The lady inquired with interest, "Would you work for an hour for a cup
of coffee and a piece of bread? Well, if you will help this boy for an
hour, I will give you a good breakfast." I readily assented. The task
finished, and the breakfast as well, the lady assured me there was a
great deal of garden and other work to be done there. If I would wait
until the return of Mr. ----, which would be soon, he would probably
give me work as long as I wished to remain.
I had learned from the boy that the latter was a rich dominie of the
neat little Episcopal chapel just at hand, which he owned, and that
I was working at the rectory. He soon came. After a brief external
examination he asked the question, "Why are you a hobo?"
I replied in one word, "Circumstances."
Apparently satisfied, he said, "What wages do you want?" I explained
that I understood garden work, that I was a conscientious worker, and
if I worked steadily ten long hours a day it ought to be worth one
dollar a day and board. The gentleman thought not. He thought five
dollars a week would be a square deal. The lady, near and interested,
said that a man had come along the day before and offered to work for
four dollars a week.
Having discovered I was a few days in advance of the berry picking
season, after a moment's reflection I told the gentleman I would try
the garden work at his offer.
One half of the garden, a very large one, was clean and growing. The
other half was choked with weeds, and in a very troublesome condition.
I exceedingly enjoyed my garden work. When I was hired (although the
house contained, I should judge, at least fifteen rooms) I was told
that there was no place in the house for me to sleep. I met this by
saying that I could sleep any place, so I was given two comforters and
left to seek my own bed, which I found on a pallet of hay over the
stable. However, I was very comfortable except for feeling the need
of a pillow. In wakeful moments during the silent night I could hear
the beautiful Arabian horse, John, champing his fragrant hay, and I
would sometimes call down, "Hello, John! How are you?" Several times
he answered with a low whinny, as much as to say, "All right. How are
you?"
I dined with the cook and the work boy in the kitchen. We had all
we could eat and it was good. No one worked on the Sabbath but the
old cook. We all went to church except her. The dominie asked me to
attend. I slipped in on a rear seat. The sermon was on the building of
character. The good lady, seeing me, came back and offered me a hymn
book. A pillow offered with the comforters would have held a greater
meaning, but I am sure that the thoughtlessness of this kind lady was
not intentional. I am sure I could have had the pillow if I had asked
for it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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