Chapter III Upon my return to my home in Leicester former scenes appeared to have changed because during my absence there was a change in our family residence and it was remarked that I had changed wonderfully in that short time. Well do I remember how different life and all my surroundings seemed to me at that time and after being baptized a member of the church of Jesus Christ I had a desire to learn a trade. Elder John Walsom who baptized me had a shoe shop nearby with one indoor apprentice Harry Glover and that seemed to attract me more than anything so that I was taken as an out door apprentice that is I was at home at nights and on Sunday. I was to remain in that position for seven years but before the first year ended I was free because of cruel treatment of the master. It was winter season and I was late one morning and just in the act of lighting the fire when the boss came in with his boots in his hand and he threw them at me which took my breath for a minute but that was the end of my apprenticeship. He tried his best to make me believe he thought it was Glover instead of me and told my father so but that did not justify the act no matter who it was, too much of that treatment was indulged in, in those days. John Walsom was a good shoe-maker but not a good christian as he changed his faith from Mormon to ranter and back again twice to my knowledge in a few years and yet he had a noble wife and family who came to Utah in early days. Betsey Patrick was my Sunday School teacher she also came to Utah and was married to John I. Angus making their home in Saint George, Utah. Our meeting house or the one rented at that time was in Denman St. Leicester, my father being chorister. Elder Aaron Nelson presided over that branch and they were another family that left and made their home in St. George and his going brings to mind an incident that occurred with William Nelson as one of the chief promoters. William, my sister Mary Ann, and myself were on our way to Sunday School when an evil thought was presented to his mind and he suggested that we take a stroll through the Abbey Meadow. When on the canal bridge I saw some boys having a fine time in the stream and without due consideration I plunged in to find that the water was too deep, for me and had it not been for help rendered and my sister taking hold of my hair that would have been my last trip but it learned me a lesson not to play truant from Sunday School again.
The words of Aunt Page were verified at that period as I well remember on several occasions violent measures were resorted to to prevent the preaching of the gospel in public. Men and at times even women and children were ill-treated because of their religious belief but a few honest hearted souls always remained faithful under the most trying conditions. I was taken suddenly ill and for a time my life was in the balance the doctor giving but little hope of my recovery but my health was restored by the power of the holy priesthood and the faith exercised in my behalf. Another great change happened in our family when my father married Miss Mary Moore of Keyworth Leicestershire who was a great help to my father as leading soprano in his choir. I have heard and read much of a disrespectful nature concerning the proverbial meanness of a stepmother but my own experience does not confirm this discrepancy. Miss Moore had belonged to the Keyworth branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints a number of years and came to our home highly recommended by her former associates and I venerate her memory as being one of Gods nobelest women that has graced this earth a kinder mother never lived and I missed chastisement that my own mother might have administrated. My conscience bids me bear record of that fact. Conditions in England during that eventful period including the years 1853-4-5 were anything but pleasant. The Crimea war caused much suffering especially among the poorer class of people lack of employment with its attendant evils reduced the moral and spiritual atmosphere to a low ebb. An epidemic of measles did its deadly work. My sister Priscilla being a victim to the dread disease and we placed her in the brick grave by her mother in the Hill Street Chapel yard. My Uncle James Hutchinson and his little daughter also rested there until the year 1867 when all the bodies were transferred to the new cemetery on Wilford Road. Miss Jarvis my late Sunday School teacher went to St. George, Utah and was married to Louis Robbins of whom more anon. If I wished the good will of my playmates or to avoid being taunted about my religion I must attend the same church they did and imagine a boy of ten years being nic-named old Joe Smith and old Brigham Young every time I appeared on the public street. There was a protestant church school opposite our home while our meeting house was nearly a mile further and during one stormy season when the snow lay deep I repeatedly urged my upon my father to permit me to attend the school near home. He reluctantly consented which proved to be the best that could have happened to me as the sequel will show. To be sure my playmates were more agreeable which passed off very well according to outward appearances but my sister Mary Ann two years older than me absolutely refused to attend any other place of worship than ours in Denman Street and so persistent was she that for a time she went to Sunday School alone. That was a test I was not fully prepared for but it proved effectual in making me resolve to never again be ruled by an opposing influence. I was employed at that time in the hosiery department which occupation appeared quite suitable for few years and during the winter of 1861 (B) and 1860 the time when Prince Albert died I resided with my uncle Benjamin Bowler in Keyworth the birth place of my stepmother. (B) There was much opposition to the few Mormons in that neighborhood and I believe that was the most lonely Christmas I ever experienced in fact a gloom seemed to pervade everywhere and