The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-08-01
Ous Of work.

Never mlndswhat my name 10. 1t W0ul
be on good TO you if you knew. Perhaps it
Brown, or Jones, or Smith. Perhaps IT,
something else. If you can put me me u
to job, do. II yon can't lend me h&lfs
crown, aud that will be more to the purp, 3
than asking what my name is. | am out a
work, there's no mistake about ir, and hav
been SO now for nigh six weeks. And te
you what it is, being out Of work don't in
pre- anybody's temper, so II speak bi
roughish yon need not be offended. 1t ism
Just the pleasantest thing in the world to b
tramping about day after day to shop afte
shop, and get nothing but mo, we don't wan
anybody-very slack just now" II ISM
much breakfast a fellow gets before h
| starts in the morning and it's precious lit
tie dinner there is for the old woman and th
four Young ones. The rent has not beei
paid for the last month, that's fact ant
If the landlord don't seize very soon, ther
will not Re much left for him. Ny best Goa
and boots went first, then the missus's Sun
day gown; then our bit Of looking glass
and the clock then the ire-irons, and th,
blankets off the beds. And If don't get
Job before the weeks over. the led will Il
too-that is, il the landlord don't put maj
in before Saturday.
1t isn't likely that should be very lively
is il ? or very good-tenpered when 7 *
home and have got no money to give the ole
woman. Precious little supper we have
and the missus gets cross, and says she dom
believe q man who knows his trade as vel
as do ought to be out Of work, and thai
IT'S ali my own fault, and she wishes she OF
the little ones were dead, she does. The
pawnbroker don't open bsfore eighto' 'cleak
IN the morning, and then one Of us slips oul
with bundle of any thing we can make up,
and lucky we are il we get enough on it for
q quartern loaf, a dab Of temporary butter,
and half an ounce of coffee. ind that has "a
do for breakfast, dinner and tea, for six oi
US. And that won't last long. can tell
you; and what viii be next, ! don't know.
won't go into the house, and II the reiiev-
ing officer shows his face, and gives ne any
Of his bounce, he'll just get something be
won't like As for the landlord, he may
seize, and be hanged lam just about des-
perate, and don't care.
No; it isn't the frat time have been out
Of work. Not by goodmany. have been
out through Dadness Of the times, out on
strike, and out because got drop too much
over night, and wasn's going to stand the
governors talking TO me I; but have almost
had enough of it. When / was out on a
strike, it was for nearly three months, and
had an allowance from the society. But IL
was not half enough to live on anS besides
got lazy, and did not care abou doing any
work when got it again. We mt ont for
short time, and We got it. 50 / left od
work an hour earlier, and we WEI 70 pleased
with our victory that ! and ,w or three
more Of MS used to 90 to the pub c to talk
about it, and say that we ought aIxays "a
stand up for such things. But suppose
talked about it too much; for made short
time, too, in the morning, and could hardly
tell the difference between q jack plane and
a mortising- -chisel when got to the shop.
So the foreman sacked me, and was out Of
work again for month and il the old wo-
man didn't jaw me, my name isn't what II
is.
Some men that know make their wives
20 out to work, and il would not be lucky
for them TO talk about short time. What's
good for the gander isn't good for the goose
in that case, / can tell you. They have to
pull out pretty strong, from eeven In the
morning till nine at night, for two shiliings
day and their victuaIs and il they don'i
bring home something for their husband 8
supper, they had better look out, that's all
But never GUILD bring myself to that
When first knew my missus, she was I
smart, tidy girl, with pretty face. aud va
started together very comfortably and
though now -a-days, when trouble touches m
neither Of us has the best temper in th.
World, Tcan't be such brute Is 10 max,
her suffer more than can hep, for what
perhaps, Is more my own fault than that o
anybody else.
I suppose great folks have troables though
lthey keep them from the world, aud IL the,
knew our outof-work troubles, perhsps the
would feel that We are all Of us very mucl
the same flesh and blood after all. | hav
seen some awful sights ! can tell yoa.
know fellow who began well enough, N
who went regularly down hill. He nsTs
/ could keep In one shop, was Qnt "a w6rI
half his time, and, ,at skes15da4 seem D
care whether be- Ri work 10 do or moi
Careless and 6esperate altogssaer, vi0ler
and bfatAi, too. Perhaps Il was despaI
made him savage perhaps his wife maggie
, him too much bus it would have besn
mercy if she had been quiet IN IL 9rAse
knew her when she wasnf half bad }ool
J ling girl, and their rooms were confortab
en0ugh. But there isnfs stiok there now
oil gone, ard fsiends are gonss too and
4 there ever was any love. shat's gDns 90
snd sh Q escIeams and soolds, and hs sHea
i and lhreafens. II isn't more than we'
lsgo heand ! we're standins togslher. visl
J. ing we could End tHo-pence For = piuts wh
j n