Back to Hamilton

 In the advert it said bring samples of work. So off I went with my drawings under my arm hoping I would get the job. When I got to their office there were six other fellows there . The chief draftsman was looking at every man's work. When he looked at mine he smiled and said, that's what I want to see, real good drawings, When can you start work? I said I can start anytime, He said, very well be here in the morning at 8:30. The name of the chief draftsman was Herbert Hodgson. He told me he had not been there long himself and he had found the office in bad shape. Whoever was drafting in this office didn't know much about, drawing. But you and I will fix it, up and then will know where we are. All these drawings in this file are wrong and I want you to help me put them right, said Herbert, I want you to draw just as you you've been taught to draw because you were taught right. Herbert Hodgson was a good guy. Several tines he took me through the shop to show me the different parts of the truck and how they were constructed gave me folders of different designs and told me to study them and it would help me in my drawing. I had worked hard and lost many hours of rest, but at, last I had been rewarded for all my hard work. When I saw Mrs. Brewer and told her I was working in the drawing office she said, if anybody deserves it, you certainly do, you worked hard for it. I don't, know what, I had done wrong, but misfortune continued to dog footsteps. I seemed that I had been asleep and all this had been just a dream because on June 16 1923 the Beaver Truck Corporation went bankrupt and closed down, and I was back where I started. I had not been there quite one month.

I returned to Guelph on June 30 and. on July 6 1 started work with the Page Hersey Pipe Mills. I kept going till Sep. 7 and then I was laid off. I was taken on again Sept 14 but was laid off again Sep 19. On Nov. 6 1 got a job watchmaking with Joe Mactague. Joe had a jewelers store near the post office

I stayed with Joe till Dec. 24. He did not need me after the Christmas rush. I worked for another jeweler somewhere, but, I cannot remember where it was Alf and I stated talking about going back to the Old Country and fina1ly we made up our minds.

I have told you several times I could not forget Jessie, and after 18 months I wrote to her again. We were living at Pat's place when I wrote her. She seemed very happy to get my letter, and of course started a correspondence again. I bought an engagement, ring from Joe Mactague which I sent to Jessie. I don't suppose I would have done this if she hadn't asked for it because I did not have a lot of money to spare.

It was Jan 3 1924 when we left Mrs. Brewers place to trudge out, in thick snow and make out way to the railway station. I had not gone far when I heard a kindly voice ask me if I was going  to the station. The kind man could see I was having a tough time with my suit case and he said, I am going that way give me  that case I think I can carry it better than you. He sure could, he was a big fellow. It was a mighty big help to me and I thanked him.

On the train we could pull the under seat, out and make it join the one in front. This gave us lots of room to stretch out, but, it was pretty hard. The next day when we pulled into St. Johns I was glad to see the S.S. Montclare.

 I was looking forward  to having a good sleep.  When that ship left St. Johns I didn't feel like I did when I left Liverpool. I was going back to dear old father and mother and home sweet, home, and that made me feel good. We landed at Liverpool Jan. 12. When arrived in Bradford my sisters were waiting for Alf  and I. It was about one o t clock in the afternoon when I got home. Mother had a big dinner waiting for me so Alf. and I sat down and enjoyed it.

 If we were away from home for only a day mother always thought, we were hungry when we got back, and she would be sure to have a big meal waiting for us. I had been away more than  three years so she must have thought I was very hungry that is why she gave me a big dinner. In a few days I got, round to seeing my pals and my friends, and it really felt good to be home, but this didn't last long. I had never been settled in Canada and now that I was home I should have felt real happy, but I didn't. I had not been there more than a week when I was asking myself, what was I doing here. I was there, but my mind was in Canada. I loved my father and mother and my home  very much but there was something disturbing me. I would have to find work and if I going to be out of work a long time I would not be able to pay my mother like I did the last time because I did not have the money now. I had not done too well in Canada, but I always found a way out. When I left Canada I did not owe anybody a red cent. It was plain to me I was not, going to settle down in Bradford again.

If I had known then what I know now I could have become a billionaire We always looked down on my father's job of selling ice cream, but, I could have turned that business into millions of pounds and then come over to Canada and the United States and multiplied it a million tines. I could have told my father to give up working for the corporation and make ice cream and I should have got every candy store in Bradford to sell it.