everybody to such a marked degree that instead of caroling according to custom one heard the funeral dirge. My uncle in praising the goodly life of Prince Albert to our neighbors incidentally mentioned our belief in the resurrection and degrees of glory in the immortal sphere. A sudden fit of prejudice burst forth which was to me another evidence that evil influence did exist and was manifest more or less wherever the truth was advanced. Not long after that occurrence we moved to Long Whatton (B) where I stayed until late that summer when on my return to my home in Leicester there was an increase in our family. On the sixth day of March previous brother George was born (B) he being named for his uncle George, who was then in India but who was expected to return shortly and pay us a visit. After the Indian mutiny where so many brave soldiers in the British Army met cruel treatment and death where General Havelock's daughter ended her life by falling into a well rather than submit to the fiends that sought her ruin and after Uncle George had helped take prisoner Nened Sab King of Delhi then he returned crowned with honors and plenty of money for gallant service rendered. Boy like I sat and listened with abated breath of the thrilling description of the relief of Lukno and the bravery of those nobel men in action who counted it an honor to save their flag from disgrace.
Again the tables turned when Uncle George discovered that his sister Mary was a Mormon and he began to talk of leaving for Keyworth in a few days but she prevailed on him to try and think better of the condition and not leave so abruptly. Myself and brother John won uncle George Roper over and he stayed with us longer than he intended and we looked upon him as the biggest man we had ever known until he became resentful toward his sister and although our stepmother we could not accept that treatment from anyone. She knew in whom she had put her trust and nothing on earth could change her honest convictions. I was then employed in the Harris factory working from six a.m. until six p.m. which was considered a proper working day and being rather late one morning and seeing the boss coming toward me I started the machine and tried to hang the wrench in place while it was in motion. It was fortunate for me that the boss was near enough to throw off the belt just as the shaft met and broke my wrist or something more serious would have happened. I was home again in good time for breakfast but I did not want any and my mother hurried me to the hospital where I remained for two weeks as the doctor said my shoulder was also affected and I had a nervous shock. Uncle George Roper left us his photo in his regimental dress the 81St Regiment was noted for their valor and we felt proud of that photo although he never visited with us again. Uncle Thomas Greton of Kegworth wrote to his sister Mary that George was married and resided in Kegworth and if she wished to see him she would have to go there but she must not bring her religion with her. So fervant was our stepmother that although my father said he was afraid of crossing the sea she told him she was going to Zion even though she had to go alone and to that end she made all preparations but that was not to be. She was taken suddenly sick no pain but could not get around and she declined so rapidly that her spirit passed away just as the company left Liverpool that she intended to travel with (D) and my grandmother Bowler said she had gone to Zion anyway. That was an experience I never could forget as I took charge of the little two year old motherless boy George to keep him quiet as best I could that long dreary night and on the next morning at six a.m. I started on foot, it being Sunday to Long Whatton fifteen miles. Grandparents and I walked (D) the fifteen miles, back the next day but I was so tired that I could not keep up with them the latter part of the journey although the road was as smooth as could be made. The winter following was dreary and we felt lonely but my sister took the boy George to her home to care for him as her own. We all remember those troubled days in the year 1863 when war clouded the horizon everywhere and many were out of employment. I found a home suitable to my inclination with William Hardy and wife who had no children and he being a shoemaker I finished learning my trade with him. Their only child named James was dead and I seemed to take his place in their home and I began to study music at home and the Pitman Phonography and life was then a source of joy and satisfaction to me. My interest in these studies increased until it was my delight to study at all hours when not at work at the bench and often in the summer season did I awake at early dawn and go into the Abbey Meadow book in hand. One of those occasions (A) I was the means in the hands of the almighty in saving a young lady from a watery grave. My mind was engrossed as silently I bent my steps toward the pasture as it was known down by the side of that same canal that so nearly engulfed me years before as already related. This incident and my soldier experience (A) will be fully portrayed in my book of poems. The one entitled “Then and Now,” the other “Memory Recalls.” Mr. and Mrs. Hardy were as kind parents to me and much of my success in life is due to their wise counsel. Those were happy days for me the recollection of which will be vivid as long as I live and I hope to meet those benefactors in the great beyond. One Sunday I walked eight miles to Gilmorton to visit with a sister of Mrs. Hardy’s who had a rather large family and who seemed much interested in my visit. That was my first conscious awakening to the fact that I had an admirer in the form of their oldest daughter Harriet who unmistakably gave me to understand that my visit might be extended indefinitely. Much as I enjoyed their congeniality my mind was so entirely engrossed with my studies of music and phonography that I begged to be excused promising to call again in the near future.
