Henry R. Plomer - "A Short History of English Printing, 1476 to 1898"

Elliott O'Donnell - "Scottish Ghost Stories"

Henry Van Dyke - "Golden Stars"

E. Cohen Brewer - "Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama"

Annual Bibliography of Commonwealth Literature 2007
This paper argues that discourses of love in Ghanaian market literature for youth offer a view into complex negotiations of agency and empowerment. Drawing on Deborah Durham's notion of youth as "social `shifters'" and Francis Nyamnjoh's conception of the "interconnectedness" of agency, I take Ghanaian market literature as one specific case of how African literature for youth foregrounds questions of continuity and change as African societies enter into increasingly complex global relations. In this literature for youth, received notions of love, often constructed out of impressions from American pop and hip hop music, carry new notions of agency that compete with existing "domesticated" forms. Authors like Ike Tandoh and Evelyn Tay employ discourses of love to offer youth alternative avenues for empowerment in a context of socio-economic disenfranchizement. In a creative process of "straddling", this writing both reveals and reproduces the contradictions that obtain in youth configurations of agency.

Watch Yourself Go By

A >> Al. G. Field >> Watch Yourself Go By




After the night show Alfred called at the stable. The mare seemed very
sick. He offered her water which she refused; he felt of her ears, they
were cold; he stroked her satin-like coat; she opened her eyes and
appeared almost human to Alfred as he petted her.

Arriving at home he went to his mother's room and gave her a detailed
account of the day's doings, not forgetting the sick horse or the
arrangements made by Mr. Vance for him to deliver the mare to the show
folk in Uniontown.

Alfred had been careful not to reveal any of that part of the
conversation touching on the offer of the big showman to employ him
providing he could obtain the father's written consent. Somehow the
mother's fears were aroused, she felt that there was more behind the
delivery of the mare than was revealed and she strongly objected to the
arrangement.

The mother communicated her fears to Lin and that worthy was quite
ingenious in quizzing the boy. She questioned Alfred as to his
intentions. "I tole yer mother ye wouldn't run off with thet ole show
while yer pap wus away from hum. Mary sed 'They mout coax ye off.' Did
they coax ye? Did they offer to gin ye a job?" And she looked at Alfred
very hard and earnestly.

Alfred had been revolving in his mind a plan that included having Daniel
Livingstone forge a letter signing Alfred's father's name to it,
granting the boy permission to join the show. Alfred felt very guilty
and hung his head when Lin's questions grew pointed.

Alfred was giving the sick show horse all the attention promised and
even more. The second day following the mare died. Notwithstanding, all
seemed to sympathize with Alfred, who had become greatly attached to the
beautiful horse, it was apparent that all were greatly relieved that
Alfred had been released from the agreement to deliver the mare to the
circus folk.

Alfred wrote Mrs. Thayer a long letter, giving the particulars
concerning the death of her pet, to which he received a prompt reply,
ending with a standing invitation to visit them at any time, either
while they were traveling or at their home.

The boy was very proud of this letter and read it to all his friends.
Lin, in commenting on the death of the mare quoted Scripture, after her
own interpretation: "The Lord gins us an' the Lord takes hosses es well
es peepul. Uv cos ye kin buy hosses ef ye got money but ye can't buy
peepul. Ef ye'd run off with a show an' dide, w--, ye--"

Here Lin stuck. She could not find words to complete the sentence; but
after a moment's pause, she continued: "The'd not miss ye es much es
the' will thet hoss. Bet we'd miss ye every--time--we sot--up
to--a--meal."

In the vernacular of the show profession of today, Rosston, Springer &
Henderson took up the stand and did not appear in Brownsville. They were
advertised to play in Pittsburg.

Mr. Hurd sent Alfred to Pittsburg to collect the newspaper advertising
bill. Harrison was having his troubles with those to whom he had sold
tickets. The holders of tickets held Harrison personally responsible for
the non-appearance of the circus. Since the day Frank McKernan had
pummelled Harrison, various and divers persons had been threatening him
with similar treatment. Harrison staved off hostilities by promising to
have the tickets redeemed when Alfred collected the paper's indebtedness
from the circus.

