At the age of nineteen I was employed in the shipping department of a
large publishing house at a salary of six dollars a week, with small
prospect of advancement. My family were in need of all the help I could
give. I grew restless, and one day February (1916) suddenly decided to
make a change. Instead of taking a car for home I boarded a steamer for
Boston, expecting to do better in that city, and then to surprise my
parents with my success. I could get nothing better than a place as a
"bus boy" in a lunch room. After working there for three days I saw a
chance of getting a better position, but unfortunately was too late.
I was delayed two hours and that cost me my first job.
I could find nothing else to do, and the next day I signed on an ocean
steamer, _Etonin_, bound for Liverpool with a cargo of horses. My job
was working the donkey engine for getting the feed up out of the hold;
it was an easy job--two hours a day. The rest of the time we played
cards, and when we reached Liverpool I had one penny in my pocket. The
ship was not to return to Boston before fourteen days, and I had either
to secure some work or starve. There was many a job I might have gotten
but for the fact that I was an American. At least that was the excuse
given for refusing me employment.
I had no choice but to go to the Naval Recruiting Office. I said I was
born in Dublin and was at once accepted. I received a half crown, which
was one shilling from the King, another from the Queen, and six pence
from the Prince of Wales. I signed for the period of hostilities only,
and that night had a good supper at the Government's expense.