The Autobiography of a Super Tramp 3

The Autobiography of a Super Tramp 3

the Mediterranean being so large a body of water as compared with the

Bristol Channel, would allow her more scope for manoeuvres. But all

this was idle talk, probably a profane sneer at her old age, for it

was told me by an eye-witness, that she was run ashore in an isolated

pool at the mouth of the river, stripped unceremoniously of her iron,

and her wood-work burned. It is only a few years ago since the river

was hers, but her name is seldom mentioned at the present day.

 

It was through being born in a public house that I became acquainted

with the taste of drink at a very early age, receiving sups of mulled

beer at bed time, in lieu of cocoa or tea, as is the custom in more

domestic houses. So that, after my school days were over, I required

but very little inducement to drink.

 

At last the old people, being tired of business and having a little

property, retired into private life; my father, whom I cannot

remember, being dead, and my mother marrying the second time, much to

the old folks' annoyance. Their own children having all died, they

kindly offered to adopt us three children, the only grandchildren they

had; and mother, knowing that such would be to our future benefit, at

once agreed. When we were settled in private life our home consisted

of grandfather, grandmother, an imbecile brother, a sister, myself, a

maidservant, a dog, a cat, a parrot, a dove, and a canary bird. I

remember those happy days, and often wish I could speak into the ears

of the dead the gratitude which was due to them in life, and so ill

returned.

 

My school days began, but I played truant day after day, and the

maidservant had to lead me as a prisoner to school. Although small of

figure I was a good athlete, and so often fighting that some of my

relatives thought that prize fighting was of a certainty to be my

future vocation. Mother's father and brothers all took great interest

in pugilism, and they knew the game well from much practice of their

own. They were never so much delighted as when I visited them with a

black eye or a bloody nose, at which time they would be at the trouble

to give cunning points as to how to meet an opponent according to his

weight and height. "He certainly has the one thing essential," they

affirm, one to the other, "and that is the heart. Without that

experience would be of no account, but with that it will be the making

of him." If I took off my coat to battle in the streets, the shirt

itself came off in the lanes and fields. When attending school I would

accompany a dozen or more boys "following the leader." Needless to

say, I was the leader; and, being a good jumper, would leap over

ditches that would try every nerve in my body. Two or three would

follow a little less successfully, and then we would bully and

threaten the less active to make the attempt. Often we had to drag

them out by the hair of the head, and it was in this condition that

they were led back to school late--always late. The dirtiest boy, who

had had the most pressure put upon him, and was truly the most gentle

and least guilty of us all--would be punished the most severely for

these escapades, owing to his dirtier condition; and most likely

receive more punishment afterwards at home. Strange that I was not a

bad scholar, and that I passed all my standards with ease. In the last

year of my school days I became captain of the school's football team,

and was honoured and trusted by being allowed to take charge of the

ball, but owing to making private use of the same, and practising in

secret with boys of other schools, I was requested by the Committee to

forfeit my trust, although I might still continue captain as

aforesaid. If I had been contented with these innocent honours, and

had not been so ambitious to excel in other and more infamous parts,

all would have been well, and my schooldays would have been something

of a credit to me. But unfortunately, at this time, I organised a band

of robbers, six in number, and all of good families and comfortable

homes. It was our wont to enter busy stores, knowing that small boys

would not be attended to until the grown people had finished their

purchases. Then we would slyly take things up for a curious

examination, at the same time watching a favourable opportunity to

surreptitiously appropriate them. When accosted by the shopman as to

our wants we would innocently ask the price of some article we had

agreed on, and receiving answer, would quietly leave the premises.

This went on for some time, and I had nefariously profited by a large

assortment of miscellaneous articles, such as paints, brushes, books,

bottles of scent and various other items that could not be preserved,

such as sweets and confectionery. How this continued for six weeks

speaks well for our well laid plans, and our dexterity in the

performance of them. My girl, Maggie, who had, during our early

acquaintance, received only presents of wild flowers and birds' eggs,

and occasionally a handful of nuts, was now the happy possessor of

valuable presents in the shape of purses, pocket books, bottles of

scents, pencils of silver, not to mention having received a hundred

different sorts of sweets and cake that was superior to her mother's.

Time after time she promised not to betray me; or any of my

confederates. The latter often warned me against reposing confidence

in the other sex. One produced a book, at that very moment, which told

how a woman betrayed a gang of robbers; and it was his firm opinion

that the other sex could not be trusted farther than they could be

seen.

 

At home I was cured of thieving by what I thought at that time to be a

very remarkable incident--no more or less than the result of

witchcraft. One day my grandmother happened to be standing before the

fire cooking, and above the fireplace was a large mirror, towards

which her eyes were turned. Thinking this a favourable opportunity to

rifle the sugar basin, I lost no time in making the attempt; but my

fingers had scarcely closed on a large lump when the old lady, without

in the least turning her head, cried in a shrill voice, "You dare!"

