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Loaldus Richmond
ilssistant Di:rooter
Federal Writers' rrojeot
BILOKCEIT:l (Tool Sharpener)
Ile mem a slender man, but with a ,by nervous strength
and quickness. In the lean face his blue eyes were alert
id e.71rp with a whimsical light that matched the curve of
his -Jouth. Per a man of forty.five be was very young, quite
beyieh t tines. The term blacksmith seemed incongruous
until you noticed the big, strong bands and muscular forearms.
:14cael. laivwelf. he bad married a Swedish woman, sturdy, diver.
Cul and dependable. Tbey bad four childzen, the oldest girl
3t of high achool. x1 they all enjoyed one another's
coLpanl,, thcir own coed tiLuee and life in general.
„10,
didn''.; come in wtth the strike..breakers tram
Canada in 1020 or was it '21, Alphonse said, I was here
1 acre 4 father bad a farm outside Test Barre•
Lcfore that he furiscl near Quebec. I was a kid when we moved
down Acre, but I never liked the farm. I tried a farm of my
own though, after I got married. I've tried just about every.'
thing. lAit I didn't like it muoh farming. .:;(11 my sold out
and moved into town.
I worked in a garage there. I always liked fooling
around machines. Then I had a garage of my own. That went,
too. ,lire had a funny life, 4ilicc and me. She's always
been a good sport about it I'd make money in one thing and
thkn lose it in another.
But wien X was voun I learned blacksmithing and tool.p.
sharpening. n them days the stonecutting tools want to
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regular blacksmith shape. Nov of (mums the sheds have their
own. I used to hang around in this blasksmith shop an the
Hill because all the old *hamsters bong out in there. Real
characters too, by God. And did they put the liquor into
thent I never saw such dri.dring as those old-timers did.
They drank enough to kill anything or anybody. And nmet of
them lived to be old. Their were men in those day's, Tough
old cotehmen and Swedes and Irish. You couldn't bmrt them
with an ax.
hung around listening to then talk, watching tea
drink, and learning about fires, forges, and haring tools.
Steel tools lose tkeir edge fast on granite, you have to
keep sharpening and sharpening them. Granite is bards the
nen that work it have to be bard too.
Too bad I can't remember all the stories the old guye
told and the things they did. The Hill was sone place in
those days, wild and tough, booming wide open. I took my
first drink in that blacksmith shop. Old Jed rygant save
it to ne, it liked to choke me. I couldn't talk for ten
minutes, choking and gasping there with those old devils
laughing at me. Well, I've had my share to drink since
that day, I guess.
Not any more though. my stomach is bad ulcers.
Probably from drinking and the food they gave us over across
in the War, Yes, I was over there. I can't tell you how bad
it was. You wouldn't think men could go through what us men
did, ind now they're trying to start another one over there.
People are euch goddamn I osn't believe in God
einee I saw what I did on the other side Prebably there's
Something but not the God they preach about. And I've
seen things happen in the quarries that God never would let
happen, not a decent God. tly folks were all religious* too...
I went to that new Veterans' Hospital down to Mite
River Junction, but I didn't stay long. They didn't help
no and I'd rather be home. I don't mind not drinking* but
I'd like to eat more once in awhile. Now I'm working again,
feeling better. The worst of being sick for no is to lay
around doing nothing. I like to keep busy and I always
have.
3s ides working in the shed vs got a roller-skating
place we run nights, and we get pretty good business. Alice
helps no out. I come hem from work* take a bath, change,
and eat. On this act of nine it don't take long to eat.
Then we drive down to the rink and were there until midnight.
7ot every night of course, but it makes a long day. Alice
ran it when I was sick. he's always bean a good wife, a
good woman, and tried to help me all she could. eLlummer nights
when there's no roller-skating I work around the house or in
the garden. Thereto always things to be done. On veek-ends
we take trips with the kids sometimes. Dut once a year Aliso
and 1 Po away somewhere by ourselves. We have a good life
together we always did.
'vs worked beside reotehmen, Italians, Spaniards, Sweden*
an got along good with them, most all of them. Of course I
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had my share of fights when I was younger. I know they don't
like the Frenchmen who same in to take their jobs. You Gantt
blame than for that. They still won't have anything to do
with some Frenth families, and most of the French stick too.
mother,. But it's different with us and they all know it,
and we get along fins. tly wife's folks were an old Swedish
family here.
three brother* don't have anything to do with granits•
They're all married now and we get together ones or twice a
year. One's in Bew naven, Connecticut, one's in Portland,-
raine„ and the youngest one who just got married is tim Barre.
They all got pretty good jobs. Outside the family, my wife's
and my people, we don't go out a whole lot. But lots of
people call on us at home we have our best times at home.
I own my house and a good oar, I don't owe money to war
body. rot enough to count anyway. I've always liked to pay
for things when I get them U I possibly can do it, m
father taught re that, bg we a pretty sharp shrewd fellow.
But I couldn't do it if I depended just on working in the
shed. I've always had a lot of other things going, and I've
made investments. I knew I had to if I wanted to bring up 4
family of four kids any kind of way right... I've had my
fun too, spent a lot of money one way or another, masted some...
But I never threw it around the way same of these stonecutters
do. If a single guy gets in the habit of spending his week's
pay like a sailor, be will break out every so often even after
he's married. Th.at is, nine out of tan will.
Yes, Iive seen aeoidents, in the sheds and queried*.
both. Just a year ago a young fellow was killed up on the
Hill. A big strapping young fellow, not mare than twenty
or so. They were blasting in the sPring 4.* too early for
blasting, everything damp and loose. A whole great ledge
fell from the top rim The men beard it owing like thunder
and they ran. It carried almost across the bottom, and this
boy was caught under it. He must have tripped or something.
One end vas on top of him, only its bead, shoulders and arms
were out. For three hours they worked to get him out, and
he was alive and conscious all the time, conscious with his
body crushed under that rock. He spoke to them while they
worked. Gave them directions and everything. Onee be even
helped pass a chain under for them. Three hours he ley
there...
Jesus Christi And be tried to Joke with the blood
coming out his mouth. "I got my atone already," be said.
"A coed big one too." Ar'3 be tried to grin.
Three hours that way, by God. Then after they cot him
out be died.
The next day there were hundreds of cars and people up
there to look at the place. That quarry is 300 feet deep.
They drove up there, whole families, men, women, even little
kids playing around the cars. Some of them took their lunches,
made a regular picnic out of it. There were drunks with bottles
and fellows with their arms around their girls...
tell you it turned my stomach, honest to God, to see
thaw) people. I know that boy and all his family. I thought
Go
how they must feel. All those outsiders pointing and peering
and talking about it. Still* I dontt suppose that really
nattered. And anyway I mess thstts the wer people are and
the way the world Ls.