Two little boys, ages nine and twelve, saw a fellow member standing in an alley, behind a pile of store boxes and enjoying a cigarette to his great delight. He was afraid to appear on the street as the boys were watching for such cases. He was a boy about fifteen years of age, rather stout and independent, but a staunch member of the association. He might have used his strength to great advantage in arguing with the two boys who attacked him as soon as discovered. “Say, Mike, youse knows it’s agin the rule to smoke dem cig’rettes.” “Dat’s all right. If I wants to smoke, I smoke, see? No one sees me in the alley. I don’t smoke when I sells me papers.” “Aw! comes off, youse knows de rules. Cut it out. Trow it away. Youse knows our president don’t wants youse ter smoke ’em. Cut it out. Trow it away.” This persuasive talk or “bluff” as the smoker declared, had but little effect until the two boys began to take off their coats. When donned for the prize ring, the boys walked to the violator, presenting a bold front and again demanded that the cigarette be thrown away, and promise made that he would never smoke again. “What youse goin’ to do?” he said, backing up closer to the building. “We will trow you down, take your badge frum youse an’ take it to the president.” The big boy stood quiet for some moments, in the mean time about thirty newsies had gathered around him, each yelling—“trow it away.” “I haint lookin’ fur no trouble,” he finally said, and threw the cigarette in the alley. “We’s only doin’ you a good turn,” said the nine-year-old newsy. “It’s all right. I was only tryin’ to see if you would stop me. I’ll cut it all out. I will never smoke again.” That boy did not have to be watched. He was good and kind to his little friends, and proved to be one of the best boys on the street. Two years later, when he graduated from the junior grade, in one of the ward schools, he came to the president, saying that his mother was poor and sickly and he had to go to work. He was sent to a wholesale house where was wanted a good honest boy. The first question asked Mike was: