,
North Brook Mills, and took it into my head that I should like to be a
policeman--a real policeman _a la _my friend, Mr James Leach. I learned
that Colonel Cobb, the Chief Constable of the West Riding Constabulary,
was on a visit to Mr Murgatroyd, a magistrate, at Bingley, and
accordingly went over to the Throstle-nest of old England for the purpose
of an interview with the Colonel. I was introduced into the Colonel's
presence, and stated my errand. Colonel Cobb plied me with questions as
to my former career, and when I told him I had been in the Army he wanted
to know if I had any references; he particularly wanted to know whether I
had risen from the ranks. I told him that I had a good "character" from
the colonel of my late regiment, and also that I had worked my way up
from a private's position to that of a provo-sergeant. Whereupon the old
gentleman said he thought I was a very likely fellow for a policeman, and
promised that if I called upon him in a few months I should in all
probability be taken on. In the intervening period of waiting my mind
underwent a change. I thought it would be safest to have "two strings to
my bow;" so, having a hankering after a position as guard on the railway
(intending, of course, to commence as a porter) I wrote to the Midland
Railway Company at Derby, asking if they had a situation for me at
Keighley. I got a reply inquiring for references. Then I went to my
cousin, Mr James Wright, the manager for Messrs Butterfield Bros.,
Prospect Mill. While willing to give me a "character," my cousin strongly
advised me to accept neither situation, as he felt that it would not suit
me. I should, he said, want to be more at liberty than I should be in
either of the positions I intended taking up. He expressed his
willingness to find me employment in the mill. I went home and "discussed
the out-look." The upshot was that I decided to let the police force and
the railway do without me, and I commenced to work with my brothers, who,
in a building in Heber-street, did warpdressing for Messrs Butterfield. I
stuck to the work for a short time, and then, with the temptation of more
wages, I went back to my old position at Messrs Lund's, North Beck Mills.
I remember when I was about to leave the Heber-street establishment I was
much taunted by two of the foremen, who would have it that I was going to
Lund's mill because Mr James Lund was about to give the employees a trip
to, and a treat at, his residen