THE NEWS BOY.

From the Broadway Belle.—Affectionately dedicated to the numerous respectable and useful body of New York Newsboys.

Air, “WAIT FOR THE WAGGON.”

Oh, ’tis early every morning, about the break of day,
I jump up from my slumbers, and quickly haste away—
Then at the paper offices my daily stock I choose,
And then I hurry all about to spread the morning news.

CHORUS.
Singing, Here’s the Times and Herald,
Singing, Here’s the Times and Herald,
Singing, Here’s the Times and Herald,
And all the morning news.

Oh, every Friday morning so briskly I do sell,
The copies of that sparkling sheet the little Broadway Belle,
The sporters all do buy it, just to read the fancy news,
And the ladies they will have it, for it drives away the blues.

CHORUS.
Then here are songs for one cent,
Then here are songs for one cent,
Then here’s the Belle for two-pence,
With all the fancy news.

Oh, when the day is ended, with pockets full of rocks,
I lay off at the National, and laugh at funny Fox;
‘Tis there I raise old harry, and on peanuts have a spree;
Of all the lives you read of, the newsboy’s life for me!

CHORUS.
Oh, I’m bound to raise old Harry,
Oh, I’m bound to raise old Harry,
Oh, I’m bound to raise old Harry,
The newsboy’s life for me!

Andrews, Printer, 38 Chtham St, N. Y., Dealer in Songs, Game Books, Motto Verses, c. Wholesale and Retail.

Written in 1850, many different versions of “Wait for the Wagon” were published the next year, as it became a minstrel show favorite and even used as a campaign song for Millard Fillmore (with revised, political lyrics, of course). During the Civil War, a version with lyrics about succession was popular in the South, although the video below contains the standardized lyrics. The Library of Congress has one set of “Wait for the Wagon” sheet music online here and the lyrics sheet for “The News Boy” here.