he had no experience he would look up some comrade in that line and get
from him a few hints, and this, supplemented by reading up particulars
in some trade encyclopaedia at a public library, enabled him to
accomplish his task satisfactorily. He had hardly been in London
a fortnight when he looked about him for work, and, nothing better
offering, he engaged himself as washer-up at one of Veglio's many
restaurants. After six weeks he was rescued from the uncongenial
drudgery of scullion by a comrade, a fellow-Calabrian, who earned a
good living as decorator of West-end cafés, and who took on Bonafede to
assist him in frescoing a ceiling at the Trocadero, not, however, before
the latter had laid the foundations of a _lega di resistenza_ between
the Italians employed in restaurant kitchens. At the end of a month the
ceiling was painted, and Bonafede parted company with his compatriot,
pocketing £10, plus his keep whilst the job lasted. One of his first
steps was to visit me at the office of the _Tocsin_ and arrange for the
printing of an Italian pamphlet and of a booklet of revolutionary songs,
the production of Gnecco, which were to be smuggled into Italy for
distribution. The cost of paper and carriage of these works ran into the
better part of £3. With the remaining cash in his pocket, Bonafede went
to look up old friends and comrades in the French and Italian quarters.
A's wife was expecting her confinement, B needed an outfit in order to
enter on a job as waiter which he had secured at a club; C had been out
of work for three months and had five small mites to feed and clothe,
and so forth. At the end of this expedition rather less than 15s.
remained in his pocket, and once more he sought employment. This time
he got taken on by a contractor who asphalted the London streets, a
work done entirely by Italians. Here he remained for nearly two months,
during which time he organised the men into a union and induced them to
strike for better conditions. The men won their point, and returned to
work on the condition that the agitator who had got up the strike should
be dismissed, and Bonafede left of his own accord, unwilling to cause
loss to the men by prolonging the struggle. After a few weeks' enforced
idleness, during which he was lost sight of by the comrades, he
reappeared one evening at a group meeting held at our office, and
informed us that he was taken on as electrician at the Monico.
Ten days had now passed since I last saw him, and my expression was
eloquent of my amazement at his unexpected appearance.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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