Off To See The Wild West Show Part 1, Chapter 2 (4/4) By Frank Beill 1886: Hull, Yorkshire

(1/4), (2/4), (3/4), (4/4). Part 1 Chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. Part 2 Prologue, Chapter 1, 2, 3.

'Cor, who's that hiding in there?' George was taken aback by my appearance but after a brief pause a twinkle came into his eyes and he laughed. He always found it easy to break down in giggles. 'It's me ... Sammy!' My protests came from inside the smallest blue jacket available in the Sewing Room but it still hung down to the knees of trousers in need of rolling up several inches at the bottom. 'Don't you be laughing, our George!' Sal shook a fist at her brother. 'You'll be having the poor mite in tears again.'

'Are you old enough to be here?' George said looking at me closely. 'I'm ten! Soon be eleven.' I tried to stand tall but my efforts felt dwarfed by my temporary suit. 'When'll you be eleven?' My ginger haired inquisitor remained unconvinced. 'Don't know, but it's soon ... Grandma said so.' It was to be some time later when I discovered my birth date from Mr Mason. 'Well, I'm eleven!' George took a deep breath and held himself upright. 'But you're big for your age!' Sal angrily thrust her hands on her hips and glared at her twin. 'All us Smiths are! What's left of us.' There was a sudden sadness in her voice. 'S'pose so.' George gave way to his sister. 'Let's go an' get some tea.' Sal demonstrated her seniority over her brother, which I discovered later, was the whole of thirty minutes.

She grabbed my hand and led me out of the yard into another enormous room. It was even bigger than the Sewing Room. There were tables stretching its full length with equally long bench seats. Uniformed children were sitting on these while others queued at a long table by the side of the room where Mrs G and two of the older girls were dispensing bread and hot milk. All heads turned towards us. Was it because I was new? Was it because of my clown like appearance in my outsize suit? I wanted to believe it was so but I knew this wasn't the half of it.

Some of the girls - they were sitting separately from the boys - giggled while some boys glared in my direction. 'Don't let them be bothering' you!' Sal said loudly in order that more than just myself could hear. 'Some of them here ain't got a brain between 'em!' 'Here he is!' Mrs G noticed our arrival and she distracted my attention. She smiled and turned to her assistants. 'An extra thick slice for Samuel. We need to build him up a bit.'

Copyright © Frank Beill 2005

Continued Part 1, Chapter 3

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