bruises. Sometimes a prisoner would be taken, and then we would play
Indian with him, and do everything with him except burn him. We were all
boys born in America, but if we lived in Dutch Row, why, we had to be
Dutch; but if, on the other hand, we happened to live in Irish Row, we
had to be Irish. I remember moving one time to Irish Row, and I wondered
what would happen when I went to play with the old crowd. They said, "Go
and stay with the Irish." I did not know what to do. I would not fight
my old comrades, so I was neutral and fought with neither.

We had a good many ring battles in those days, and many's the fight we
had without gloves, and many's the black eye I got, and also gave a
few. I believe nothing does a boy or girl so much good as lots of play
in the open air. I never had a serious sickness in my life except the
measles, and that was easy, for I was up before the doctor said I ought
to get out of bed. Those were happy days, and little did I think then
that I would become the hard man I turned out to be.

I had a good Christian mother, one who loved her boy and thought there
was nothing too good for him, and I could always jolly her into getting
me anything I wanted. God bless the mothers! How true the saying is, "A
boy's best friend is his mother." My father I won't say so much about.
He was a rough man who loved his cups, and died, as you might say, a
young man through his own waywardness. I did love my mother, and would
give anything now to have her here with me as I am writing this story.
She has gone to heaven, and I was the means of sending her to an early
grave through my wrong-doings. She did not live to see her boy saved.
Many's the time I would promise her to lead a different life, and I
meant it too, but after all I could not give up my evil ways.