Tuesday, May 18, 2010



January 1905

Pauline

Dear diary,

My foot was very swollen this morning.It throbbed through the night and this morning I could not fit my foot in my own shoe. Arlene just said to use one of Josh’s. Now I will walk like her until my foot heals. People had mistaken me for Arlene a lot today. Snow covers the ground and hides the treacherous ice below. Mama got made at me, as she thinks I am mocking Arlene since I did not tell anyone of my foot last night. “You don’t see Arlene complaining because it’s cold and there’s snow on the ground….” (pg.116) That is what she told me. Arlene is not the only one with a lame foot to walk on anymore, and hers probably does not hurt like mine does.

Walking was not that much fun either. I fell down into the freezing snow, and Arlene came back for me. This surprised me. I expected that she would just keep walking on towards the mill, laughing as she went. She continued to surprise me thought the day by giving me half of her biscuit when Margret and Katie did not let me join there game of Jacks. What is with her? She just gave me half of her lunch as I foolishly gave my own away. I feel that I would not do the same for her if she where in my position.

I had to take over the job of a sweeper, and Mr. Godbold took over my job. I laugh quietly as I see him attempt to fix the broken threads with his clumsy hands. I do not like the job I have been assigned. It is for new boys who don’t know a thing about how to fix the thread on the loud machines. Hopefully my foot will get better soon, for then I can resume my job and get the higher pay that my family so desperately needs.


Arlene

Dear diary,

I was so exited last night that I could barely close my eyes and fall asleep. Today I arose with my family to join them to go work and to get pay. Guilt washes through me as I will leave the house unattended for. The lint will sweep throughout the three rooms and the stove room. The wash will stay dirty, and Pauline and I will have to share a dinner pale today. Cold seizes the warmth of the house as we walk out into the cold, crisp morning for the mill.

I was almost positive that Pauline was trying to mock me this morning, as she wore one of Josh’s old shoes, the same as I where, and came hobbling into the stove room for breakfast. But I was proven wrong when we were walking to the mill and she fell into the fluffy snow. I decided to turn back. Not sure exactly why I did turn back to help her, but if there was a reason, I guess I would want her to do the same for me.

Working at the mill was a nice change from just sitting at home all day when the chores are done. I was constantly busy with sweeping up the lint that collected on the floor. You better not come home with me, you darn lint! When the whistle rang again for the signal of dinner, I followed Mama and sat with her, Miss Ethel and Margret’s mom while Pauline looked like she longed to play jacks with Katie and Margret, but they turned their back on her as soon as she gave them her dinner biscuit. How can they be so clueless? The least they can do is let her play! Because I felt sorry for Pauline, I gave her half my biscuit. Sometimes you cant understand why people do what they do.

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