THE BUSHER'S HONEYMOON
_Chicago, Illinois, October 17._
FRIEND AL: Well Al it looks as if I would not be writeing so much to
you now that I am a married man. Yes Al I and Florrie was married the
day before yesterday just like I told you we was going to be and Al I
am the happyest man in the world though I have spent $30 in the last 3
days incluseive. You was wise Al to get married in Bedford where not
nothing is nearly half so dear. My expenses was as follows:
License $ 2.00
Preist 3.50
Haircut and shave .35
Shine .05
Carfair .45
New suit 14.50
Show tickets 3.00
Flowers .50
Candy .30
Hotel 4.50
Tobacco both kinds .25
You see Al it costs a hole lot of money to get married here. The sum
of what I have wrote down is $29.40 but as I told you I have spent
$30 and I do not know what I have did with that other $0.60. My new
brother-in-law Allen told me I should ought to give the preist $5 and
I thought it should be about $2 the same as the license so I split the
difference and give him $3.50. I never seen him before and probily
won't never see him again so why should I give him anything at all when
it is his business to marry couples? But I like to do the right thing.
You know me Al.
I thought we would be in Bedford by this time but Florrie wants to say
here a few more days because she says she wants to be with her sister.
Allen and his wife is thinking about takeing a flat for the winter
instead of going down to Waco Texas where they live. I don't see no
sense in that when it costs so much to live here but it is none of my
business if they want to throw their money away. But I am glad I got a
wife with some sense though she kicked because I did not get no room
with a bath which would cost me $2 a day instead of $1.50. I says I
guess the clubhouse is still open yet and if I want a bath I can go
over there and take the shower. She says Yes and I suppose I can go
and jump in the lake. But she would not do that Al because the lake
here is cold at this time of the year.
When I told you about my expenses I did not include in it the meals
because we would be eating them if I was getting married or not getting
married only I have to pay for six meals a day now instead of three
and I didn't used to eat no lunch in the playing season except once in
a while when I knowed I was not going to work that afternoon. I had a
meal ticket which had not quite ran out over to a resturunt on Indiana
Ave and we eat there for the first day except at night when I took
Allen and his wife to the show with us and then he took us to a chop
suye resturunt. I guess you have not never had no chop suye Al and I am
here to tell you you have not missed nothing but when Allen was going
to buy the supper what could I say? I could not say nothing.
Well yesterday and to-day we been eating at a resturunt on Cottage
Grove Ave near the hotel and at the resturunt on Indiana that I had the
meal ticket at only I do not like to buy no new meal ticket when I am
not going to be round here no more than a few days. Well Al I guess the
meals has cost me all together about $1.50 and I have eat very little
myself. Florrie always wants desert ice cream or something and that
runs up into money faster than regular stuff like stake and ham and
eggs.
Well Al Florrie says it is time for me to keep my promise and take her
to the moveing pictures which is $0.20 more because the one she likes
round here costs a dime apeace. So I must close for this time and will
see you soon.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, October 22_.
AL: Just a note Al to tell you why I have not yet came to Bedford
yet where I expected I would be long before this time. Allen and his
wife have took a furnished flat for the winter and Allen's wife wants
Florrie to stay here untill they get settled. Meentime it is costing me
a hole lot of money at the hotel and for meals besides I am paying $10
a month rent for the house you got for me and what good am I getting
out of it? But Florrie wants to help her sister and what can I say?
Though I did make her promise she would not stay no longer than next
Saturday at least. So I guess Al we will be home on the evening train
Saturday and then may be I can save some money.
I know Al that you and Bertha will like Florrie when you get acquainted
with her spesially Bertha though Florrie dresses pretty swell and
spends a hole lot of time fusing with her face and her hair.
She says to me to-night Who are you writeing to and I told her Al
Blanchard who I have told you about a good many times. She says I bet
you are writeing to some girl and acted like as though she was kind of
jealous. So I thought I would tease her a little and I says I don't
know no girls except you and Violet and Hazel. Who is Violet and Hazel?
she says. I kind of laughed and says Oh I guess I better not tell you
and then she says I guess you will tell me. That made me kind of mad
because no girl can't tell me what to do. She says Are you going to
tell me? and I says No.
Then she says If you don't tell me I will go over to Marie's that is
her sister Allen's wife and stay all night. I says Go on and she went
downstairs but I guess she probily went to get a soda because she has
some money of her own that I give her. This was about two hours ago
and she is probily down in the hotel lobby now trying to scare me by
makeing me believe she has went to her sister's. But she can't fool me
Al and I am now going out to mail this letter and get a beer. I won't
never tell her about Violet and Hazel if she is going to act like that.
