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NALE Jane K. Leary, 32 Acorn St. WO
INFORLATION John Healey, wife and son:1,
SUBJECT THE SHOE WORKER OF LMN.
‘17-g
Section 0- Page 1
Q,
One typical mistake in the Irish community of Lynn is the
use of "kis" in place of "Ure: Aunt Lary uses this in all her
conversation.
Ryan comes ta my place a lot and is always brin6inl
me a bit ta eat a somethinl she's fixed. I always give her some-
thing to take home with her toe.
"She's got a hard life, list Ryan. Her husband drinks and
aint he the devil when he's full. And seems ta me her boy won't
be a whole lot better. He's the freshest piece I've seen in a long
time. douldn't I like ta give him a crack or two when I hear him
talk ta his mother the way he does. She ain't got no control over
him atall. Thinks because his father treats her mean that he kin
too. If he wuz my son, Itu show him.
"Mist Ryan's man's good ta provide though, for he's got-a-k6Od
Giob at the G. E. 114Xlg*takt). I guess that's why she stays
with him for what would she do? She don't know how ta earn her
livin'. But poor thing, I pity her.
"Every time I see her runnint across the stree‘..,I know that
somethin's wrong? --4he alwitys—triollo inc and that helps sugue, I guess.
"This boy a hers don't do so well in school either. Wun't
mind the Sisters so what did they do but take him out and put him
in the Public School? Now I woulaa made that boy know he bad ta
mind. lark my words. He'll have trouble in the public schools
too. A boy's gotta mind in school, if he's goinl ta amount ta
somethinl.
And what's mare, if he dut learn-when-hert-s-youngT that he
hele-geoma get in- treuble- we
2.
held growed up. I can't bear a young one that sasses its mother
and thinks he kin do everything he wants.
"An' I don't believe in too much movies for young ones.
Lovies are made for grown up folks, that is most a them are, and
young ones gets the wrong ideas of the things they see. All them
gangsters and shootin' and stuff. People ought ta know what kinda
show a young one's goint ta see, 'for they give 'em the money ta go.Ni
INNI.1..N.
Aunt Lary was greatly incensed the other evening when she
dropped in to see a neighbor. An old friend of her's was sick and
without sufficient funds.
"No need of her oein' poor. Not sa long ago her husband died
and left her enough ta live on. Now what did she go ana do but
give one of her daughters a big showy wedaint. I never could see
the use a that. She coula a used that money better now.
"Now she's got to depend on her son, ana he with a wife dead
and two children ta bring up. But hets a good son ta her. Said
when his wife died that he would not put them two children on her
ta bring up. he put them in a sister's home up ta they're
gettin' a good Uringint up there, taught, ua sew an' everything. he
pays for 'em and says he'll leave 'em there long as ha in. He's
got a good job and that's a good thing fur he supports his mother,
well as take care of the money for them two little girls."
The conversation switched to a new baby that arrived last week
on Aunt -,,ary's street.
"'ell sir, Adrit4).14z761 that woman up the street with
3.
the six children hada another baby last week, an' her husband only
workin' part time. I thought I better ao somethin' for her, so I
went up ta the attic room where I stored the stuff we don't use
any more. What do you think I found. Two a them wide flannel
petticoats with the embroidered edge on 'em that we used ta think
ctvtA 4-t\bric5
so fine. 34-4j4 I just took the gathers out a them) wil•pa..._they.
A
,fa.%t.eued--te--tkre--wt*i-s-the -ttmice 'crat a-the---Erititatir-arrt ta uughta
cutcl
I hemmed
em) and they made the best 4M4=;QAMMUMit little blankets for that new
baby. And wuzn't that mother glad to get 'am?
I remember when mine wuz small and it sure Imam good ta get
a present like that when you're so busy and worried trying ta make
what money ya have reach both ends. Ana them petticoats wan't no
use atall ta me. ives ya a sorta satisfaction to find a place for
some thin' that's layin' idle and got no use.
"I'm makin' a quilt this Christmas. Tlaint such a fancy one
but it sure is good f:an' warm. I sewed it up on the machine.
It ain't for Jimmie kurray or me 'cause we got more In enough quilts
ta keep us wariq till we die. I got some my mother made out in
.6Tew York 'fore she died. This one AP4444e is for some children I
know. They'll get enough toys and this'll help them have happy
dreams at night 'cause it'll help ta keep 'em warm. I often think
there's too much durn fol de rol give away at Christmas, when folks
ouAlta give people the stuff they need and kin use. I don't give
pr esents atall, 'less I kin give 'em somethinl they kin make good
use of. I don't believe in show.
4.
The typical Irish mother has a very strong hold on her son's
affections and frequently is very reluctant to allow him to be un-
tied from her apron strings. Although very broad on this subject,
Aunt Lary reveals evidence of it now ana then.
"ky one son's married and he's got one of the sweetest litae
wives. And I'm ,lao he's so happy. Those two never say a mean
word to each other.
"Jim, my son tLat's married, likes ta read and that's what he
does most every night but Sunday. Then he and his wife go to a
show. Bair enough I say, for his wife gets tired settinl in the
hous e
L)on't hurt him ta give up his books once in a while.
"Sunday mornings they always take me and Jimmie kurray ta
Lass ana after that we most always go for a ride. Sometimes they
buy us a dinner somewheres. They're good ta us, but then I never
interfere none in their buiness. Got no right ta interfere after
a child is married.
"4 other son/aint married but he does a lotta gaddinl down
town evenings. Gets it natural for I do too, what with my beano
and card pirties and all the friends I visit.
"But every night when Joe, that's my son that ain't married,
comes home, he canes in an sits on the siue a my bad and tells me
what's goinl on. Seems like neither us sleep just right 'less
he does that.
"Oft' time I get up too, ant we make ourselves a lunch. Some-
times it's 2 o'clock. No matter. I kin always sleep in the morn-
ing.