The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1922-07-04


suspicion from arising and revealing
my dilemma to others, and gladly
sought an opportunity 10 get away
from them. Finally | accepted q
place in a box car handling lumber
at s1.75 per day With three weeks
of this torture quit and fled from
the city.
Two days later / was standing on
a high precipice that hung over the
Missouri River, with my body wrap
ped and corded with a rope from
my waist 10 my feet, hesitating be-
tween life and death Thoughts of
my wife and children prevented me
from taking this leap into eternity.
Il was for their sake that ! had
planned IL, thinking Of my insurance
policy for ten thousand dollars in
Z their favor
I'm one week more ! was bobbing
up and down on a handcar with "a
| bunch Of paddles, working on a
section near Kansas City Eight
DAYS of this and ] landed in Omaha,
( Nebraska, with only money enough
to pay ms room and board for "a
week Here / obtained a position
/ keeping books. | handled the firms
/ funds | was asked 20 secure a
surety bond at the end of the first
week ! gave up the position with
I out making any explanation.
In desperation ! entered the On-
I ion Pacific shops as a strike-brcaker.
/ / worked under cars as car re-
Z paircr. The two thousand men had
/ come from everywhere to get the
benefits of the strike. There were
many criminals among them. On
I the inside. fifteen Burns detectives
were seeking them. Arrests were
made every day. Fifteen days here,
and I left.
Sneaked Into a Barn
I had been gone three months.
/ l had not been able 10 send one
dollar 20 my wife and children. NY
heart was breaking over them.
had every reason TO believe that
! ! was being sought This awful
consciousness was ever with me, A
( sudden desire seized me TO see my
l wife and children at any cost.
] returned 20 Texas, arriving IN
[ the dead hours of the night
I sneaked into the barn on the back
Z Dot of my fathers home IN Fort
/ Worth / feared 20 let the children
know They might tell that Papa
[ had come back
IN the barn ! waited for the
break Of day. Nine o'clock arrived.
I so one came near the barn save the
| children. They were playing twenty
feet away ! wanted 10 90 10 them
and take them IN my arms. Through
/ the cracks ! watched their every
movement. At last they vanished
in front Of the house My wife,
Mary. came 90 the back door and
looked out and closed the door be-
fore / could call to her.
One hour later Mary came 20 the
clothes line in the back yard !
called her. frightened, she turned
to 20 DO the house. | called her
name again. With difficulty ] sue
cceded IN making her understand
who was boz the barn. opened the
door, and She fell into my arms.
shortly. Mary returned Co the
house Go prepare nay mother TOT
the shock ] could hear nay mother
as She walled Mary came back 90
the barn and accompanied me to me
house. The three of us assembled
to the second floor OF the building
away from the eyes of my children
and a safer refuge from the world.
All day / watched the children from
the window above.
That night. when the little fellows
were sound asleep, | crept from
hiding above down 60 the bed where
lay the treasures of my heart.
stopped and kissed each one Of them
as the electric light revealed the
purity and innocence Of their faces
while my wife and mother sobbcd
In silence. left them and passed
in the blackness of the night TO re-
turn 60 chat other world, where
kindness ceascs 10 exist and familiar
faces are unknown.
A Family in Exile.
This time ] went 20 Mississippi.
| walked from Shreveport, La, to
jackson, and made by way by ped
ding liniment to the negroes White
people wouldn't buy il. | learned
to make the liniment from a grad
uate Of Yale, who had been a tramp
for fifteen years.
At Jackson | learned Of man
who wished a manager for planta-
ton. He would employ only a man
with family. | was to receive one
hundred dollars per month, have the
exclusive use OF the mansion on the
plantation and all provisions fur
nished.
Here could have my family
with me and be isolated from the |
world. | did not think they would
look for me there. My heart leaped
with gratitude.
Mary sold the last remnant OF her !
furniture 70 get TO Jackson. Most /
Of Il had been previously sold to /
supply her living expenses.
Strange, indeed, are the tricks /
Of Fate The very day that Mary /
arrived with the children ] received /
notice from the owner Of the planta-
ton that his son had decided % /
take charge OF the plantation and /
that he would have to decline TO
give me the position.
Now I was In exile under a curse, /
with my wife and three chlldrvn,
two trunks and two dollars aud fifty /
cents Ia money. Mr.. 81 4. Lfegeti, /
go.