Yours truly, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, October 24._
FRIEND AL: I guess I told you Al that we would be home Saturday
evening. I have changed my mind. Allen and his wife has a spair bedroom
and wants us to come there and stay a week or two. It won't cost
nothing except they will probily want to go out to the moveing pictures
nights and we will probily have to go along with them and I am a man Al
that wants to pay his share and not be cheap.
I and Florrie had our first quarrle the other night. I guess I told you
the start of it but I don't remember. I made some crack about Violet
and Hazel just to tease Florrie and she wanted to know who they was and
I would not tell her. So she gets sore and goes over to Marie's to stay
all night. I was just kidding Al and was willing to tell her about them
two poor girls whatever she wanted to know except that I don't like to
brag about girls being stuck on me. So I goes over to Marie's after her
and tells her all about them except that I turned them down cold at the
last minute to marry her because I did not want her to get all swelled
up. She made me sware that I did not never care nothing about them and
that was easy because it was the truth. So she come back to the hotel
with me just like I knowed she would when I ordered her to.
They must not be no mistake about who is the boss in my house. Some men
lets their wife run all over them but I am not that kind. You know me
Al.
I must get busy and pack my suitcase if I am going to move over to
Allen's. I sent three collars and a shirt to the laundrey this morning
so even if we go over there to-night I will have to take another trip
back this way in a day or two. I won't mind Al because they sell my
kind of beer down to the corner and I never seen it sold nowheres else
in Chi. You know the kind it is, eh Al? I wish I was lifting a few with
you to-night.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, October 28._
DEAR OLD AL: Florrie and Marie has went downtown shopping because
Florrie thinks she has got to have a new dress though she has got two
changes of cloths now and I don't know what she can do with another
one. I hope she don't find none to suit her though it would not hurt
none if she got something for next spring at a reduckshon. I guess
she must think I am Charles A. Comiskey or somebody. Allen has went
to a colledge football game. One of the reporters give him a pass. I
don't see nothing in football except a lot of scrapping between little
slobs that I could lick the whole bunch of them so I did not care to
go. The reporter is one of the guys that travled round with our club
all summer. He called up and said he hadn't only the one pass but he
was not hurting my feelings none because I would not go to no rotten
football game if they payed me.
The flat across the hall from this here one is for rent furnished.
They want $40 a month for it and I guess they think they must be lots
of suckers running round loose. Marie was talking about it and says
Why don't you and Florrie take it and then we can be right together
all winter long and have some big times? Florrie says It would be all
right with me. What about it Jack? I says What do you think I am? I
don't have to live in no high price flat when I got a home in Bedford
where they ain't no people trying to hold everybody up all the time.
So they did not say no more about it when they seen I was in ernest.
Nobody cannot tell me where I am going to live sister-in-law or no
sister-in-law. If I was to rent the rotten old flat I would be paying
$50 a month rent includeing the house down in Bedford. Fine chance Al.
Well Al I am lonesome and thirsty so more later.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, November 2._
FRIEND AL: Well Al I got some big news for you. I am not comeing to
Bedford this winter after all except to make a visit which I guess will
be round Xmas. I changed my mind about that flat across the hall from
the Allens and decided to take it after all. The people who was in it
and owns the furniture says they would let us have it till the 1 of May
if we would pay $42.50 a month which is only $2.50 a month more than
they would of let us have it for for a short time. So you see we got a
bargain because it is all furnished and everything and we won't have
to blow no money on furniture besides the club goes to California the
middle of Febuery so Florrie would not have no place to stay while I am
away.
The Allens only subleased their flat from some other people till the 2
of Febuery and when I and Allen goes West Marie can come over and stay
with Florrie so you see it is best all round. If we should of boughten
furniture it would cost us in the neighborhood of $100 even without no
piano and they is a piano in this here flat which makes it nice because
Florrie plays pretty good with one hand and we can have lots of good
times at home without it costing us nothing except just the bear
liveing expenses. I consider myself lucky to of found out about this
before it was too late and somebody else had of gotten the tip.
Now Al old pal I want to ask a great favor of you Al. I all ready have
payed one month rent $10 on the house in Bedford and I want you to
see the old man and see if he won't call off that lease. Why should
I be paying $10 a month rent down there and $42.50 up here when the
house down there is not no good to me because I am liveing up here all
winter? See Al? Tell him I will gladly give him another month rent to
call off the lease but don't tell him that if you don't have to. I want
to be fare with him.
If you will do this favor for me, Al, I won't never forget it. Give my
kindest to Bertha and tell her I am sorry I and Florrie won't see her
right away but you see how it is Al.