The circus had no band wagon. The musicians were mounted on horses. This
was all there was of the parade. Alfred has since learned that this
feature was introduced into the circus as an expediency. G. G. Grady, an
impecunious circus proprietor, found his colossal aggregation without a
band wagon and no funds to purchase one. He hit upon the idea of
mounting his band on horses. The innovation was heralded as a feature
and to this day circuses advertise the mounted band as a novelty of the
"highway, holiday parade."

John Robinson's circus boasted a steam calliope, which dispensed "biled
music." Grady, not strong enough financially to annex a calliope,
altered an old animal cage that resembled the exterior of a calliope. He
installed a very large and loud hand organ inside the imitation calliope
wagon, with a stovepipe poking out of the top, plenty of damp straw
inside, a man to feed and burn it. In a stove inside, the volumes of
smoke issuing from the stovepipe, a strong man turning the hand organ,
the greatly improved steam calliope was calculated to astonish the
public. If the music were not so vociferous as that his rival's
instrument sent forth, it must be admitted that Grady's was more tuneful
and therefore less objectionable.

Grady's steam piano came to an untimely end almost before its career
began. The man inside the calliope, the fireman, was too industrious. He
filled the stove with damp straw, poured kerosene oil over it and
applied a match. The parade was in the midst of the public square, in
Canton, Ohio. Thousands had congregated to witness it. The whole
interior of the calliope was ablaze, smoke issuing from every crack and
crevice. The show people grasping the situation, broke open the back
door. The damp straw, the old stove, the two men and the hand organ were
dragged from the smoking wagon. Grady's attempt to rival John Robinson
was the joke of the circus world.

Alfred had quite a little difficulty in collecting the printing bill,
which was grudgingly paid him.

The circus people tore up Harrison's order for payment for the tickets
given. The treasurer said something about the paper being a "wolf."

When Alfred returned Harrison endeavored to spread the impression by
insinuations that he had collected for the tickets and not made returns
to him as yet. He was cornered, it was his only way to square himself
with those who were pressing him for a settlement. Although Alfred knew
full well that Harrison did not intend to injure him, the reports became
so annoying and the insinuations so galling that Alfred took Harrison to
account.

Harrison flew into a rage and threw a small shovel at Alfred. Things got
lively for Harrison in a moment. No telling where it would have ended
had not the entire Hurd family rushed into the room and separated the
combatants. Harrison was much the worse for the encounter. To drown his
grief he started the rounds but Jim Bench, the town watchman, locked him
up. When he sobered up he shook the dust of Brownsville from his feet
forever more.

Years afterward Alfred met Harrison in a far western city, leading the
same life.

The mother entreated Alfred to forever give up the idea of becoming a
newspaper man. She had cherished the hope that the boy would yet turn to
the study of medicine. Old Doctor Playford, Bob's father, informed
Alfred's uncle that if the boy were so inclined he would take him into
his office and see what there was _in him_.

The Doctor had three good horses, his son Bob had a large pack of
hounds. Alfred's duties did not keep him in the office very steadily. He
was on horseback a greater part of the time, by day delivering medicine,
by night fox or coon hunting.

It was a part of Alfred's work to compound medicines in the small
laboratory in the doctor's residence. A copy of materia-medica and a
Latin dictionary were the only guides to the beginner of a medical
career in those days. There were no prescriptions sent to the drug
store, every doctor filled his own prescriptions. Alfred became very
quick at compounding prescriptions.

A dose of medicine was prepared for Mr. Hare. This particular dose of
medicine did not have the effect the doctor desired, or rather, it had
more effect than the doctor or Hare desired.

