Document text
Week ending uctober 7, 1938
SOCIOLOGICAL SERIES.
Helen S. Hartley
Identification No. 0149-5147
Federal Writers' Project Dist2
WA Project 4454, Mobile, Ala.
"PETER MC DONALD",
A TRUE STORY OF TO -DAY.
Written by Helen S. Hartley.
Up to the eurh a large black bread truck was driven and from
it jumped a tall handsome young man of twenty-four years, a bright,
smiling boy, who seemed to be with no cares in the world, whose
name was Peter Mc Donald.
lie had a very fine education, having finished Spring Hill
College. al,e afterwards went to another college in Louisiana, when
he had to leave about five years ago. Peter had been motherless
since he was a very small child, and during his last college year
his father died, and so he returned to Mobile, equipped for a
good position with one of the large firms of the Uity or elsewhere.
Three long and bitter years of job hunting, hoping that luck was
somewhere around the corner, he found that jobs were scarce, wages
small and competition appalling. Weary of the incessant round of re-
fusals, he finally accepted the job of selling and delivering bread
from house to house, with no wages, and only a commission, which
usually amounted to twelve dollars a week.
ne was engaged to a lovely sweet girl, who had waited these
many years for hilh and his hopes '11116 that she would continue to do
so, until he was able to marry her.
Together with his aunt, whom he lived with on South Conception
Street, he nes able to get along on his small income, while his
-2
Week ending uctober 7, 1938
SOCIOLOGICAL SERIES.
Helen S. Bartley
Identification No,. 0149-5147
Federal Writers' .eroject
WPA Project 4454, Mobile, Ala.
"PETER MC DONALD",
A TRUE STORY OF TO -DAY.
Written by helen S. hartley.
aunt had a little herself, from some old property, that was hardly
paying for itself, as is the case with all old property today; but
as long as they could meet their obligations "all was well", he said.
When asked how he liked his job, Peter's answer so symbolic of
the person he seemed to be, he countered back: "Why of course, its
fun, what else can I get?"
Each week day morning, he left the house at five A.M. going
quietly so he would not awaken his aunt, whom he loved very much,
for she had cared for him since he was a child and now that his
father WAS dead, the two were alone. They were a very religious family,
Catholics for generations; his forebears having come to Mobile
one hundred and two years ago from Ireland.
Lie was off the wagon at about two or three o'clock in the
after noon. It all depended upon the business he had, and home for a
rest, a bath and off again for the evening's pleasure, which con-
sisted of riding in his girl's car, as he did not have one, and going
to the evening games of base ball and foot ball, as the case may
be, both of which he was fond, having played on the teams during his
school years. It seemed the sports had helped during those ter-
rible years of job hunting, because he picked up small jobs playing
on the small teams, helping at the fields where the games were held.
Week ending October 7, 190
SOCIOLOGICAL SERIES.
-3-
Helen S. Aartley
Identification No. 0149-5147
Federal Writers' Project Dist. 2
WPA, Project 4454, Mobile, Ala.
"PETER MC DONALD",
A TRUE STORY OF TO -DAY.
Written by Helen S. Aartley.
He once held a job as life saver at one of our swimming pools, and
taught the amateur swimmers to swim. his enthusiasm was so pro-
nounced when he was talking of baseball, proved to me that he was
indulging in a secret passion for professional baseball.
Ihe time had come, that he must go, so on his truck he hopped
again, with confidence that youth gives a happy nature.
BIBLIOGRAPEY: TALTRD WITH Mr. Mc Donald in the residential
district, which he was on his bread route.