Immigration Journal

1902

JUNE 13TH

A strike's broken out in the coalmines, they're striking against most of the money they're paid going right back to the company and the bad wages they're paid in the first place. I know what they mean about the bad pay and most of the money they make going right back into the bosses pocket, but I can't say that I really agree with the striking.

It seems to me that everyone who get's involved in these things always ends up in trouble and jobless, but that might just me my own personal opinion. On the bright side though, at least I don't have to worry about Calvin joining the strike from the coal mine he works in.

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Okay, scratch what I said earlier. Calvin told me the news when I came to deliver the soup I'd made for him, he seem really excited and passionate about the cause he just joined. Let's just hope upon hope that he doesn't get fired, or worse.

This is becoming something of a regular occurrence, the second I write it one of my endless number of roommates flings the front door open and runs in to tell me the news she just caught wind of:

"You look like you've seen a ghost Jill, what happened?" I asked, looking up from my typewriter to look at the girl.

"Good Lookin's in jail!" she wailed, using Calivin's nickname because I'd never bothered to tell them with his real name was.

"What?" I practically knocked my typewriter onto the floor as I jumped to my feet, saving it from smashing into a million pieces in the last second. But Jill didn't have time to answer before I dashed out the door, down the three flights of stairs that it took to get up here, and down the street to the police station.

"I heard that my brother Calvin's in here sir." I remarked politely to the male secretary who looked at me skeptically. A pang of worry hit as I realized I hadn't checked to make sure that I was dressed as a proper young lady should, but it was too late now.

"Yes," The man answered slowly, "that name does sound familiar... what's your last name?"

Curses, we'd never decided on a fake last name for the whole siblings thing so I just gave him Calvin's last name and hoped that Calvin and told them his real name. The secretary dared to look away from me and to his record of everyone instated in the past day, I

watched his face light with recognition as he found the name I'd given him on the list. But he just looked over the name that was so obviously there.

Oh no! Of course he wouldn't fall for us being siblings! We both have completely different thick accents and look nothing alike! You've got me! Put me irons! Throw me in jail! I thought widely, but what I said instead was: "Problem, sir?" in the most polite voice I could manage and to my surprise he shook his head and got up to go -well I presumed anyways - get Calvin out of his cell.

A few minutes wait later I saw Calvin being dragged by the arm towards me by the male secretary. "Here's your brother." The man said gruffly as he pushed Calvin away from him and resumed his position behind the reception desk, for the first time I noticed his thick

Scottish accent and that he couldn't be that much older than me.

Calvin was obviously very glad to be out of jail and swung me around in a hug but I didn't join him as he rejoiced happily, I was too busy trying to find any hint of Ewan in the

secretary. I was eighty-percent sure that the man was Ewan when Calvin let me go from the hug and suddenly kneeing in front of me with his hands held out in front of him, and in his

hands held a cheap brass ring that for the moment looked like the most beautiful piece of

jewelry that I'd ever seen.

But then his lips had to start flapping and he asked me to marry him, but with the boy that I'd loved since I was born (at least, I was thought it was him) a desk away and watching intently what was I supposed to do?

My face started to burn and I became very flustered very quickly. "Well, I, um, I, um," I repeated the string of nonsense until I eventually broke down and started crying like mad.

Not wanting to make a scene, I grabbed a hold of Calvin and pulled him out of the police building. I declined the proposal and explained to him about Ewan and me and the whole reason why I'd come to America.

But one thing I didn't tell him was about the male secretary inside the police office. That gem I was keeping for myself 'till I was absolutely sure.