Charlie Chaplins Own Story

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by Charlie Chaplin

"Hingratitude, that's wot it is," he said

  fiercely. "Speak up, young 'un. Don't you

  'ave a-plenty to eat of good 'olesome porridge?

  Don't you 'ave a good kind master wot never

  canes yer?"

  "Oh, yes, sir," I said, in a panic of fear.

  ...

  "Then don't you go a-being ungrateful, and

  a-dying on my 'ands, like young Jim done,"

  he roared at me furiously. "You 'ear? Stub-

  bornness, that's wot it is. I won't 'ave it!"

  CHAPTER IV

  In which I feel very small and desolate;

  encounter once more the terrible wrath of

  Mr. Hawkins ; and flee from it into the

  unknown perils of a great and fearful world.

  ...

  "IT'S stubbornness, that's wot it is! I won't

  'ave it!" Mr. Hawkins said fiercely, and

  reached for his cane.

  I struggled in the grip of his great knees,

  and cried in terror that I did not mean it, I

  was sorry, I would be good. I begged him not

  to beat me. Even when he let me go I could

  not stop screaming.

  It must have been some time next day that

  I woke in a hot tumbled bed. I thought my

  mother had been there, with her hair falling

  over the pillow and her face all sparkling with

  fun. I put up my arms with a cry, and she

  was gone. A strange ugly girl, with a broom

  in her hand, was leaning over me.

  "Coom, coom," she said crossly, shaking my

  shoulder. "Wark's to be done. No time to be

  lyin' a-bed."

  I struggled to get away from her heavy

  hand, and sobbed that I wanted my mother,

  I wanted to go home. I was so little and so

  miserable and weary- that the grief of missing

  my mother seemed almost to break my heart.

  ...

  "She's gone," the girl said, still pulling at

  me. "She willna be vexed wi' a girt boy, weep-

  ing like a baaby."

  "No ! No !" I screamed at her. "My mother

  hasn't gone away. "My mother hasn't left me."

  "Yus, she has," the girl told me. "She's

  gone."

  I let her lift me from the bed then, and sat

  limp on the floor where she put me, leaning

  my aching head against the bedpost. All my

  childish courage and hope was gone, and I was

  left very little and alone in a terrible black

  world where my mother did not care for me

  any more. I sat there desolate, with great

  tears running down my cheeks, and did not

  wish to stir or move or ever see any one again.

  ...

  Long hours later, after it had been dark a

  long time, Mr. Hawkins came in with the boys,

  and I had no strength even to fear him. When

  he roared at me I still sat there and only trem-

  bled and turned my head away. I remember

  his walking up and down and looking at me

  a long time, and I remember his holding a mug

  of ale to my lips and making me swallow some,

  but everything was confused and vague, and

  I did not care for anything, only wanting to be

  left alone.

  It may have been the next day, or several

  days later, that we were all walking over rough

  cobbled streets, very early in the morning, in

  a cold thick fog. I walked unsteadily, because

  my legs felt limp, and Mr. Hawkins held my

  hand tight, so that my arm ached. We were

  all going to a fair in the country. I was in-

  terested in that, because my mother had once

  taken Sidney and me to a meadow, where we

  all played in the grass and found cowslips and

  ate cakes from a basket under a tree.

  After we had walked a long time Mr. Hawkins

  took us into an eating-house, where we had a

  breakfast of sausages and I drank a big mug

  of hot coffee. When we came out the sun was

  shining and we walked down a wide white road,

  past many great houses with grass and trees

  about them. I had never imagined such places,

  and with the delight of seeing them, and the

  sunlight and the good breakfast,

  36

  I felt better, and thought I could walk by my-

  self if Mr. Hawkins would let go my hand,

  though I dared not speak of it.

  As we walked on, the road grew busy with

  carriages coming and going and farmers' wag-

  ons coming in to market, and after a time a

  coster's cart overtook us, and Mr. Hawkins

  bargained with the driver to carry us.

  Then I began to be almost happy again, as I

  sat in the back of the cart with my legs dan-

  gling and saw the road unrolling backward be-

  tween the wheels. It was a warm morning;

  the road was thick with white dust, and the

  smell of it and of the green fields, to which

  we came presently, and all the country sights

  and sounds, were pleasant. We drove for miles

  between the hedgerows, and I grew quite ex-

  cited looking for the five-barred gates in them,

  through which we caught glimpses of the farms

  on either side. So at last we came to Barnett,

  where the fair was to be.

  The village looked bright and clean, with red

  brick buildings standing close to the narrow

  street, and shining white cobblestones.

  We all climbed down before the inn, and I

  looked eagerly for meadows, but there were

  none. Mr. Hawkins hurried us to the field

  where the fair had already begun. It was

  crowded with tents and people, and there was

  a great noise of music and shouting and cries

  of hokey-pokey men and venders.

  37

  "Step lively now, young 'uns," ordered Mr.