The old doctor was a very resolute man, fiery and game, nearly everyone
feared him. Bob, his son, was one of the few who dared brave the old
doctor's wrath. The young doctor espoused Alfred's cause when his father
charged Alfred with carelessness. Bob swore that old Hare was a
notorious liar and that it was not the medicine that made him so sick.

The old doctor was very practical, therefore a successful practitioner.
Alfred protested that he had prepared the medicine for Hare as per the
formula furnished him. Some time after the above argument Alfred was
summoned to the doctor's room. Holding in one hand a glass of water, the
doctor handed Alfred a lump of darkish color, ordering the boy to
swallow it. Alfred mechanically swallowed the lump, the doctor handing
him the water to take the taste out of his mouth.

As Alfred drank, the doctor, with a humorous glance, ordered him to hang
around until he could determine the effects of the medicine. "It's the
same dose you fixed for Hare. I'll see whether Hare lied or not."

Alfred had a keen sense of the ridiculous. He had swallowed the pill ere
he realized what he was doing and knew full well he would be dreadfully
ill, yet he laughed immoderately.

"Ef Hare suffered more than Alfurd, he sure wus sick," was Lin's
comment. "No, Alfurd wus not sacked by the ole doctur, he jus naturally
did not like doctorin'."

Mr. Todd replied: "I dunno nuthin' 'bout it, only what I've heard. They
do say thet since Alfred nearly pizened Mr. Hare, most of Doctor
Playford's patients has gone to Doctor Jackson. Folks is jus naturally
afeared to doctor with Playford since they found out Alfred mixes the
medicine. John McCune's two children, ole Lige Custer an' Dave Phillips
wus all took sick jus like ole Hare an' nobody but Alfred ever mixed the
medicine they took. You know it takes a man thet's hed practus to mix
medicines an' Alfred ain't hed no chance to learn."

Lin contended that Alfred hed plenty of practice. "He mixed paint in his
Pap's shop an' he mixed ink in the printin' offis an' Lord, he could
certinly mix a few squills an' a little castor ile an' sich, that's all
Playford ever gives. Alfurd cud a kep on doctorin' ef he'd wanted to,
but the ole doctor sed when he took him thet he would see what wus _in
him_, an' I s'pose he did."




CHAPTER TWELVE

A man may be defeated
Half a score of times or more,
His prospects may be darkened
And his heart be bruised and sore;
But let him smile triumphantly--
And call Misfortune's bluff.
For no man's ever conquered
Till he says: "I've got enough?"


Hans Christian Andersen, the famous Danish poet, says: "The life of
every man is a fairy tale written by God's finger." Carlyle says: "No
life of a man faithfully recorded but is a heroic poem."

With all the advice and experience one can acquire or have thrust upon
him it is passing strange how easy it is to go wrong in this world. It
forces one almost to the belief of him who wrote: "The aim is the man's,
the end is none of his own." Someone has said that the only guide a man
requires in this world is to side-step wrong doing. But like many prize
fighters, some of us are deficient in foot work.

If life is a mission and any other definition of it is false and
misleading, fate has certainly picked out some men as the hammer and
others as the anvil, some men for door-mats and others for those who
walk thereon.

Alfred claimed to have an aim in life but his entire family and a
township of relatives differed with him. Alfred's most ardent apologist
was compelled to admit that even though he was exerting himself greatly
to hold his course he was drifting.

The minstrels were back in the old quarters, Frank McKernan's shoe-shop,
rehearsing nightly.

At this time there came a proposition from a man of the town who had
recently failed in business. It is a peculiarity of human nature or the
fore ordination of fate that when a man fails in a commercial business
he engages in show business or life insurance. If he be not mentally
equipped to carry to success the business in which he failed, he
generally engages in a business that requires ability of a higher order
than that in which he was unsuccessful.