Yours, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, November 30._
FRIEND AL: I have not wrote for a long time have I Al but I have been
very busy. They was not enough furniture in the flat and we have been
buying some more. They was enough for some people maybe but I and
Florrie is the kind that won't have nothing but the best. The furniture
them people had in the liveing room was oak but they had a bookcase
bilt in in the flat that was mohoggeny and Florrie would not stand for
no joke combination like that so she moved the oak chairs and table in
to the spair bedroom and we went downtown to buy some mohoggeny. But it
costs too much Al and we was feeling pretty bad about it when we seen
some Sir Cashion walnut that was prettier even than the mohoggeny and
not near so expensive. It is not no real Sir Cashion walnut but it is
just as good and we got it reasonable. Then we got some mission chairs
for the dining room because the old ones was just straw and was no good
and we got a big lether couch for $9 that somebody can sleep on if we
get to much company.
I hope you and Bertha can come up for the holidays and see how
comfertible we are fixed. That is all the new furniture we have
boughten but Florrie set her heart on some old Rose drapes and a red
table lamp that is the biggest you ever seen Al and I did not have the
heart to say no. The hole thing cost me in the neighborhood of $110
which is very little for what we got and then it will always be ourn
even when we move away from this flat though we will have to leave the
furniture that belongs to the other people but their part of it is not
no good anyway.
I guess I told you Al how much money I had when the season ended. It
was $1400 all told includeing the city serious money. Well Al I got in
the neighborhood of $800 left because I give $200 to Florrie to send
down to Texas to her other sister who had a bad egg for a husband that
managed a club in the Texas Oklahoma League and this was the money she
had to pay to get the divorce. I am glad Al that I was lucky enough to
marry happy and get a good girl for my wife that has got some sense and
besides if I have got $800 left I should not worry as they say.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, December 7._
DEAR OLD AL: No I was in ernest Al when I says that I wanted you and
Bertha to come up here for the holidays. I know I told you that I might
come to Bedford for the holidays but that is all off. I have gave up
the idea of comeing to Bedford for the holidays and I want you to be
sure and come up here for the holidays and I will show you a good time.
I would love to have Bertha come to and she can come if she wants to
only Florrie don't know if she would have a good time or not and thinks
maybe she would rather stay in Bedford and you come alone. But be sure
and have Bertha come if she wants to come but maybe she would not injoy
it. You know best Al.
I don't think the old man give me no square deal on that lease but if
he wants to stick me all right. I am grateful to you Al for trying to
fix it up but maybe you could of did better if you had of went at it
in a different way. I am not finding no fault with my old pal though.
Don't think that. When I have a pal I am the man to stick to him threw
thick and thin. If the old man is going to hold me to that lease I
guess I will have to stand it and I guess I won't starv to death for
no $10 a month because I am going to get $2800 next year besides the
city serious money and maybe we will get into the World Serious too. I
know we will if Callahan will pitch me every 3d day like I wanted him
to last season. But if you had of approached the old man in a different
way maybe you could of fixed it up. I wish you would try it again Al if
it is not no trouble.
We had Allen and his wife here for thanksgiveing dinner and the dinner
cost me better than $5. I thought we had enough to eat to last a week
but about six o'clock at night Florrie and Marie said they was hungry
and we went downtown and had dinner all over again and I payed for it
and it cost me $5 more. Allen was all ready to pay for it when Florrie
said No this day's treat is on us so I had to pay for it but I don't
see why she did not wait and let me do the talking. I was going to pay
for it any way.
Be sure and come and visit us for the holidays Al and of coarse if
Bertha wants to come bring her along. We will be glad to see you both.
I won't never go back on a friend and pal. You know me Al.
Your old pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, December 20._
FRIEND AL: I don't see what can be the matter with Bertha because you
know Al we would not care how she dressed and would not make no kick if
she come up here in a night gown. She did not have no license to say
we was to swell for her because we did not never think of nothing like
that. I wish you would talk to her again Al and tell her she need not
get sore on me and that both her and you is welcome at my house any
time I ask you to come. See if you can't make her change her mind Al
because I feel like as if she must of took offense at something I may
of wrote you. I am sorry you and her are not comeing but I suppose you
know best. Only we was getting all ready for you and Florrie said only
the other day that she wished the holidays was over but that was before
she knowed you was not comeing. I hope you can come Al.
Well Al I guess there is not no use talking to the old man no more. You
have did the best you could but I wish I could of came down there and
talked to him. I will pay him his rotten old $10 a month and the next
time I come to Bedford and meet him on the street I will bust his jaw.
I know he is a old man Al but I don't like to see nobody get the best
of me and I am sorry I ever asked him to let me off. Some of them old
skinflints has no heart Al but why should I fight with a old man over
chicken feed like $10? Florrie says a star pitcher like I should not
ought never to scrap about little things and I guess she is right Al so
I will pay the old man his $10 a month if I have to.