  Hawkins in an awful voice. " Ustle into them

  velveteen smalls, and get your jackets on in a

  'urry, or I'll show you wot's wot!"

  We dressed in mad haste in a little tent,

  and he had us into a larger one and hard at

  work dancing in no time. We heard his voice

  outside, shouting loud over the uproar of the

  crowd, " 'Ere! 'Ere! This way for the Lunnon

  clog dancers! Only a penny! See the grite

  Lunnon clog dancers!" A few people came in,

  then more, and more, till the tent was full

  of them, coming and going.

  It was hard work dancing; my feet felt heavy

  to lift and my stomach ached with hunger, but

  I did not dare stop a minute. I danced on and

  on, in that hot and stuffy place, with a fearful

  eye on the tent-flap, where now and again

  Mr. Hawkins' red face appeared and glared at

  us, and we saw his hand with the cane gripped

  in it.

  38

  Over and over we did the steps, while the

  tent grew hotter, and laughing people came

  and stared and went away, until my breath

  came in gasps and my head swam and grew

  large, and larger, and then very tiny again,

  in a most confusing manner. Then everything

  went black and I must have fallen, for Mr.

  Hawkins was shaking me where I lay on the

  ground, and saying to some one, " 'E's all
/>   right. 'E's only wilful; 'e wants a good can-

  ing, 'e does.'"

  After that I was dancing again, but I did

  not see the crowd any more. I only danced,

  and longed for the time when I might stop.

  ...

  It came after a long, long while. The tent

  was cooler and empty when Mr. Hawkins came

  in and took me by the shoulder, and my head

  cleared so that I saw I need dance no more.

  My weary muscles gave way and I sat on the

  floor, looking at him fearfully while he

  wiped his face with his handkerchief.

  "You, with yer woite faces!" he roared

  hoarsely. " 'Ow many times 'ave I told yer

  to look cheery while you dance? I've a mind

  to cane the lot of yer!" We trembled. "But

  I won't," he said, after a dreadful pause.

  "We're all a-goin' hover to the inn and 'ave

  bread and cheese."

  39

  He took my hand again and we dragged

  wearily over to the inn, a bright clean place,

  with sawdust on the floor. It was crowded

  with men, and they greeted us with loud voices

  as we came in,

  " 'Ere's the Lunnon clog dancers, come to

  dance for bread and cheese," Mr. Hawkins said

  cheerfully. He looked at the barmaid, who

  nodded, and a place was cleared for us to begin

  our weary dancing again.

  My tired little legs would hardly hold me

  up, and I stumbled in the steps. Under the

  terrible eye of Mr. Hawkins I did my best,

  panting with fear, but I could not dance. I

  stopped at last, and leaned against the bar.

  Mr. Hawkins reached for me, but as I shrank

  back with a cry I felt warm arms around me.

  It was the barmaid who held me, and after

  one look at her red cheeks, so close, I began

  to cry on her shoulder.

  "Pore little dear, 'e's tired," she said, hold-

  ing me tight from Mr. Hawkins. " 'E shall

  'ave his bread and cheese without 'is dancing."

  40

  " 'E's a wilful, perverse hungrateful

  creetur!" Mr. Hawkins said, but she did not

  seem to mind. She took me behind the bar

  and gave me a scorching drink of something

  and a great piece of bread which I was

  too weary to eat. Afterward Mr. Hawkins

  took me back to the fair, jerking me furiously

  along by the arm. He took me to the little

  tent where we had dressed and put me inside.

  ...

  "I'll tike the 'ide off you when I come back,"

  he said hoarsely, bending to bring his red face

  close to mine. "I'll give you a caning wot is

  a caning, I will. I've been too gentle with you,

  I 'ave. You stay 'ere, and wait."

  With these dreadful words and a horrible

  oath he went away, and I could hear him shout-

  ing before the other tent above the sounds of

  the evening's merrymaking. "'Ere! 'Ere!

  This way to the Lunnon clog dancers! Only

  a penny!"

  I was left in such a state of misery and

  wretchedness, shaking with such fear, that

  not even my great weariness would let me

  sleep. I sat there in the dark for a long

  time, trembling, and then, driven by terror

  of Mr. Hawkins' return, I crawled beneath

  the edge of the tent and set out blindly to

  get beyond the reach of his voice.

  41

  When I came to the edge of the crowd I ran

  as fast as I could.

  CHAPTER V

  In which I have an adventure with a cow; become

  a lawless filcher of brandy-snaps ; and confound

  an honest farmer.

  I RAN for a long time in the darkness, blindly,

  not caring where I went, only that I escaped

  from Mr. Hawkins. The pounding of my heart

  shook me as I plunged across fields and

  scrambled under gates in my way, until at last

  I came to a corner of two hedges, and had no

  strength to go farther. I curled myself into

  as small a space as possible, close to the

  hedges, and lay there. It seemed to me that

  I was hidden and safe, and I was quite content

  as I went to sleep.

