MR. MATTHEW ARNOLD AND THE BARE-FOOTED NEWSBOY.

Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 156, 31 December 1887, Page 1 (Supplement)

MR. MATTHEW ARNOLD AND THE BARE-FOOTED NEWSBOY.

Mr. Matthew Arnold (says the Boston Herald) was greatly struck by the democratic government of our reading-room when he was in Boston. He came in here one day and saw a little bare-footed newsboy sitting in one of tho bust chairs, enjoying himself apparently for dear life. The great essayist was completely astounded. "Do you let baro-footed boys in this reading-room ?" ho asked. " You would never see such a sight as that in Europe. Ido not believe there is a reading-room in all Europe in which that boy, dressed as he is, would enter." Then Mr. Arnold went over to the boy, engaged him in conversation, and found that he was reading tho " Life of Washington," and that he was a young gentleman of decidedly anti-British tendencies, and, for hia age, remarkably well informed. Mr. Arnold remained talking with the youngster for some time, and, as he came back to our desk, the great Englishman said, " I do not think I have been so impressed with anything else that I have seen since arriving In this country as I am now with meeting this barefooted boy in this readingroom. What a tribute to democratic institutions is to say that, instead of sending that boy out to wander alone

in the streets, they Wrmit him to come here and excite Tiis youthful imagination by reading such a book as the ' Life of Washington ! ' • The reading of that one book may change the whole course of that boy's life, and may be the means of making him a useful, honourable, worthy citizen of this gn at country. It is, I tell you, a sight that impresses a European not accustomed to your democratic ways."