And so it was of the man who entered into an agreement to finance the
minstrels. He possessed a little money and a mother who was well
supplied with it. He spent money liberally in equipping the minstrels
for their first road venture. All preparations were quietly consummated
by order of Mr. Eli, as that gentleman had numerous creditors whose
feelings would have been terribly lacerated had they known that he was
soon to take himself away from them. Alfred soon had every arrangement
completed. He was very happy he was to realize the ambitions of his
life's dream. He had been relieved of all financial responsibility.
There would be wood cuts, printed bills, an agent and all that goes to
make for a real show.

The three-sheet bill depicting Alfred as a plantation negro dancing "The
Essence of Ole Virginia," was his especial pride. Many times daily he
unrolled this bill and secretly admired it. Alfred learned to dance "The
Essence of Ole Virginia." Although Billy Hyatt or Tom White danced "The
Essence" much more cleverly, Alfred argued that, owing to the bill
bearing his name, consistency demanded he execute the dance.

The stock bill was from the Jordan Printing Company of Boston, wood cuts
in two colors, red and yellow. The imprint "Boston" on the bills, it was
argued, would give the company prestige, that is, after they reached
Greene County and other far away points on their proposed itinerary. All
were instructed to spread the impression that the troupe was from
Boston.

It was rumored that the minstrels were to travel afar, visiting
Baltimore, Washington and other cities. The mother was very greatly
disturbed, she questioned Alfred frequently as to the rumors.

Lin, in some way known only to herself, had fathomed Alfred's plans; she
even knew the backer's name. Alfred begged her to keep it secret, that
it would ruin everything to have it known. To Alfred's surprise she
advised that he leave home surreptitiously if he must, with the consent
of the mother if he could obtain it. Lin argued that he would never do
any good at home with "them yar show notions flyin' through yer head.
Durned ef I wouldn't go an' show 'em I cud be sumthin'."

This was the first time Lin had ever advised Alfred to disobey his
mother and, while her advice was pleasing to him insofar as furthering
his ambitions was concerned, it was displeasing in other ways, and
lowered Lin in his estimation.

The mother objected strongly to the boy's connection with the minstrels,
arguing that the father was absent; that Alfred should not leave home
until the return of the father.

Alfred argued with the mother that he had accepted money from Eli and
was in honor bound to work it out.

Uncle Thomas was called into conference. Uncle Ned came in without being
called. Grandpap threatened legal proceedings to restrain the boy if he
attempted to leave the town.

Consternation reigned in the minstrel camp. Eli was frantic. Without
Alfred the show could not hope to succeed; so declared all. Alfred grew
desperate, declaring, since his mother so strongly opposed his going,
that he would remain until his father arrived, explain the matter; then,
come weal or woe, he would join the show.

Thus matters stood. Eli endeavored to drown his disappointment; he was
not visible for a day or two. Meanwhile Uncle Ned was a frequent visitor
"to keep an eye on Mr. Alfred that he did not run away," as he expressed
it. Alfred boldly declared that Uncle Ned was interfering and further
that they could not hold him; even if they did estop him from going with
the minstrels, he would run off to the oil regions.

Another visit from Uncle Ned precipitated a war of words. As the
meetings between Alfred and the uncle became more frequent Alfred "grew
more tantalizing and impudent," so the uncle asserted. Finally, Alfred
informed the uncle that he was meddling and that his meddling was not
appreciated. A quarrel followed. Alfred's powers of vituperation were a
surprise to the mother and uncle and a delight to Lin, who informed Mrs.
Todd: "Lor! I expektid tu see Alfurd mount him enny minnit; he shook his
fingur under Ned's nose an' mos' spit in his face. I hed the rollin' pin
redy, I'd bin in h'it ef h'tit hed kum to a klinch. I tell ye Alfurd's
lurned somethin' since they shaved his kurls off. He combed Ned es he'd
nevur been combed afore, an' Mary jes stood an' luked 'til Ned got her
riled up then twixt her an' Alfurd's bumburdment, he mighty nur forgot
his religion an' his hat."

