"Why, Palmer himself. Now, I don't want to brag on myself," continued
Alfred who had gained confidence as the interview progressed, "but I've
seen a great deal of this show business and you've got to know what
you're doing when you get into it. Why, look how many men have lost all
their money." And here Alfred mentioned the names of several men, the
details of whose losses in show schemes he had read in the _New York
Clipper_.
"Why," he continued, in an outburst of confidence, "I"--and he
emphasized the "I"--"I lost money on my last show." He should have
added, "my first and last show." But the boy felt that he had pap going.
"I had to borrow money from Sammy Steele to pay my debts."
The father gasped. "So you've been borrowing money to get into the show
business?"
"No, I had to borrow money to get out of it and that's why I don't want
you to loan Palmer money without you ask mother."
Alfred knew full well that this reference to the mother would bring the
father to terms.
"Now look here, my boy; I warned you once before not to blab my business
to your mother to make trouble in the family--"
"Well, I'm going to tell her," broke in the boy.
"You're going to tell her what?" threateningly asked the father.
"I'm not going to tell her anything about you," replied Alfred somewhat
subdued, "I'm just going to tell her that Palmer is trying to borrow
money from you."
The mother was no different from other women. The father knew full well
that her first remark would be: "So Palmer wants to borrow money! So
that's what brought him here! He is a slick one, you could tell that by
his talk. John, I hope you are not fool enough to loan that man money."
"No, Mary, don't worry yourself, he'll get no money out of me, I could
see through him the first time I met him."
This line of conversation had been heard so often in the family that it
was stereotyped on the memory of all. The father therefore capitulated,
and in a tone intended to pacify the boy he said: "Now there's no use
in stirring up anything over this matter. If you want to go with Palmer
I will gain your mother's consent. I'll tell her you have asked my
permission. I will permit you to remain there as long as you do right.
You know more about this business than I do and I'll leave it all in
your hands and I'll tell Palmer so," the father resignedly concluded.
His father had outgeneraled him; he was not the diplomat he imagined
himself. He was left in deeper doubt than before the interview.
Letters came from Palmer. Alfred knew by the postmark that they were
from him. He was tempted to open them. The father read the letters and
placed them in the desk, never mentioning Palmer's name. This was very
perplexing to Alfred.
It was reported that Palmer's great panorama was coming. It was also
reported that Alfred's Uncle Thomas, the minister, Uncle Ned, Uncle
Will, grandpap, and all of Alfred's relatives who had opposed his show
ambitions previously, sanctioned his going with Professor Palmer's
Panorama.
Uncle Thomas explained that Palmer was a retired minister, that the
surroundings, instead of being degrading, would be uplifting; taking it
all in all, John and Mary had acted wisely in giving their consent to
Alfred's joining Professor Palmer's Panorama of Pilgrim's Progress.
Somehow it got out that Alfred was not anxious to go. Lin, in referring
to the latter phase of the matter, said: "I jes can't understan' hit.
Uncle Thomas ses hit will satusfy Alfurd's ambishun an' possibly settle
his min'. But Alfurd don't seem to want to go. Maybe hit's his muther.
Alfurd is a great muther's boy, ye wouldn't think hit either, he's sech
a tarnel devil ketcher, but he is. I guess he don't like the idee uf
this prayur meetin' show an' the show fellur thet painted hit he jes
disspises. I bet ye a fip ef hit wus a show with hosses an' gals ur
singin' niggurs he'd bust a biler to go. Be durned if he ain't the
queerest cuss I ever seed. Why, it tuk the hull kit uf us tu head him
frum runnin' off with a show a while back. Now, be dog-goned ef ye kin
chase him off with a pack of Bob Playford's houn's."
It was announced by the father that Palmer would be the guest of the
family for a day.
Alfred determined to have a heart-to-heart talk with Palmer, pretend he
was in full accord with his plans, engage to go with the panorama and
thus protect the father in his dealings with the man.
Palmer arrived and with him an open faced, honest appearing Pennsylvania
Dutchman, from Bedford County, whom Palmer introduced as Jake. Jake had
a continuous smile. Sometimes it expanded but never contracted. The
smile was a fixture and it became Jake greatly. He rarely spoke, the
smile sort of atoned for his reticence as it assured those addressing
him that Jake was not deaf, even though dumb.
It was not necessary to question Palmer; he was a willing subject,
volunteering all the testimony necessary to set Alfred's mind at rest.
In answer to the query as to whether father had concluded to take an
interest in the panorama now that he, Alfred, had decided to go with it,
Palmer rolled off his reply so rapidly that Alfred could scarcely follow
his words.
"I hope John will not be angry with me, I offered him first chance and
held off until I almost lost the other fellow. John's all right but he's
too conservative. He's afraid of his wife and he'll never make money as
long as he continues in business in this town. This Dutchman, Jake, had
the money, he is anxious to travel, he has never been outside of Bedford
County. Jake has a team, a fine team. We can't stick anywhere. He'd sell
the team if I said the word. He will haul the whole outfit. I am going
to buy another team and a good one, then I can take my wife and you and
go ahead and have all the arrangements made before Jake arrives with
the panorama. Of course if John talks his wife into it he will want to
come in later. We can easily get rid of Jake, he's a "gilly." This is
the very business for John. He is a painter, he could paint the
panoramas; all he requires is a little experience with water colors.
