Well she asked me how did I come out with the affidavit. So I said “The affidavit is either here nor there. I am talking about something else” and she says “Yes you are.” And she says “I been worring all day about that affidavit because if they find out about it what will they do to us.” So I said “You should worry because if this board won’t excuse me I will go to the Dist. board and mean while you won’t be earning nothing because you will be out of business.” Well Al she had a better idea then that. She says “No I will hold on to the business till you go to the Dist. board and then if they act like they wouldn’t excuse you you can tell them I am going to sell out. And if they say all right I will sell out. But if they say its to late why then I will still have something to live on if you have to go.”
So when she said that about me haveing to go we both choked up a little but pretty soon I was OK and now Al it looks like a cinch I would get my exemptions from the Dist. board because if Florrie says she wants to sell out they can’t stop her.
Chicago, Aug. 22.
Friend Al: Well Al its all over. The Dist. board won’t let me off and between you and I Al I am glad of it and I only hope I won’t have to go before I have had a chance at the worlds serious.
My case come up about noon. One of the men asked me my name and then looked over what they had wrote down about me. Then he says “Theys an affidavit here that says your wife and child depends on you. Is that true?” So I said yes it was and he asked me if my wife was in business and I said yes but she was thinking about selling out. So he asked me how much money she made in her business. I said “You can’t never tell. Some times its so much and other times different.” So he asked me what the average was and I said it was about $250.00 per month. Then he says “Why is she going to sell out?” I said “Because we don’t want to live in Chi all winter” and he said “You needn’t to worry.” Then he said “If she makes $250.00 per month how do you figure she is dependent on you?” So I said “Because she is because I pay for the rent and everything.” And he asked me what she done with the $250.00 and I told him she spent it on clothes.
So he says “$250.00 per month on clothes. How does she keep warm this weather?” I said “I guess they don’t nobody have no trouble keeping warm in August.” Then he says “Look here Keefe this affidavit mitigates against you. We will have to turn down your appeal and I guess your wife can take care of herself and the boy.” I said “She can’t when she sells out.” “Well” he said “you tell her not to sell out. It may be hard for her at first to sport herself and the boy on $250.00 but if the worst comes to the worst she can wear the same shoes twice and she will find them a whole lot more comfortable the second time.” So I said “She don’t never have no trouble with her feet and if she did I guess she knows how to fix them.”
Florrie was waiting for me when I got home. “Well” I said “now you see what your dam beauty parlor has done for us.” And then she seen what had happened and begin to cry and of course I couldn’t find no more fault with her and I called up the ball park and told them I was sick and wouldn’t show up this p.m. and I and Florrie and little Al stayed home together and talked. That is little Al done all the talking. I and Florrie didn’t seem to have nothing to say.
Tomorrow I am going to tell them about it over to the ball park. If they can get me off till after the worlds serious all right. And if they can’t all right to.
Chicago, Aug. 23.
Dear Al: Well Al the one that laughs last gets all the best of it. Wait till you hear what come off today.
When I come in the club house Rowland and Gleason was there all alone. I told them hello and was going to spring the news on them but when Rowland seen me he says “Jack I got some bad news for you.” So I said what was it. So he says “The boss sold you to Washington this morning.”
Well Al at first I couldn’t say nothing and I forgot all about that I wanted to tell them. But then I remembered it again and here is what I pulled. I said “Listen Manager I beat the boss to it.” “What do you mean?” he said so I said “I’m signed up with Washington all ready only I aint signed with Griffith but with Uncle Sam.” Thats what I pulled on them Al and they both got it right away. Gleason jumped up and shook hands with me and so did Rowland and then Rowland said he would have to hurry up in the office and tell the Old Man. “But wait a minute” I said. “I am going to quit you after