Florrie says she is jealous of me writeing to you so much and she says
she would like to meet this great old pal of mine. I would like to have
her meet you to Al and I would like to have you change your mind and
come and visit us and I am sorry you can't come Al.
Yours truly, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, December 27._
OLD PAL: I guess all these lefthanders is alike though I thought this
Allen had some sense. I thought he was different from the most and was
not no rummy but they are all alike Al and they are all lucky that
somebody don't hit them over the head with a ax and kill them but I
guess at that you could not hurt no lefthanders by hitting them over
the head. We was all down on State St. the day before Xmas and the
girls was all tired out and ready to go home but Allen says No I guess
we better stick down a while because now the crowds is out and it will
be fun to watch them. So we walked up and down State St. about a hour
longer and finally we come in front of a big jewlry store window and in
it was a swell dimond ring that was marked $100. It was a ladies' ring
so Marie says to Allen Why don't you buy that for me? And Allen says Do
you really want it? And she says she did.
So we tells the girls to wait and we goes over to a salloon where
Allen has got a friend and gets a check cashed and we come back and he
bought the ring. Then Florrie looks like as though she was getting all
ready to cry and I asked her what was the matter and she says I had
not boughten her no ring not even when we was engaged. So I and Allen
goes back to the salloon and I gets a check cashed and we come back and
bought another ring but I did not think the ring Allen had boughten was
worth no $100 so I gets one for $75. Now Al you know I am not makeing
no kick on spending a little money for a present for my own wife but
I had allready boughten her a rist watch for $15 and a rist watch was
just what she had wanted. I was willing to give her the ring if she had
not of wanted the rist watch more than the ring but when I give her the
ring I kept the rist watch and did not tell her nothing about it.
Well I come downtown alone the day after Xmas and they would not take
the rist watch back in the store where I got it. So I am going to give
it to her for a New Year's present and I guess that will make Allen
feel like a dirty doose. But I guess you cannot hurt no lefthander's
feelings at that. They are all alike. But Allen has not got nothing
but a dinky curve ball and a fast ball that looks like my slow one. If
Comiskey was not good hearted he would of sold him long ago.
I sent you and Bertha a cut glass dish Al which was the best I could
get for the money and it was pretty high pricet at that. We was glad
to get the pretty pincushions from you and Bertha and Florrie says to
tell you that we are well supplied with pincushions now because the
ones you sent makes a even half dozen. Thanks Al for remembering us and
thank Bertha too though I guess you paid for them.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, Januery 3._
OLD PAL: Al I been pretty sick ever since New Year's eve. We had a
table at 1 of the swell resturunts downtown and I never seen so much
wine drank in my life. I would rather of had beer but they would not
sell us none so I found out that they was a certain kind that you can
get for $1 a bottle and it is just as good as the kind that has got all
them fancy names but this lefthander starts ordering some other kind
about 11 oclock and it was $5 a bottle and the girls both says they
liked it better. I could not see a hole lot of difference myself and I
would of gave $0.20 for a big stine of my kind of beer. You know me Al.
Well Al you know they is not nobody that can drink more than your old
pal and I was all O.K. at one oclock but I seen the girls was getting
kind of sleepy so I says we better go home.
Then Marie says Oh, shut up and don't be no quiter. I says You better
shut up yourself and not be telling me to shut up, and she says What
will you do if I don't shut up? And I says I would bust her in the
jaw. But you know Al I would not think of busting no girl. Then Florrie
says You better not start nothing because you had to much to drink or
you would not be talking about busting girls in the jaw. Then I says
I don't care if it is a girl I bust or a lefthander. I did not mean
nothing at all Al but Marie says I had insulted Allen and he gets up
and slaps my face. Well Al I am not going to stand that from nobody
not even if he is my brother-in-law and a lefthander that has not got
enough speed to brake a pain of glass.
So I give him a good beating and the waiters butts in and puts us all
out for fighting and I and Florrie comes home in a taxi and Allen and
his wife don't get in till about 5 oclock so I guess she must of had to
of took him to a doctor to get fixed up. I been in bed ever since till
just this morning kind of sick to my stumach. I guess I must of eat
something that did not agree with me. Allen come over after breakfast
this morning and asked me was I all right so I guess he is not sore
over the beating I give him or else he wants to make friends because he
has saw that I am a bad guy to monkey with.
Florrie tells me a little while ago that she paid the hole bill at the
resturunt with my money because Allen was broke so you see what kind
of a cheap skate he is Al and some day I am going to bust his jaw. She
won't tell me how much the bill was and I won't ask her to no more
because we had a good time outside of the fight and what do I care if
we spent a little money?
