey come unheardAs the moralnB light isIn units splendor overheadAs the summers glory glowsIn the red heart of aAs tIle mists the valley gUWith shadow chili

Hlldcgardc HawtBemc In Ute Header

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deep

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weed

spread

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rasa

A boy applies for membership and is acceptedy He

Some of his friends lama this awl a report isnutfe to the president Throw the boys the officer in thedistrict in which the boy lives fat notified of his fault Thenew member te waited on and to understand he can-not continue to be a member miles he swearlag

Informed that if he in swearing not onlyhis badge be taken from blue bat he lose the respectof Mr Gunckel

The last threat te greater than Rising the badge andthe chances are that the boy will stop swearing Some-times if a member Meals swears or smokes and moralsuasion fails to reform him be te soundly thumped by thelarger and older boys When Mr Gunckel turns suck acase over to his ottcen they do tat disturb him with thedetails unless something out of the ordinary occurs It isa wengoverned selfgoverned body

During the early stages of a boys membership he teconstantly reminded that some day be will leave the streethe will seek employment elsewhere and his start in a bneiflea ute depends upon his street work To SnWtrate thisteaching a boy found a small childs savmge bunk tilledwith money smaB coin over a mile from tae presidentsoffice He started on a run as they always do for tfee

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the omen Christmas breakfast te apt to be merelycup of steaming coffee and yet somehow it has a differ-ent taste that day

If a storm Is raging there mny be no dinner at all thatday for an oM ocean J no reef actor of The of-ficers in charge of tile deck take tide offerings ofeach day as they Dane

Perhaps the mot hopeless Christmas silentte that of the seastefc individual anything worse betmactae

There te very Wtie of Ute holiday spirit on GrandBanks as the great 29orth Atlantic ftshbt gft 9tis areknows The busy nehcfirtftu have no forfor they take advantage of every favorable phase ofweather

Gloomy overhanging fog often drapes the ofthe and swift giantlike ocean greyhounds rushthrough the fishing teeth so that virtually while one eyeof the fisherman is kept upon his work the other mustconstantly watch for approaching danger

When a hair passes near a fishing craft Christmas day the men on the latter usually request the

to please report usThat that within a few days the tidings will be

borne to the waiting ones at home who will know thatthe hay captains courageous of the fieaiif weresame on Christmas Day

At sea the sight of a passing ship as always alag and welcome sight and even the formal language of the signal flags warms the heart almost as muchas a cheery spoken message

Another colas of deepsea tollers who may by force ofcircumstances be compelled to forego recognition ofChristmas are the men on whaling ships

No matter when a whale is sighted the command is

a

must

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banks

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seasons

dreariestCome

celebration

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work may ensueWith the best possible celebration of Christmas at

the season of good cheer much of the features thatnukes it so delightful ashore

Out boats and off and several days of heartbreaking

lackssea

THE RIVER

I tawcr ttfeare wiBn geemAid hams of aawn sfctar-

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nut HHty BO BMlatest algid to Gad w hick

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FOR EGETAUI VATS

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O r Itottl with pwpW sale leather a stepe like

t rtaf te Mr blewB t tnteg thee taxes aUbwcii to ad

trot tale piece in eat r we will

Wrea IBre UK wise S r a carnndM it ifs

Mfe Mar t iHgiitwt pcajtcttea by means of a

Or Aairiteg iartde If l ek iinlnckr some

W pail MM our arm nice partitas nap ourMdtfit M tile steppe

Ne Meksqr at aM scUnepectte wwld rive half atntne for aaer Mmk wets ba JifHn if giren thefXM Jk r kfc feet

So eels year mb to the ptMpKt kick

Its MthteK Wt rimtoa tt pyie railway makesaceto K w Dallas News

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thetlonestcYohn nPre sldenho

Tational New rbays Associa f1o=

office It was delivered with the usual Instructions TOthe owner

To try the newsy the president called him aside andsaid in a confidential whisper Wiry didnt you sneakaround the corner into an alley any place where no onecould see you and take a stone break the old bank topieces take the money what a good time you couldhave had

The boy quickly replied No sir Mr President sup-pose I wanted a job and stood in line to be questioned bythe man and he would ask Have you always been hon-est What would I say Why my face would show tdid something wrong I took a little bank from some poolboy and he would say I dont want a boy I would haveto be afraid of No that donut belong to me

During the winter months there are frequent meetings-of the central organization and auxiliaries In thewinter there is a general meeting each Sunday afternoon insome theater or large hall At these meetings there aremusic recitations and usually one or more short address-es frequently 2600 boys will attend a meeting It wasnot long before the boys themselves wanted to takeand now they often supply the entire programme

