Gallery: Telegraph Snapshots		return to gallery index
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Western Union messenger boys play poker in their Hartford, Connecticut waiting room, in 1909. Lewis Hine took the photo at 8 p.m., using a flashlight, and noted, "They play for money. Some lose a whole month's wages in a day and then are afraid to go home. The boy on right hand has been a messenger for 4 years. Began at 12 years of age. He works all night now... he told me stories about his experiences with prostitutes (to whom he carries messages frequently) that were revolting."