Yours truly, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, Januery 20._
FRIEND AL: Allen and his wife have gave up the flat across the hall
from us and come over to live with us because we got a spair bedroom
and why should they not have the bennifit of it? But it is pretty hard
for the girls to have to cook and do the work when they is four of
us so I have a hired girl who does it all for $7 a week. It is great
stuff Al because now we can go round as we please and don't have to
wait for no dishes to be washed or nothing. We generally almost always
has dinner downtown in the evening so it is pretty soft for the girl
too. She don't generally have no more than one meal to get because we
generally run round downtown till late and don't get up till about noon.
That sounds funny don't it Al, when I used to get up at 5 every morning
down home. Well Al I can tell you something else that may sound funny
and that is that I lost my taste for beer. I don't seem to care for it
no more and I found I can stand allmost as many drinks of other stuff
as I could of beer. I guess Al they is not nobody ever lived can drink
more and stand up better under it than me. I make the girls and Allen
quit every night.
I only got just time to write you this short note because Florrie and
Marie is giving a big party to-night and I and Allen have got to beat
it out of the house and stay out of the way till they get things ready.
It is Marie's berthday and she says she is 22 but say Al if she is 22
Kid Gleason is 30. Well Al the girls says we must blow so I will run
out and mail this letter.
Yours truly, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, Januery 31._
AL: Allen is going to take Marie with him on the training trip to
California and of course Florrie has been at me to take her along. I
told her postivly that she can't go. I can't afford no stunt like that
but still I am up against it to know what to do with her while we are
on the trip because Marie won't be here to stay with her. I don't like
to leave her here all alone but they is nothing to it Al I can't afford
to take her along. She says I don't see why you can't take me if Allen
takes Marie. And I says That stuff is all O.K. for Allen because him
and Marie has been grafting off of us all winter. And then she gets mad
and tells me I should not ought to say her sister was no grafter. I did
not mean nothing like that Al but you don't never know when a woman is
going to take offense.
If our furniture was down in Bedford everything would be all O.K.
because I could leave her there and I would feel all O.K. because I
would know that you and Bertha would see that she was getting along
O.K. But they would not be no sense in sending her down to a house that
has not no furniture in it. I wish I knowed somewheres where she could
visit Al. I would be willing to pay her bord even.
Well Al enough for this time.
Your old pal, JACK.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, FEBUERY 4.
FRIEND AL: You are a real old pal Al and I certainly am greatful to you
for the invatation. I have not told Florrie about it yet but I am sure
she will be tickled to death and it is certainly kind of you old pal. I
did not never dream of nothing like that. I note what you say Al about
not excepting no bord but I think it would be better and I would feel
better if you would take something say about $2 a week.
I know Bertha will like Florrie and that they will get along O.K.
together because Florrie can learn her how to make her cloths look good
and fix her hair and fix up her face. I feel like as if you had took a
big load off of me Al and I won't never forget it.
If you don't think I should pay no bord for Florrie all right. Suit
yourself about that old pal.
We are leaveing here the 20 of Febuery and if you don't mind I will
bring Florrie down to you about the 18. I would like to see the old
bunch again and spesially you and Bertha.
Yours, JACK.
P.S. We will only be away till April 14 and that is just a nice visit.
I wish we did not have no flat on our hands.
_Chicago, Illinois, Febuery 9._
OLD PAL: I want to thank you for asking Florrie to come down there and
visit you Al but I find she can't get away. I did not know she had no
engagements but she says she may go down to her folks in Texas and
she don't want to say that she will come to visit you when it is so
indefanate. So thank you just the same Al and thank Bertha too.
Florrie is still at me to take her along to California but honest Al
I can't do it. I am right down to my last $50 and I have not payed no
rent for this month. I owe the hired girl 2 weeks' salery and both I
and Florrie needs some new cloths.
Florrie has just came in since I started writeing this letter and we
have been talking some more about California and she says maybe if I
would ask Comiskey he would take her along as the club's guest. I had
not never thought of that Al and maybe he would because he is a pretty
good scout and I guess I will go and see him about it. The league has
its skedule meeting here to-morrow and may be I can see him down to the
hotel where they meet at. I am so worried Al that I can't write no more
but I will tell you how I come out with Comiskey.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, Febuery 11._
FRIEND AL: I am up against it right Al and I don't know where I am
going to head in at. I went down to the hotel where the league was
holding its skedule meeting at and I seen Comiskey and got some money
off of the club but I owe all the money I got off of them and I am
still wondering what to do about Florrie.
