Autobiography, Section 6 --- More on Childhood in England
no doubt that you have hurd about Robin Hood and little John. they used
to roam Sharwood forest in earley days long years ago before I Joseph
Mills was born. but they stole from the rich and gave it to the poor I was
born and raised within 10 miles from Nottingham and Sharewood Forest.
when I was 10 years old I worked on a farm west of Sharwood forest. I
peddeled milk in Nottingham. I had to go through the forest to get to
Nottingham with the milk twice in the morning and twice at night or eavening.
I had a poney and a cart to hawl the milk arround but oh how I used to
dread the foggy times when one could scarcely see there hands before
them. it was a common thing to lock wheels with another cart or what
they did have but with good luck and Gods help I allways got thru alieve.
but I sure used to dread those foggy times but that was my job. I had
to do some thing for a liveing my Dear Mother had to work for a lieveing, or
any thing she could find to do for her and us four youngest. the other
7 was workeing for there own liveing. Father died as I have said in this
when I was four. she would go from house to house wash everey day of the
week do her own wash on Sunday then next week make the rounds again for 48 cts
per day not much to feed and cloath us and herself no washing machienes
or wringers all hand work.