A century before food trucks and lemonade carts lined up on Waterman and George streets, John Reeves, whose past was said to include stints on sailing ships and as a servant in China, quit his Providence livery job after a horse gave him a good hard kick and in 1858 parked himself outside Manning Hall with a large tin and wood box. For 20 years he sold fruit and confections to hungry students. He left campus for good in 1878 after turning 90.

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