Comiskey was busy in the meeting when I went down there and they was
not no chance to see him for a while so I and Allen and some of the
boys hung round and had a few drinks and fanned. This here Joe Hill the
busher that Detroit has got that Violet is hooked up to was round the
hotel. I don't know what for but I felt like busting his jaw only the
boys told me I had better not do nothing because I might kill him and
any way he probily won't be in the league much longer. Well finally
Comiskey got threw the meeting and I seen him and he says Hello young
man what can I do for you? And I says I would like to get $100 advance
money. He says Have you been takeing care of yourself down in Bedford?
And I told him I had been liveing here all winter and it did not seem
to make no hit with him though I don't see what business it is of hisn
where I live.
So I says I had been takeing good care of myself. And I have Al. You
know that. So he says I should come to the ball park the next day which
is to-day and he would have the secretary take care of me but I says
I could not wait and so he give me $100 out of his pocket and says he
would have it charged against my salery. I was just going to brace him
about the California trip when he got away and went back to the meeting.
Well Al I hung round with the bunch waiting for him to get threw again
and we had some more drinks and finally Comiskey was threw again and I
braced him in the lobby and asked him if it was all right to take my
wife along to California. He says Sure they would be glad to have her
along. And then I says Would the club pay her fair? He says I guess
you must of spent that $100 buying some nerve. He says Have you not
got no sisters that would like to go along to? He says Does your wife
insist on the drawing room or will she take a lower birth? He says Is
my special train good enough for her?
Then he turns away from me and I guess some of the boys must of heard
the stuff he pulled because they was laughing when he went away but I
did not see nothing to laugh at. But I guess he ment that I would have
to pay her fair if she goes along and that is out of the question Al. I
am up against it and I don't know where I am going to head in at.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, Febuery 12._
DEAR OLD AL: I guess everything will be all O.K. now at least I am
hopeing it will. When I told Florrie about how I come out with Comiskey
she bawled her head off and I thought for a while I was going to have
to call a doctor or something but pretty soon she cut it out and we sat
there a while without saying nothing. Then she says If you could get
your salery razed a couple of hundred dollars a year would you borrow
the money ahead somewheres and take me along to California? I says
Yes I would if I could get a couple hundred dollars more salery but
how could I do that when I had signed a contract for $2800 last fall
allready? She says Don't you think you are worth more than $2800? And
I says Yes of coarse I was worth more than $2800. She says Well if you
will go and talk the right way to Comiskey I believe he will give you
$3000 but you must be sure you go at it the right way and don't go and
ball it all up.
Well we argude about it a while because I don't want to hold nobody
up Al but finally I says I would. It would not be holding nobody up
anyway because I am worth $3000 to the club if I am worth a nichol. The
papers is all saying that the club has got a good chance to win the
pennant this year and talking about the pitching staff and I guess they
would not be no pitching staff much if it was not for I and one or two
others--about one other I guess.
So it looks like as if everything will be all O.K. now Al. I am going
to the office over to the park to see him the first thing in the
morning and I am pretty sure that I will get what I am after because if
I do not he will see that I am going to quit and then he will see what
he is up against and not let me get away.
I will let you know how I come out.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, Febuery 14._
FRIEND AL: Al old pal I have got a big supprise for you. I am going to
the Federal League. I had a run in with Comiskey yesterday and I guess
I told him a thing or 2. I guess he would of been glad to sign me at my
own figure before I got threw but I was so mad I would not give him no
chance to offer me another contract.
I got out to the park at 9 oclock yesterday morning and it was a hour
before he showed up and then he kept me waiting another hour so I was
pretty sore when I finally went in to see him. He says Well young man
what can I do for you? I says I come to see about my contract. He says
Do you want to sign up for next year all ready? I says No I am talking
about this year. He says I thought I and you talked business last fall.
And I says Yes but now I think I am worth more money and I want to sign
a contract for $3000. He says If you behave yourself and work good this
year I will see that you are took care of. But I says That won't do
because I have got to be sure I am going to get $3000.
Then he says I am not sure you are going to get anything. I says What
do you mean? And he says I have gave you a very fare contract and if
you don't want to live up to it that is your own business. So I give
him a awful call Al and told him I would jump to the Federal League.
He says Oh, I would not do that if I was you. They are haveing a hard
enough time as it is. So I says something back to him and he did not
say nothing to me and I beat it out of the office.
I have not told Florrie about the Federal League business yet as I
am going to give her a big supprise. I bet they will take her along
with me on the training trip and pay her fair but even if they don't I
should not worry because I will make them give me a contract for $4000
a year and then I can afford to take her with me on all the trips.
