JOINING A STABLE 



was finished, and Neil got ready to go back to his home 

 in Pittsburg, I looked out for another job too. It was 

 time : I had been two weeks in linseed oil and lime 

 water after one of the terrible bums from the ex- 

 plosion : it seemed to shrivel me even smaller than 

 I was before. 



I knew Callaway who kept a livery stable in Kokomo 

 — ^the same town, my native place — so I went round to 

 him. He put me up and I was handy boy about the 

 yard, doing this, that and the other, sort of general 

 utility turn. But I was so small for the work, and 

 although I was willing enough they were always 

 telling me about my helplessness. Two months 

 therefore saw the end of that. 



Down on my luck again, I went on to my real 

 father's place in Marion, also in Indiana, but I could 

 see that there was not enough to support me about the 

 house : they were too poor. However, work turned 

 up in a carriage factory. But it was the same old 

 cry — " too small," and I had to beat it from there. 

 They said I was too light for the work : I only weighed 

 fifty pounds. I was an apprentice without pay so 

 there wasn't much lost ; naturally I couldn't help 

 support the family. 



Then a job turned up in a drinking saloon. I had 

 to sweep up, attend to the glasses, close the shutters 

 and all the time pick up swear words from the 

 customers. I was a useful boy at light jobs but was 

 told after a bit that I was not heavy enough for the 

 sweeping ! It was a bit of a knock-out — for I used to 

 put in a lot of elbow and wrist work for what my 

 back couldn't do ; in fact I reckoned myself quite 

 an artist with the broom. Still there was nothing else 

 for it but to up and away and get back to Kokomo. 

 I thought I had a better chance there. 



II 



