Autobiography, Section 4 --- Childhood in England
yes us 4 youngest ones had a tough beginning in life, but out faithfull
Dear Mother worked so hard at laberour work at washtub. hayeing nursing
or anything that she could get to do. if aney one got sick in the
Village they called for Mother she woud go no matter how tired she was. I
often wonder how she kept going like she did, but was all for the Love
of her familey. then those times there was no washing machiens or wringers
all hand work. we did not scarcley know what butter lard or milk was and
if we got a few pancakes on ash Wednesday we sure had a feast while they
lasted we didnt have aney toys. our church used to give the sunday school
kids tea parties once in a while in the summer they would put candy in
paper sacks then hang them in a tree in the lawn then blind fold one of us
give us a stick then lead one under the tree we would strike if we struck
a bag of candy it would fley all ove then there was a scramble. then they
used to hang tin cannes[?] in the tree. I allways wanted a horn to blow on
but my Dear Mother never got enough money to buy aney toys for us. I used
to take a elder stick take the pith out of it for a pop gunn or mak a whistle
I had no Jack knife either. I used to take a knife out of the house for my
whittling. and what fishing I had time to do which was verrey seldom I would
take a pin bend it then find a piece of string for a line and a stick for a
pole. what a difference now here. there aint maney that dont have a rod
and real here now. no there always was a job for me as long as I can
remember