I will go down and see Tinker to-morrow morning and I will write you
to-morrow night Al how much salery they are going to give me. But I
won't sign for no less than $4000. You know me Al.
Yours, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, Febuery 15._
OLD PAL: It is pretty near midnight Al but I been to bed a couple of
times and I can't get no sleep. I am worried to death Al and I don't
know where I am going to head in at. Maybe I will go out and buy a gun
Al and end it all and I guess it would be better for everybody. But I
cannot do that Al because I have not got the money to buy a gun with.
I went down to see Tinker about signing up with the Federal League
and he was busy in the office when I come in. Pretty soon Buck Perry
the pitcher that was with Boston last year come out and seen me and
as Tinker was still busy we went out and had a drink together. Buck
shows me a contract for $5000 a year and Tinker had allso gave him a
$500 bonus. So pretty soon I went up to the office and pretty soon
Tinker seen me and called me into his private office and asked what
did I want. I says I was ready to jump for $4000 and a bonus. He says
I thought you was signed up with the White Sox. I says Yes I was but I
was not satisfied. He says That does not make no difference to me if
you are satisfied or not. You ought to of came to me before you signed
a contract. I says I did not know enough but I know better now. He says
Well it is to late now. We cannot have nothing to do with you because
you have went and signed a contract with the White Sox. I argude with
him a while and asked him to come out and have a drink so we could talk
it over but he said he was busy so they was nothing for me to do but
blow.
So I am not going to the Federal League Al and I will not go with the
White Sox because I have got a raw deal. Comiskey will be sorry for
what he done when his team starts the season and is up against it for
good pitchers and then he will probily be willing to give me anything
I ask for but that don't do me no good now Al. I am way in debt and no
chance to get no money from nobody. I wish I had of stayed with Terre
Haute Al and never saw this league.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, Febuery 17._
FRIEND AL: Al don't never let nobody tell you that these here
lefthanders is right. This Allen my own brother-in-law who married
sisters has been grafting and spongeing on me all winter Al. Look what
he done to me now Al. You know how hard I been up against it for money
and I know he has got plenty of it because I seen it on him. Well Al
I was scared to tell Florrie I was cleaned out and so I went to Allen
yesterday and says I had to have $100 right away because I owed the
rent and owed the hired girl's salery and could not even pay no grocery
bill. And he says No he could not let me have none because he has got
to save all his money to take his wife on the trip to California. And
here he has been liveing on me all winter and maybe I could of took my
wife to California if I had not of spent all my money takeing care of
this no good lefthander and his wife. And Al honest he has not got a
thing and ought not to be in the league. He gets by with a dinky curve
ball and has not got no more smoke than a rabbit or something.
Well Al I felt like busting him in the jaw but then I thought No I
might kill him and then I would have Marie and Florrie both to take
care of and God knows one of them is enough besides paying his funeral
expenses. So I walked away from him without takeing a crack at him
and went into the other room where Florrie and Marie was at. I says
to Marie I says Marie I wish you would go in the other room a minute
because I want to talk to Florrie. So Marie beats it into the other
room and then I tells Florrie all about what Comiskey and the Federal
League done to me. She bawled something awful and then she says I was
no good and she wished she had not never married me. I says I wisht it
too and then she says Do you mean that and starts to cry.
I told her I was sorry I says that because they is not no use fusing
with girls Al specially when they is your wife. She says No California
trip for me and then she says What are you going to do? And I says I
did not know. She says Well if I was a man I would do something. So
then I got mad and I says I will do something. So I went down to the
corner salloon and started in to get good and drunk but I could not do
it Al because I did not have the money.
Well old pal I am going to ask you a big favor and it is this I want
you to send me $100 Al for just a few days till I can get on my feet. I
do not know when I can pay it back Al but I guess you know the money
is good and I know you have got it. Who would not have it when they
live in Bedford? And besides I let you take $20 in June 4 years ago Al
and you give it back but I would not have said nothing to you if you
had of kept it. Let me hear from you right away old pal.
Yours truly, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, Febuery 19._
AL: I am certainly greatful to you Al for the $100 which come just a
little while ago. I will pay the rent with it and part of the grocery
bill and I guess the hired girl will have to wait a while for hern but
she is sure to get it because I don't never forget my debts. I have
changed my mind about the White Sox and I am going to go on the trip
and take Florrie along because I don't think it would not be right to
leave her here alone in Chi when her sister and all of us is going.
I am going over to the ball park and up in the office pretty soon to
see about it. I will tell Comiskey I changed my mind and he will be
glad to get me back because the club has not got no chance to finish
nowheres without me. But I won't go on no trip or give the club my
services without them giveing me some more advance money so as I can
take Florrie along with me because Al I would not go without her.