The uncle in reply to one of Alfred's keenest thrusts permitted his
anger to get the better of his judgment. He reflected strongly upon
Alfred's father and the manner in which he had reared Alfred and
concluded by declaring that he, Alfred, had been a disgrace to the
entire family and that if his parents were powerless to control him
"we'll take a hand in it."

The entrance of the mother into the verbal battle at this juncture was
so sudden, so earnest, so swift, that Uncle Ned left the house, almost
forgetting his hat. The mother ended the scene by turning on Alfred:
"You have almost broken my heart, you are a constant source of trouble
and worry to me and as if that were not sufficient, your father's people
must force themselves into our affairs as they always have done since I
married into the family. Now if you have promised this man to go with
him, if you have accepted money from him, you keep your word, you go and
I will stand between your father and you insofar as any of his family
are concerned. You go with this man until the money you owe him is paid;
then you come straight home. If you do not it will only be the worse for
you, I will send Rease Lynch, the Constable, and have him bring you
home."

Alfred's elation by the victory over the uncle was not lowered in the
least by the fact that the mother's consent was given only to emphasize
her displeasure at the interference of the father's folks.

Eli was positively informed that Alfred would be compelled to return
home if the mother sent for him; that he was only permitted to leave
home that he might discharge the debt.

Eli suddenly recalled the fact that he had advanced Alfred one dollar
and seventy-five cents. He realized that it would not require many days
of labor ere the debt would be cancelled. He therefore suddenly decided
to make a further advance of money on behalf of Alfred's services and,
to make it more binding, pay the money to the mother.

Cousin Charley interfered with this plan by calling Alfred aside and
whispering: "If Eli goes over to your house and gives Aunt Mary any
money, and she sees he's been drunk, she'll hist him higher then
Gilroy's kite. You better let him gin it tu Lin." And so it was
arranged.

Eli went to Lin, saying: "Mrs. Linn, I owe Alfred thirty dollars. He's a
minor. I do not want to pay him the money as I know it is not legal, so
I told him I'd give it to his mother, she can do as she likes about it.
But if I wus her, I'd keep it; he will git enough to do him, he's a good
boy, he don't drink, smoke or chew. I wouldn't have a drinkin' man in my
troupe. I didn't know his mother was out. When will she be back? Well,
Mrs. Linn, you jus sign this receipt, it will be all the same. Now
there's thirty dollars and here's a dollar for you to buy yourself some
sugar kisses. No, no, sign his mother's name, not yours. Now, good-bye,
Mrs. Linn. I forgot to ask, are you any relation to the Linns out on
Redstone. Well, I thought not, you're too good lookin'. If I wern't
married I'd be after you."

Lin opened the door, she jerked her head toward the opening, as she
said: "Now, say, does yer muther know yere' out? Run along sonny. Don't
git mushy."

Lin reckoned: "The reason Eli wouldn't tulerate drinkin' peepul in his
trupe is bekus he is afeared the supply will run out."

Alfred calling on Mr. Steele to pay the note, produced a roll of bills.
Mr. Steele smiled approvingly. Counting out three ten dollar greenbacks,
the boy requested the tanner to figure up the interest on the note.

"There's no interest to pay and there's no note to pay; here is the
cancelled note paid in full." As the man pushed the note toward the boy
he was written in red ink across the face, "Paid", and also the date.

Alfred demurred. "No, Mr. Steele, I never paid the note, I won't have it
that way."

"Well," replied the tanner, "I am not in the habit of taking that which
is not coming to me. A friend of yours called sometime ago and informed
me that he owed you money and that you was desirous of paying off the
note."

"Joe Thornton!" guessed Alfred, without a moment's hesitation.

"Yes, he was the man. How did Mr. Thornton know that I held your note?"

"Well, that's where I broke my word with you, but I couldn't very well
get around it. I did Mr. Thornton a favor, he told me he wanted to
reward me. I told him I was in trouble, I owed money and I had no way to
pay it and I would apply whatever he gave me on the note. He gave me an
order for a suit of clothes but he never mentioned the note. I am as
much surprised as you; I never dreamed he would pay the note for me."