My brother John returned and I took him in the shop to work with me, but he did not stay very long in that position his mind being quite unsettled. I tried every plan I could think of to induce him to make or form a resolution to know that he wouldn’t wander around but all to no purpose for he just could not remain quietly in one place any longer. The result was that he came to the shop one morning and informed me that he had enlisted in the army and although I offered to pay the “smart” as it was termed I could not persuade him to accept my offer. My poor boy I said as he left me with a feeling of some unpleasant foreboding that I could not account for at that time but that was fully manifested when he deserted and went to America. I never saw him again but we corresponded until after I came to Utah. This was when his fiancee Mary King followed him and they were married and settled in New York state where he became a Baptist minister. In after years some of his family still reside in or near the old home established while he was living.
I began to think myself a man about that time and there being a young growth of beard appearing on my face I called on my cousin James Staniforth, the barber, to shave me but he told me that if I did not commence that operation I never need to and I never have. But few converts came to our meetings in those days and the Leicester branch of our church was reduced considerably by emigration death and removal. Miss Harriet moved to the city and frequently came to see her aunt when if I was at home I had my share of her attention and would of course be gallant enough to escort her to her home. God bless the girl, noble minded she was but she cared more for me than I could reciprocate and we finally drifted apart to the destiny that awaited each of us. Still absorbed in my chosen studies I spent most of my spare time with my books fully determined to make myself proficient in that line before I engaged in my serious pursuit in life to detract my attention. Anyone who has undertaken to master these two studies alone without a tutor or teacher will appreciate may task.
Granddad Hutchinson who lived to the good old age of ninety three who drank liquor that would drown him and smoked his weight in tobacco was just the kind hearted soul he was when so many years previously he married my grandmother. Old though he was and no relation only by marriage he was to me an inspiration in my study that helped me along greatly that is my object in mentioning this fact at this juncture. I do not mention items of discouragement for the simple reason that my readers could not appreciate the recital nor would it serve any good purpose here but suffice it to say that many thorns were very wisely and kindly cleared out of my path in life's journey that I am extremely thankful for. Many changes occurred that need not be mentioned at this time reference to which may appear later but the one great change that comes to all normally mortal beings was about to transpire and it seemed as though I was being prepared for it in a way that surprised myself and my most intimate friends.
Before proceeding further I should introduce my brother John who like the prodigal son left his home several times during his boyhood in fact we never knew what hour he would be absent. This was a source of much anxiety in our family circle and when our stepmother died brother John was on the training vessel Cornwallis. My father thought it best for all concerned to cast our lot with a very good family whom he had known many years which proved to be very agreeable all things considered.
The shoemaking business had changed considerably at this time as it was done in separate departments or branches. Machinery doing a good part of it and I was one of the first to learn the new method called the finishing. By this means shoes were made by the dozen instead of odd pairs as formerly and men who knew nothing of the art of shoemaking could learn a part or branch of it and earn more money than in the old way.