Maybe Comiskey will make my salery $3000 like I wanted him to when he
sees I am willing to be a good fellow and go along with him and when he
knows that the Federal League would of gladly gave me $4000 if I had
not of signed no contract with the White Sox.
I think I will ask him for $200 advance money Al and if I get it may be
I can send part of your $100 back to you but I know you cannot be in no
hurry Al though you says you wanted it back as soon as possible. You
could not be very hard up Al because it don't cost near so much to live
in Bedford as it does up here.
Anyway I will let you know how I come out with Comiskey and I will
write you as soon as I get out to Paso Robles if I don't get no time to
write you before I leave.
Your pal, JACK.
P.S. I have took good care of myself all winter Al and I guess I ought
to have a great season.
P.S. Florrie is tickled to death about going along and her and I will
have some time together out there on the Coast if I can get some money
somewheres.
_Chicago, Illinois, Febuery 21._
FRIEND AL: I have not got the heart to write this letter to you Al.
I am up here in my $42.50 a month flat and the club has went to
California and Florrie has went too. I am flat broke Al and all I am
asking you is to send me enough money to pay my fair to Bedford and
they and all their leagues can go to hell Al.
I was out to the ball park early yesterday morning and some of the boys
was there all ready fanning and kidding each other. They tried to kid
me to when I come in but I guess I give them as good as they give me. I
was not in no mind for kidding Al because I was there on business and I
wanted to see Comiskey and get it done with.
Well the secretary come in finally and I went up to him and says I
wanted to see Comiskey right away. He says The boss was busy and what
did I want to see him about and I says I wanted to get some advance
money because I was going to take my wife on the trip. He says This
would be a fine time to be telling us about it even if you was going on
the trip.
And I says What do you mean? And he says You are not going on no
trip with us because we have got wavers on you and you are sold to
Milwaukee.
Honest Al I thought he was kidding at first and I was waiting for him
to laugh but he did not laugh and finally I says What do you mean? And
he says Cannot you understand no English? You are sold to Milwaukee.
Then I says I want to see the boss. He says It won't do you no good to
see the boss and he is to busy to see you. I says I want to get some
money. And he says You cannot get no money from this club and all you
get is your fair to Milwaukee. I says I am not going to no Milwaukee
anyway and he says I should not worry about that. Suit yourself.
Well Al I told some of the boys about it and they was pretty sore and
says I ought to bust the secretary in the jaw and I was going to do it
when I thought No I better not because he is a little guy and I might
kill him.
I looked all over for Kid Gleason but he was not nowheres round and
they told me he would not get into town till late in the afternoon. If
I could of saw him Al he would of fixed me all up. I asked 3 or 4 of
the boys for some money but they says they was all broke.
But I have not told you the worst of it yet Al. When I come back to the
flat Allen and Marie and Florrie was busy packing up and they asked me
how I come out. I told them and Allen just stood there stareing like
a big rummy but Marie and Florrie both begin to cry and I almost felt
like as if I would like to cry to only I am not no baby Al.
Well Al I told Florrie she might just is well quit packing and make up
her mind that she was not going nowheres till I got money enough to go
to Bedford where I belong. She kept right on crying and it got so I
could not stand it no more so I went out to get a drink because I still
had just about a dollar left yet.
It was about 2 oclock when I left the flat and pretty near 5 when I
come back because I had ran in to some fans that knowed who I was and
would not let me get away and besides I did not want to see no more of
Allen and Marie till they was out of the house and on their way.
But when I come in Al they was nobody there. They was not nothing there
except the furniture and a few of my things scattered round. I sit down
for a few minutes because I guess I must of had to much to drink but
finally I seen a note on the table addressed to me and I seen it was
Florrie's writeing.
I do not remember just what was there in the note Al because I tore it
up the minute I read it but it was something about I could not support
no wife and Allen had gave her enough money to go back to Texas and she
was going on the 6 oclock train and it would not do me no good to try
and stop her.
Well Al they was not no danger of me trying to stop her. She was not no
good Al and I wisht I had not of never saw either she or her sister or
my brother-in-law.
For a minute I thought I would follow Allen and his wife down to the
deepo where the special train was to pull out of and wait till I see
him and punch his jaw but I seen that would not get me nothing.
So here I am all alone Al and I will have to stay here till you send me
the money to come home. You better send me $25 because I have got a few
little debts I should ought to pay before I leave town. I am not going
to Milwaukee Al because I did not get no decent deal and nobody cannot
make no sucker out of me.
Please hurry up with the $25 Al old friend because I am sick and tired
of Chi and want to get back there with my old pal.
Yours, JACK.
P.S. Al I wish I had of took poor little Violet when she was so stuck
on me.