She burst into tears and threw her arm around my neck. That was the first time she had ever put her arms around me. Tears are a great weapon and many women use them to get what they want.  She clung to me like a wife might cling to her husband who is going to war. In those few minutes I thought what a shame it was that we should end like this after all the years I had fought and prayed for her. My prayers had been heard, she was a Catholic and she had crossed the ocean. I told myself that it was all new to her and after a while she would settle down and everything would be well. We would be living together and I could help her and eventually she would would become a good Catholic and a good wife... So I gave way and told her not cry I had changed my mind. If you will stop this nonsense about seeing the country we get married.

I was laid off in November but I started with the Russel Motor company in the same month. We went to see the priest and gave him all the information we wanted and on Dec 30th 1925 we were married in St. Francis Church. We got two rooms in a house on Dundas street. The man was a policeman. Two weeks after we were married I was laid off. Jessie was still working and so she had to keep the home fires burning. 

It was winter time and I went snow shoveling for the city. I only got one day a week because there were so many men out of work and they all had to have a little. We were well paid and I got helped a little.  With a little care we got through the winter. Every night I was keeping my eye on the newspaper for adverts. At last I found one. J and J Taylors the safe makers on Front street were advertising for a draftsman. 

I had only a few weeks experience in a drawing office but I was desperate for job and I was going to take a chance. The next morning I went to their office but when I got their my hopes faded. There were twenty three  men there for the job. I felt sure that some of them would have more experience than me. However I hung around because the chief draftsman was looking at every man's work. When it came my turn I handed my drawings to him and when he opened them out he looked at them about a minute then said, you will do.

Can you be here in the morning at 8:30? I said, yes I can. 

 

 When I got outside I pinched myself to see if I was awake. Could it be possible that I had gotten the job in the face of all that opposition? 

 I started work at J and J Taylors April 23 1926. I was only getting $17 a week but along with Jessie's wage we were able to get along. I knew that Jessie would not be able to go on working much longer because she was going to have a baby. We did not want to be living in rooms when our baby came so I went hunting for house. I found one on Montrose ave. and we moved in. 

 After a while Jessie gave up working and I carried on alone. It wasn't much wage but we had to make it do.

Jessie was going to the the doctor every week and he assured me that everything would be well. I made arrangements with the Women's College Hospital on College street and then the day came. I don't  know how long I was at the hospital but I remember that our baby was born at night time. I can understand what it is like those men I have seen on pictures waiting for their first baby. It is a terrible experience. 

 When the doctor saw me he said you are much worse off than your wife.  I guess I looked terrible. That anxiety and waiting to know how everything is going to turn out.  That happens with the first baby but after that you take it more calmly. 

 I had bought a kitchen stove, a table and two chairs, a basket work easy chair and a bed. That was all the furniture I could afford to buy. 

 When Jessie came home our house was different.  We now had music. The little fellow put on his own records, and could he make noise. 

 When the baby was baptized, we christened him Francis. 

 Every night after supper I would I would take the baby  on my shoulder and walk  about the house singing to  him. As he got older he got used to this and every night when I got home he would make a fuss to come to  me. I did not think it was possible for me to love anybody or anything  like I loved his mother but I found a new love.  This baby was the dearest and most precious creature in the world to me and I loved it with a strange love.  Since there was only my wage coming in we were very poor and every night on my home from work I would walk along the railroad track and pick up coal.  I had no lining in my jacket pocket and so I put the coal all the way around the bottom of my jacket. Then I made a good size bag and every night I brought home a bag of coal. It was soft coal but it gave us head and enabled us to cook our food.