  Early in the morning I was awakened by a

  curious swishing noise, and saw close to my

  face the great staring eyes of a strange animal.

  It was a cow, but I had never seen one, and I

  thought it was one of the giants my mother

  had told about. I saw its tongue, lapping up

  about its nose, and as I stared it licked my

  face. The moist sandpapery feeling of it

  startled me and I howled.

  43

  At the sound it backed away with a snort,

  and so we remained, staring at each other for

  a long time. It was a bright morning, with

  birds singing in the hedgerows, and if it had

  not been for my hunger and an uneasiness lest

  the cow meant to lick me again I would have

  been quite happy, so far from Mr. Hawkins.

  ...

  Then between me and the cow came a woman

  with a big bucket on her arm, carrying a three-

  legged stool. Quite fearlessly she slapped the

  great animal, and it turned meekly and stood,

  while she sat on the stool and began to milk.

  It was the strangest thing I had ever seen,

  and I went over to her side and stood watching

  the thin white stream pattering on the bottom

  of the bucket. She gave a great start and cried

  out in surprise when she saw me.

  "Lawk a mussy!" she said, and sat with her

  mouth open. I must have been a strange sight

  in that farmyard, a thin little child — for I

  was only ten and very small for that age —

  in velveteen smalls and a round jacket with

  tinsel braid on it.

  44

  "Where did you coom from?" she asked.

  "I come from London. I am an actor," I

  said importantly. "What are you doing?" and

  pointed to the bucket.

  She laughed at that and seeing, I suppose,

  that I looked hungry, she held the bucket to

  my lips, and I tasted the fresh warm milk. I

  drank every drop, in great delight. I had

  never tasted anything so delicious before.

  ...

  "Are you hungry?" she asked me, and I told

  her solemnly, believing it, that I had had

  nothing to eat for a week. Her consternation

  at that was so great she dropped the bucket,

  but hastily picking it up, she sat down and

  milked again until she had another huge draught

  for me. Then she finished the milking in a

  hurry and took me into the farmhouse kitchen,

  a bright place, with shining pans on the wall

  and a pleasant smell of cooking.

  The tale I told the farmer's wife I do not

  remember, but she took me up in her arms, say-

  ing, "Poor little lad! Poor little lad!" over

  and over, while she felt my thin arms, and I

  squirmed, for I did not like to be pitied, and

  besides, I saw the breakfast on the table and

  wished she would let me have some. When she

  set me dow
n before it at last I could hardly

  wait to begin, while, to my surprise, she tied

  a napkin around my neck.

  45

  It was a mighty breakfast — porridge and

  eggs, with a rasher of bacon and marmalade,

  and the maid who had milked the cow was cut-

  ting great slices of crusty bread and butter.

  But before I had taken up a spoon the farmer

  came in. He was a big bluff man, and at sight

  of me he began to ask questions in a loud voice.

  ...

  "Well, my lad, where did you come from?"

  he said.

  "From the fair, sir," I answered, eager to

  be at the food, and not thinking what I said.

  "Oh, 'e's the little lad wi' the clog dancers

  I told you of, Mary," he said. "Gi' him break-

  fuss, if you like, and I'll be takin' him back

  to his master as I go to the village."

  At the terrible thought of Mr. Hawkins,

  whom I had almost forgotten, panic took me.

  I sat there trembling for a second, and then,

  before a hand could be reached to stay me, I

  leaped from my chair and fled from the kitchen,

  through the farmyard and out the gate, the

  napkin fluttering at my neck. A long way

  down the lane I stopped, panting, and looked

  to see if any one was following me. No one

  was.

  46

  I wandered on for some time, growing hungrier

  with every step and regretting passionately

  the loss of that great breakfast before I

  saw the girl with the brandy-snaps. She was

  a fat round-cheeked little girl, with her

  hair in braids, and she was swinging on a gate,

  humming to herself and nibbling a cookie.

  Others were piled on the gatepost beside her.

  I stopped and looked eagerly at them and at

  her. Badly as I wanted some I would not ask

  for them, and she looked at me round-eyed and

  said nothing.

  So we eyed each other, until finally she made

  a face and stuck out her tongue at me. Then

  she opened her mouth wide and popped in a

  brandy-snap. It was too much. With a yell

  I sprang at her and seized the cookies. She

  tumbled from the gate, and as she fell she

  howled appallingly. At the sound a great

  shaggy dog came bounding, and I fled in

  panic, clutching the brandy-snaps.

  The dog pursued me as I ran, in great leaps,

  my ears filled with the fearful sound of his

  barks. I sped around a turn in the lane and

  saw before me a farmer's wagon going slowly

  along. The dog was hard on my heels. I

  caught a glimpse of his great red mouth and

  tongue. With a last panting effort I clam-

 

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