During the recital of her story her eyes were filled with tears, and she showed the mental strain under which she was laboring. When the pocket-book and the money were handed to her, the change in her demeanor was beautiful to behold. When the young man was told to whom the money belonged and the great good it did, he said: “No money reward could pay me for this. I am only too glad we found the owner, especially as it belonged to so poor a woman.” Does it pay to be a life-member of The Boyville Newsboys’ Association? CHAPTER XXIV. The finding of valuable articles and turning them over to the president, with a request to find the owner, is not a rule of the association. All these little acts have a tendency to cultivate a desire to assist others and many times violations of the rules are corrected by members who are not officers. At almost any time of the day can be seen a man with a two-wheeled cart, slowly circulating around newspaper offices, especially about the time the dailies are out. The newsies purchase a penny’s worth of ice cream, or cheap candies, and often these old men become quite confidential friends of certain boys—particularly the shiners, who are on the street almost constantly. One time a new member, a bootblack, a boy about fourteen years of age, before he understood the secret workings of the association, had a dispute with a vendor of ice cream and peanuts, about the loss of several sacks of peanuts. The boy was accused of stealing the peanuts. “Yes, you didn’t see me steal ’em,” said the shiner, “an if you don’t catch a feller, how youse goin’ to prove it?” The boy was about to leave the wagon, when several sellers came to him. “Say, Muddy Water,” cried one of the boys, “we seed you steal the peanuts. You must settle wid de ole man.” The boy came back, but pleaded that he did not have any money. “All right, we’ll chip in an’ pay de debt.” The money was raised, and the boy was required to pay for the stolen peanuts and make an apology. “I’m sorry, but I didn’t know it was again’ the rules of the association,” he said. “Of course it’s again the rules, an’ it’s our business to give all new members warning when they do things like that. Don’t do it any more.” This was a warning well heeded as after events proved. One of the greatest benefits gained by the newsboys in belonging to the association is the securing of suitable positions; for boys, as they grow older, naturally leave the street work. Wholesale as well as retail men, frequently ask for good, honest boys. During the twelve years existence of Boyville it has been the delight of the president to secure some two hundred places for newsboys. With all this great number it is a pleasure to state that not one in fifty proved unworthy of the positions, or unfitted for the kind of work. The majority of boys for whom positions were secured were from very poor parents, mostly widowed mothers, needing their assistance.