Why, look at those flags on the old fellow's barn out the pike; no one
but an artist could shade and color like that.[A] Those flags are
painted so naturally they appear to be fluttering in the wind. John and
me could go in together, and paint panoramas of Bull Run and other
battles and sell them or send out a half a dozen. This war will make the
panorama business good. Your daddy is good on flags and eagles and sich;
that's where I am weak. We could make all kinds of money."
The exhibitions would be confined to churches and educational
institutions; therefore, it was most fortunate for Alfred that he should
be privileged to become attached to an exhibition that possessed the
elevating and refining influences of the great moral entertainment of
Professor Palmer.
The father, instead of requesting the minister to ask the blessing, as
was his custom, nodded to Palmer. All bowed their heads as Palmer, in a
loud voice, called down a blessing upon the food, the father, the
mother, and the boy about to go out into the world to seek his fortune;
he also prayed for Lin. He called down a blessing upon the panorama and
that it might attract thousands that the great moral lesson it was
designed to teach might be carried to the furthermost corners of the
earth.
Alfred could not resist the impulse to raise his eyes. The very beard on
Palmer's chin was quivering with the fervor of his beseechings. All were
bowed in respectful reverence except Jake--he was gazing nowhere, the
smile a little more expansive.
After the men had retired from the dining room, Lin, the mother and
Alfred remained seated. Lin turned a cup in the tea-grounds. She read
that Alfred would wander a long way off and "maybe kum back with a great
bag of gold, at eny rate, he wus carryin' a heavy load."
Finally Lin, turning to the mother, inquired: "What did ye think uf the
blessin'?"
"It was very fervent," absently answered the mother.
Lin sniffed. "Well, I'd swore afore a volcany uf fire thet I smelled
licker on both uf 'em."
The mother communicated Lin's suspicions to the father. He admitted that
Jake might be addicted to liquor. Palmer, as an artist, used a great
deal of alcohol to dissolve the shellac used for sizing the canvas
preparatory to painting and the fumes of alcohol would pervade a man's
clothing a long time after being subjected to its permeating influences.
Lin, with a twinkle in her eye, declared in a loud whisper as the father
left the room: "Well, durned ef I wus him ef I wouldn't change my
clothes afore I asked a blessin' agin."
The mother was very much worried. She communicated her fears to Uncle
Thomas and Aunt Sarah. Uncle William, the county judge, was called into
conference. He advised that since Alfred seemed inclined to a roving
life it would be better for him to be connected with a religious show
than with a worldly one for he would be free from the vicious
surroundings of a circus or minstrel show, and suggested that a binding
contract be made with Palmer.
Grandfather secured a copy of the contract under which his brother, the
judge, had been apprenticed, and had a copy made to fit Alfred's
engagement to Palmer.
The following is an exact copy of the indenture which bound Uncle
William to learn the trade of a blacksmith. It is now on record in the
county courthouse at Uniontown, Pennsylvania:
THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH: That William Hatfield, of the
Township of Union, in the County of Fayette, State of
Pennsylvania, hath put himself by the approbation of his
guardian, John Withrow, and by these presents doth voluntarily
put himself an apprentice to George Wintermute, of the township
of Redstone, county and state aforesaid, blacksmith, to learn
his art, trade or mystery he now occupieth or followeth, and
after the manner of an apprentice to serve from the day of the
date hereof, for and during the full end and term of five years,
next ensuing, during all of which time he, the said apprentice,
his said master shall faithfully serve, his secrets keep, his
lawful commands everywhere gladly obey; he shall do no damage to
his said master, nor suffer it to be done without giving notice
to his said master; he shall not waste his master's goods, nor
lend them unlawfully to others; he shall not absent himself day
or night from his master's service without his leave; he shall
not commit any unlawful deed whereby his said master shall
sustain damage, nor contract matrimony within the said term; he
shall not buy nor sell nor make any contract whatsoever, whereby
his master receive damage, but in all things behave himself as a
faithful apprentice ought to do during said term. And the said
George Wintermute shall use the utmost of his endeavors to
teach, or cause to be taught and instructed, the said apprentice
the trade or mystery he now occupieth or followeth, and procure
and provide for him, the said apprentice, sufficient meat,
drink, common wearing apparel, washing, lodging, fitting for an
apprentice during the said term; and further he, the said
master, doth agree to give unto the said apprentice, ten months'
schooling within the said term, and also the master doth agree
to give unto the said apprentice two weeks in harvest in each
and every year that he, the said apprentice, shall stay with his
said master; also the said George Wintermute, doth agree to give
unto the said apprentice one good freedom suit of clothes. And
for the true performance of all and every the said covenants and
agreements, either of the said parties binds themselves to each
other by these presents.
In witness whereof, they have interchangably put their hands and
seals, the first day of April, one thousand, eight hundred and
sixteen.
GEORGE WINTERMUTE, (Seal)
WILLIAM HATFIELD, (Seal)
JOHN WITHROW, (Seal)
Witness present:
BENJAMIN ROBERTS.