For my life I could not account for this discovery, and it sent such a

shock through me that I never again attempted in the old lady's

presence to be other than honest. She could close her eyes in the arm

chair and even breathe audibly, but I never had the confidence to

make another attempt. But this incident at home had no detrimental

effect on my courage abroad.

 

One day I and my lieutenant played truant from school, and making our

way up town, began to execute various little plans that had been

concocted the night before. After several desperate sorties on

confectionery, with our usual success, we began to meditate on higher

game. We blundered at a cigar case in a chemist shop, and had to leave

our spoils behind. Although fearful, we entered a large grocery store,

and were having great success, when my lieutenant dropped a bottle of

scent, and not having the presence of mind to stand his ground and

make it appear an accident, made a guilty rush through the open door.

I followed him at once, and catching him up, got clear ahead. But the

hue and cry was out, and every one shouted, "Stop thieves!" This

terrible cry, taken up by one and another, took all the strength out

of our legs, and our own sheer terror brought us to a halt. In five

minutes we were captured and crying over our ill luck in a prison

cell. We made a confession of everything, and the rest of the gang

were soon under arrest. Our houses were visited by detectives and

searched, and different articles found in cupboards, drawers, desks,

and chests which were soon identified by the shopkeepers. Maggie, at

the instigation of her mother, gave several articles to the police,

with information, proving to me, even in those early days, how little

her sex was to be trusted. The unfortunate part of this was that we

all had good homes. My grandfather would most certainly have paid a

fine of twenty or thirty pounds to save me from punishment, and

offered, I believe, to do the same. Alas! the magistrates were

inexorable, and I and my lieutenant were sentenced each to twelve

strokes with the birch rod, whilst the other four, not being caught

red-handed, received six strokes each. I do not at present feel much

remorse for those desperate times, but often think of the disgrace to

parents. The kindly admonishment of my schoolmaster made me shed the

real tears of repentance, not being forced from me by any thought of

punishment. This ended my schooldays; and after the breaking up of our

gang, I was not allowed much liberty, our elders being afraid of a

reorganisation. When I was allowed out for an hour's play, strict

injunctions were given me not to leave our own door, and this was not

much to my liking. In the dark winter evenings I would sit with my

grandfather, my brother and sister, painting ships or reading before a

large fire that was never allowed to burn below its highest bar. My

grandfather, with his old habits, would pace slowly up and down the

half dark passage, shutting himself out in the cold. Every now and

then he would open the front door to look at the stars or to inform

himself from what latitude the wind blew. The wind never changed

without his knowledge; for this wary mariner invariably surprised it

in the act of doing so. Three or four times in the evening he would

open the kitchen door to see that his family were comfortable, as

though he had just made his way from the hurricane deck to enquire

after the welfare of passengers in the cabin. When this was done, the

old lady would sometimes say, rather peevishly, "Francis, do sit down

for a minute or two." Then he would answer gruffly, but not

unkindly--"Avast there, Lydia," closing the door to begin again his

steady pacing to and fro.

 

At this time I had a boy companion, named Dave, who was a great

reader, had enough self-confidence to recite in public, and was a

wonderful raconteur of tales. Great things were expected of him in

after years. I have heard since that intemperance prevented their

fulfilment, but we were too innocent in those days to think that such

would be the case. Through him I became a reader, in the first place

with an idea of emulating his cleverness, which led to a love of

literature for its own self. Of course I began with the common penny

novel of the worst type, but acquired a taste for better work in a

shorter time than boys usually do.

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER II

 

YOUTH

 

 

Life was very irksome to me at this period, being led to chapel

morning and evening on Sundays, and led back; having the mortification

of seeing other boys of the same age enjoying their liberty. The only

way to alter these conditions was to apply for work. This was soon

done, hiring myself out to an ironmonger, at a weekly wage of five

shillings. The old people now began to take a pride in me, advising me

to study my master's interests, and without doubt succeed to his

business at his decease. My brother, two years my senior, who, as I

have said before, was odd in his behaviour, took example by me, and

succeeded in being employed at a large clothing establishment. It was

there and then that he began and finished his life's work in half a

day. Having been sent to the dock with a large parcel valued at two

pounds ten shillings, he found on arrival that the _Betsy Jane_ was

moored in the middle of the dock. My brother, seeing this, and not

being blessed with inventive faculties, placed the parcel on the quay

and returned to his master. Naturally the shopkeeper thought it was

safely delivered, until the captain of the _Betsy Jane_, coming

straight from his ship, entered the shop to make enquiries about his

goods. My brother, having a clear conscience, explained matters in his

simple way to the open eyed astonishment of his hearers. The result

was a summary dismissal, and a letter to my grandfather requesting him

to make good the loss of the parcel; which was duly done, my

grandfather being extremely afraid of the law. The old people would

never admit that my brother was different from other boys, although it

was apparent not only to grown folk, but to the smallest child in the

street. Some days before the affair just mentioned my grandmother,

having to answer the door, ordered my brother to watch some fish, which was being prepared for dinner.