The Cincinnati Daily Star

A Petty Prince.

Poor "Sharkey" is dead. True, he was only a bootblack; yet he filled his niche in the world with exceeding honor. The whole gamin tribe respected him, for he was the benefactor of all boys poorer and smaller than himself. He was called in to settle their disputes, and his decision was law. If a little fellow was unlucky and had not enough money to pay his way into the pit or gallery when he wanted badly to go, Sharkey helped him to that extent. He was always willing to divide his cash with any of his fellows who were unfortunate enough to want bread. Thus he built up a bright reputation, and won the deep respect of all his associates. It was with surprise that they missed him from his accustomed corner one day. It was with deep sorrow they heard that he was very ill. Sharkey lived with his aunt, and the little bootblacks washed their hands and faces and went by twos and threes to see him, and were admitted to his bedside. The boy was really dying. He whispered a word or two to each, and they went out of the house to give the new-comers a place in the small room beside the little bed. They all noiselessly came and went, but still lingered on the steps and about the pavement in front of the house. Presently one of the boys brought out the word that he was dead. And still they lingered with swollen eyes and quivering lips, and refused to be comforted. The passers-by inquired the cause and learned that a bootblack had died. No member of the Exchange, dying, could have wrung so many honest tears from his friends as honored the memory of poor little Sharkey. And so everywhere in this wide world does true merit meet with just appreciation.