"Then you did not borrow the money from Thornton?"

"No sir, I did not."

"Well, I would not contract the borrowing habit. The borrower is always
a servant to the lender."

The mother was troubled. "How did it come that Eli paid for services in
advance? Others never paid their employes until they performed their
labor."

Alfred airily informed her that it was the custom in the show business
to pay in advance, that is, the good actors always drew their pay in
advance. In fact, he assured the mother that it was the only way to keep
good actors, keep them in debt to you; even then, sometimes, they'll run
off with another troupe.

"Well, what do you purpose doing with this money Mr. Eli left here for
you?" enquired the mother.

"Oh, I want you to keep it for me. I'm going to send you all my money;
you use whatever you please, use it all if you want to."

"I will keep this money for you," she said, "something seems to tell me
you will need it later on."

Lin allowed that Alfred would never need money thereafter. "Ef ye git a
good start ye'll jes hev cords of greenbacks, an' I believe yere on the
right road. I jes tol' yer muther, I ses, 'Mary,' ses I, 'Alfurd ain't
fit fer nuthin' only minstrel showin', he's gittin' more un more like a
nigger every day.'"

The mother did not relish the compliment. Lin advised that Alfred keep
up his clownish pranks, "then ye kin nigger hit in winter an' clown hit
in summer."

Alfred declared that if he attained his hopes and ambitions, inside of
ten years he would be the possessor of a farm and live on it the
remainder of his days. In his boyish buoyancy he grew enthusiastic; he
pictured how Mother and Pap would enjoy country life.

Alfred knew the mother had confidence in him, no matter how strongly she
opposed his ways. He knew she had faith in him and it has been the
saddest regret of his life that she was not permitted to remain on earth
until his boyish dreams were fully realized.

A few days later Alfred was seated on all his earthly possessions, a
hair trunk with big brass tack heads as ornaments, in a big heavy wagon,
waving a last good-bye to mother, Lizzie, Joe, the baby and Lin.

Lin shouted as the wagon moved off: "Good luck! Good-bye! I know ye'll
bring the koon skin hum."

It was twelve miles to Bealsville on the pike. The big wagon, the small
trunks and big boys were too much of a load for the two ordinary horses.
The minstrels walked up the hills to lighten the load.

"Handy Andy," Alfred's favorite farce, in which he impersonated the
character of the awkward negro who breaks the dishes, was the closing
number on the program. Alfred, always a stickler for natural effects,
prevailed upon one of the boys to borrow his mother's china tea set. For
safety these dishes were carried in a large carpet-sack.

[Illustration: "And Ask Fer Licker," Added the Old Stage Driver]

When the edge of town was reached the team was urged into a smart trot
that the advent of the troupe might appear business-like. The minstrels
were instructed as to the proper manner in which to conduct themselves
that they might appear experienced in traveling--jump out of the wagon,
carry their belongings, entering the tavern briskly, "and ask fer
licker," added the old stage driver who had been an attentive listener
to the instructions.

At the edge of town the team was halted to freshen them up for the
finish. The minstrels perched themselves picturesquely on the trunks,
posing as if for a photograph. The old horses were urged into a trot by
jerking and slapping the lines and wielding the whip. The pace was kept
up until the tavern was reached.

Charley Guttery, the landlord, was there to greet the minstrels. Mrs.
Guttery was a Davis before marriage, the sister of Uncle Bill's wife.
Therefore, Alfred was welcomed by the entire family.

All jumped out of the wagon except Tom White; he began unloading the
parcels, tossing them on the sidewalk. Out came the carpet-sack loaded
with chinaware. It struck the ground with a crash.

"There goes mother's china teapot smashed all to h--ll," piteously
whimpered the boy who furnished the dishes. He began to climb into the
wagon, vowing he would throw Tom White out quicker than he threw his
mother's teapot out. Tom was ready for fight and Eli had all he could do
to keep the boys apart.

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