WCP568

[1]¹

[in ARW’s hand] Ansd

Oxford Cottage,²

Oxford Str.,

Kingsdown,

BRISTOL,

January 8^th 1913

Reference to Daily News Monday 6th³

Dear Dactor Wallace,

I cannot quite express my delight at beholding your face and reading about you in Daily News & Leader.

Forty years ago at that meeting in London I had the pleasure of shaking hands with you and the late Dactor Nichols and others gone below the turf. No one knew who I was that gave my [illeg.] of the vile drinking habits of high Life. and the [illeg.] of Servants wages, fifty years out of a Life of Seventy five was spent in gentleman Service wages never exceeded a pound a week. [2] Yet I brought up a family of Eleven and pine my way on that. Debt to me would be like having an Iron chain round my neck linked to my feet. Now with thanks to our noble Friend the Chancellor of Excheqeur, and not to one Employer. I have 5/- to live on and keep out of debt. Simple feeding keeps me right and of course Luxury are out of my Line. for I am a Life abstain from Strong drinks and Smokes, Dactor and their [illeg.] What is the use of complaining if God wills it for us to live to a harshest year. Luxury wont help us on to that lane on a Single ticket in the railway of Life. Now dear dactor Let me have the Joy and pleasure of coming [3] down to Pool [Poole] to see you.

It will be a charming walk down my feet are good without canes. I have a stout breast and a full strong chest and all my hair on Just the same as I see that you have, I wear no hat nor great coat. My last great walk was from Liverpool to Bristol in that awful winter of 1910.

The one before that was to Wellington Somerset 1909. The one before to London 1908 and in 1906. from London to Edinburgh to Skoles Castle to try to see Mr. Carnegie the Millenor [Millionaire], but did not see him. From there I walked through all the Countys one after 13 weeks walking got to [4] this city. Why I am telling you this is, that I was giving teetoal address all along in the open air and selling my little Booklet, "A voice from the Servants hall" to pay my way. Seven thousand were sold [illeg.] one in one year. Tis now out of print. now. Sir in my walk from London to Edinburgh and back to Bristol I met 417 men tramps, 27 women with 15 Children. spoke to them, I Lodged at 40 common lodging houses, where hundreds of men slept the night. I also Lodged at 9 Casual Works, did breaking of stones. Choped wood made Bundles and packed oakam, pumped water, Leveled floor. Yet among all 600 men. not one of them was a teetotaler.

[5] Not grumbling of poverty. I am not grumbling at my poverty. I rather like it, but would rather much like another 5/- a week, because a man Likes to look descent in his personal appearance. So here I am Writing to you not a begging letter because if I begin to beg - I should feel old [illeg.] a man. I Live by faith and some times a little comes to me Just in the way you will see in the inclosed note. Where I am going to honestly Earn my 1/6 to help pay my 3/- weekly rent so now after reading about your publishing your book to Let the porsons [persons] thinking and the rich also blanking. kindly Let me walk though my native [6] "cauntry Dear old [illeg.]"

Selling your book and preaching personal self Home Rule. I should like to say more but would rather have the great pleasure of a weeks talk with you even to cleaning your boots for the pleasure of it. Mr Crofton Gore of 16 Queens Parade Bristol will gladly answer your every [illeg.] about me. I cannot give you a porsons name. because I have never had anything much to do with them.

For here is my religion. In a nut shell that the porsons must crack before they can [7] eat the Kernell "Carrage [Courage] Brother"

Carrage [Courage] brother do not stumble

Through thy path be dark as night,

There is a God that guides the humble

Trust in Him and do the right.

Let the road be long and dreary,

And its ending for and or Light:

Fast it firmly, Strong or weary..

Trust in God and do the right.

Punish, [illeg.] and cursing

Perish all that fear the light

weather warming, weather loosing.

Trust in God and do the night

Trust no party, chances nor faction,

Trust no leader in the fight

But in every word and action

Trust in god and do the right.

Some will hate thee.

Some will love thee.

Some will flatter some will stept.

[8]

But cease from man

And look above thee.

Trust in God and do the right.

Your simple rule and Safest guiding

Is inward Pure and round Light.

God above thy path is [illeg.]

Trust in him all will be right.

This has been my personal Life Home Rule that has kept me safe from the Liquor Devil and the Smo-king.

I Have put together another 6 page pamphlet with the title "Great Britons Wolf in sheeps Clothing".

I only need a kind partner to take it in hand for me and pay him as the pamphlet is sold price 2^d per copy.

[9]

I wont to go Right Through Ireland 1913.

Then to put in my Claim to an estate or my great grandfather or Galway and Dublin.

The sale of my book and to you will Let me have the honour or selling yours also. I feel sure that much good will be done. But I should rather have the honour of talking the matter over though I am slightly deaf. Tis as plain as A.B.C. we should understand each other. But I prefer the walk down I will soon find and the way to Pool. [Poole]

[10] I must ask your pordon [pardon] dear Sir for writing on this paper as I have no other. May the Great God of all Power and might and wisdom abundantly bless you year to come,

My dear mother died in 1901 of ninty two, a Life teetotaoler. Though I am poor she was the one I had to keep. For my father died at 66 and left her poor. Though in 50 years he spent one thousand four hundred pounds one shilling & 6^d in drinks and smokes and with my saved earning at 21st year I had to bury him. The vile brewers, and destiller or [illeg.] get what my mother should [11] have had. Sir whatever you may think to write in your book Let it be known that most all our poverty can be traced directly or indirectly to the Cursed drink. I should not have had to keep my mother, it was my fathers duty as a husband to do that, not come upon the Eldest son to do So, Knowing that to wast [waste] it in Luxury was to deprive his wife and Children or their Just right to be kept from the Poor house. I did not wont my mother to be a pauper. Therefore if my [abstaining] from the things my father had it was [12] me who was doing the fathers duty.

God bless and keep your dear dactor Wallace is the prayer of your humble Servant Christian Shamrock – Radford⁴

Sings Recites and speaks on Total abstinen and Simple poverty living.

To Dactor Wallace | Poor