And supply many interesting Incidents on otheidays Sundays-

A redfaced boy ten years old came run-ning Into the presidents 0809 one evening almost outof breath He had something important to say His

were bare his pants torn hie cap merely a piece ofdeW with a rim strong enough to hold it J place Hisname was Bluster given him by the OR account ofhis blustering manner of things

Say yelled i want authority to licka

kidThatwas a strange request WIllIe the president was

thinking what to say he added-I must have permission fur de gangs after me Deyre

on we track Not desiring the gang to eater the officecreate a scene consent was given for Bluster to use

force If necessary to defend himself A smile of satisfac-tion came over Blusters faux smile that indicated thathe had taken advantage Of the presMant and was nowabout to glocyjn 1 After a moimnfs tbsngtH k said

MS rf I ajraa licked hjnv-Wbo and Thafr fjsr ws wttit coMUenM mr-

iprteeFur swenrin

Before he could explain the details of the ca e Inrushed eight or ten boys all talking once Blusternever smiled when the boys declared he wasnt an officerand had no bnoiuess to take the law into own Lands

Thats all right put in Bluster aint we supposedto work for each others good Well an wasnt I tendmto my own business on oe corner I wus siandin therecrying all about de big fire when a man frum do otherside of the street cilia fur me to come over I starts anso does Swipeey I beats 9wtpsey an sells de man apaper an what does Swlpeey do Does he go about hisbusiness No he told the man to so to and usedother swear words an I saw our association was receivinga bluer eye Its no use tc preach to Swlpsey De onlyway to biro him to his thinking is to lick htm He knowsIts astn de rules to swear so I punched hint Den hegang come after me a 1 run to rod

All May Punish Law BreakersAnd then and there the law was promulgated that it

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the rules even though he were not an officerAnd aside from bettering tite condition and morals of

the newsboys GnnckeTs work has had a most remarkableinfluence on the home life of the stratum whcnc comesthe common run of neuwsies Squalid homes have been

through the potent work of one small memberof the household and lives running out like sawdust from-a ripped doll have been caught up and turned to good useIt has also bad a salutary effect upon men and womenhigher soelal r fcndin A newsboy who is strictly

for no otnw reason than that he knows it Is right tobe so who doesnt swear sod doesnt give short change isapt to sow occasional that win be productive of good

in hearts that are rat generally thought to need suchbut do need It badly

New that he has got things in such good shape in To-ledo John Gunckel fiats to start the work in every townand city As I said before there are already associa-tions in various places but when one has seen the greatresults achieved in Toledo one is impressed with the needfor Just this sort Of work in every part of the country

And Mr Gunckel receives many offers of money to aidhim the spreading of this work but money is not whathe wants He wants men wen who will realize that whatthe boys need is individual attention and are witting togive them what they need

The whole theory of Mr Gunckels plan of organiza-tion fc to give the boys the opportunity to help them-selves In every city there are boys with bright Intellectswho must shift for themselves They may not hove par-ents and if they leave they may be a detriment ratherthan a help Such boys Hr not criminate but grow wildand have neither assistance nor advice They begin thebattle of life with the odds greatly against them

People who curse and kick them as they did Jimmynever stop to think that these neglected newsboys of to

of

seektroll

In

re-generated

g honor-able

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day sharp shrewd Iud keen may be the thieves theburglars the highwaymen or the successful patriotic dtiaene of tomorrow

We need patriotic citizens-I cannot bring my story to a close without relating one

more incident in the history of the associationTie president was taken by surprise one day when

the street sellers the poorest of the newsboys through oneof their hustlers presented him with a gold badge Themoney to purchase it was raised by the boys In amountsranging from 2 cents to cents A few days after thepresentation the president was walking on one of themain streets when he was accosted by a little seller fromthe opposite side of the street

Say president cornea over hereA boy never called th president but that he complied

at once and cheerfully The little ragged fellow steppedin front of him and said

Pros have youae got dc gold badge we gives youhere it is and the badge was taken from the

coat and handed to the boy Looking at it closely andcalling several compni rts to him he said

see that diamond in the center pointing-a dirty finger to

Yes sir we all see it and Its aWell you see he said straightening vp afiove his nat

ural height I subscribed 4 cents to dig here badge andall de boys put up do dough When I went home andthought It over I says to myself ought to have a

badge for our president So when I comes down donext day I sees de boys an we decided to have a diamondput in de middle An it was done You see de diamondDats right put in a dozen voices

Well I blowed 11 cents in It added the speaker withpride Aint it a bird

ti

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Pres3 useIt

beauty

we big-ger

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