The Circus Boy Lost in Everett
A young Walla Walla resident finds himself stranded in a strange city after falling asleep on a traveling circus train.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Ed Wright, a 15-year-old boy who says his home is in Walla Walla, was given lodging at police headquarters in Everett last night. This morning it was thought best to keep him in custody until more could be learned about him. The boy says that he joined the circus about two weeks ago in Walla Walla and has traveled with it since. Day before yesterday, the circus was in Ballard, but when the troupe began moving, he fell asleep and was forgotten. From Ballard, he traveled by train to Everett. He says he has an older brother also working with the circus. The police are currently investigating his case.
“When moving time came he fell asleep and was forgotten.”
This incident highlights the precarious nature of youth labor and mobility in the early 20th century, mirroring contemporary concerns about unaccompanied minors in transit and the vulnerability of transient workers in the gig economy.
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