The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-06-22
From Chambers Journal
s. BOB.99


and father when / was about 16
I haven't no brothers or sisters
So. IS I found work to be short abou
way, and heard there was gooC
vga % earning up in the West, L anC
Inc her started off till we came to Q
we'll call Truebridge, and fol-
cha matter it amt so far from the
Y8a name. We got work to do there
OBJ Ugh the pay was poor, but food
q things were cheaper than at Man
ter; and I've staid on ever since,
6 got used to it, so that I'm bound
We there now, unless the whole
goes to smash.
hen / was a kid at lessons, the
q aster asked me one day TO write my
own name on q great black slate. /
fDst knew my letters then, and so I
ITS down JAKE. That's Jake"
Tvs master-"that amt jack" and
hey all began a-laughing because
souldn't spell. Since then the names
luck to me. My mate brought it
nth him when we came here. so
nat it's always: Morning. Jake; -
Lend us q penny. jake" I'll have
y0nr curls, Jake" and so on.
I amt married now; but as to
3 hether | ever shall be or not, ain t
sure a bit, and that's all about it.
re been sweet on one or two girls
Polly Howe, as lives up Back street, [
vas very near spliced to. and / don't
I'D telling how that came to be bro
zen off.
We we're sitting on a stille together
ono night; | remember it was Satur-
day, because Polly had just been buy
ar things for next week from the
res We factory hands have started
cooperative, you know-when
there came over two young fellows,
ii and lean, and one of them with
front teeth showing. They were
Goth dressed in black, and instead of
og on, turned round to look at US.
Nv, no fellow likes that when he's
sethearting, so l said pretty sharp:
hats tho game, matey?" They
didn't answer at first, but kept on sha-
sing their heads; then he with the
rats mouth says very quietly: You're
o. the broad road, my friend"
That's better than being always on
th broad Rrin," / answered, and
fought I'd riled him, for he turned
arssn. and showed his hand into his
t-pocket, but it was only to present
act at me.
Take this sinner" says he. I'd
hsre let it alone, only Polly would
Eaks it; and then he grinned at her,
snt asked her to go to their new tab
srn acle, and said she she was a stray
srb in the hands of the devouring
wolf. / knew he meant me, so /
Jumped down and asked him TO fight,
and he made off tOlerably quick can
iell you. But Pollv's never been the
same after that. She goes to their
lettings regularly. and saws buying
oseries after shutdown on Saturday is
ced and kissing's wicked. For all
sbas, she's thick as thieves with the
aoe np that gave us the tract, and she
Son me letter to say we weren't to
be anything more to each other. I've
got it now: it's shis:
DEAR JAKE:-I write this to say
th7s I can't have you. You're too full
of Resh and nelU mine; you're too much
0f he aUOrld. You're too fond of
ing. Remember, Jake there din't
81. zrTier dogs IN the celestial city. y,
Jake, my souls safety won't let me
speak TO you again; but minister says
ou'll pillow up that proud, stony
be It, and ask his forgiveness for
1bat you said, thera'll be hope for
still. Yours truly.
Polly HOWE.
P. S. I'm going to be married to
ister next week.
Well, you may be sure / didn't at
l the wedding; but one day pass
Ie by their chapel. l got a paper
st into my hand, and found it was q
et called The ROWgh's ROddto Ruin.
ad three pages; but when I found
I'D that only they who went to
chapel would 60 to heaven. and
ninety nine out of every hundred
Is must be lost, / just laid il down,
thinks l to myself, if there was a
out, but the masters offered to
D me on at high wages. wouldn't
lOut tho others; neither would l
son away from fight, but stick by
mates, even if got worst off: for
~ what | call doing what's right.
la if so be it means sneaking of, and
ng one's-self by dropping on 9TH
eople. why, it amt in my line; and
tore the tract up, and lit my pipe
it.
QUILL be wondering now, perhaps,
old / am. A bit less than you
*, it's likely, for we factory lads
lily do our counting young. L
W / was born on the first of Aug
aud my own notion is that / am
nty, but il maybe year more or
[ amt quite sure. Anyhow, it's
years good since first came to
ebridge.
came with another fellow, as I
A before, for father was gone, and
mills knocking off to halt. pay, and
aving a notion to see the world,
ught / might as we'll tramp about
it to find out what was doing in
er parts. Bill jenkins was an or.
q, same as /, and thought with me
it wasn't any use to stay and be
we'd. So. having talked Of it times,
Fixed at last to start on a Sunday.
got sixteen shillings, for | sold off
ry stick father had left. as all that
of no use to me; and Bill he got
1t or nine-I forget which. It was
weather, the middle of June, and
Jolly time of il at first; only.
as we would, there wasn't anything
do. People were everywhere
harging their own workpeople, so
ths we strangers had but poor
ca nee.
Yell, we went on and on, still the
10. only that our money was quite
then we separated. Billthought
lhere'G be chance up London-way
Sc I struck on to the West. because
heard things were beginning to
K up a bit about there.
shan't easy forget the first time
lok to sing for a living; that was
day after I'd parted with Bill. 1t
10 a big town, and l felt fit TO
RI Jke with shame. I'd sung through