The closest thing we have to newsboys these days are those needy people who sell The Big Issue and are allowed to keep 50% of their sales. Our Nellie Melba was in Dublin in 1909 and, surprise! surprise! it was raining.Newspaper reports tell of a newsboy who spotted her and laid out his newspapers on the pavement. The consequence of that was that a. that she didn't get her shoes wet and b. he ruined the papers. Nellie later sent him a nice letter and a five pound note. Assuming he didn't know that she was going to do that, was his action that of a sensible person? Newspaper reports of the incident go on to report that the newsboy was supporting an ailing mother.
Why would he do such a thing?