Sepia Saturday: A Miserable Man

Sepia Saturday challenges bloggers to share family history through old photographs.

The miserable man in this week’s Sepia Saturday photo surely was never as miserable as the ex-husband of my great-grandaunt Sallie Jollett Clift. I have written several times about George Clift. Suffice it to say, the man’s story fascinates me as much as it infuriates me.

 

George and Sallie Jollett Clift
Vernon and Daisey
about 1895

If you don’t care to read all the details HERE, HERE, and HERE, the Cliff Notes version (or CLIFT Notes, har har yeah I kill me) is this: George and Sallie had five children. The first two died as youngsters from injuries in a house fire well before the other three came along. Over the years George enjoyed several affairs while at home he became verbally and physically abusive, even threatening Sallie and their little girl Alda with a gun. In 1914, Sallie found George’s love letters to various women and used them to obtain a divorce and a modest monthly check for child support. To make ends meet, Sallie rented out some rooms, mostly to men who worked for the railroad there in Shenandoah. A cloud of suspicion arose about poor Sallie with neighbors whispering that she was running a bawdy house. Not so, but there it is.

It must have been that gun incident that landed George in jail in Luray, Virginia in 1914, where he became reflective about his life. There he wrote this poem that at times makes me pity him because he obviously loved and missed those sweet children lost in the fire; in other verses the same ol’ mean and miserable man raises his ugly head. I can only shake mine and roll my eyes.

4/15/14

A Song of Reflection

Writen in the Luray Jail By G. T. Clift

(1)

Kid I am sad and lonely

Since from me you ran away

And I feel you would forgive me

If you could see me here today.

(2)

And now I set and wonder

If you think this is right

I no if you could see me

That it would change your plight.

(3)

Twenty two long years dear Wifey

Since we came to old luray

And today my hart is sadist

While I was happy on that day.

(4)

It seems you have forsaken me

For someone else to roam

While I set here in prison

You are happy in my home.

(5)

I no you feel delighted

To have me in a prison cell

And I fear when you reach heaven

They send you Back to hell.

(6)

Some day you will die

You don’t know when that will be

And as the angels do come in

I think you will send for me.

(7)

It was right here in this town

In eighteen ninety two

That I forgot my sweetheart

And went and married you.

(8)

You promist you would love me

And all my words obey

And Friday you had me arrested

And I am in Jail today.

(9)

Today it brings me sorrow

And Some Kind of regret

I have two children up in heaven

And three on earth as yet.

(10)

It was on that fatal day

In eighteen ninety seven

My darling Boy he left me

And went on up to heaven.

(11)

Then there was little daisy

The pride of my life

Was all I had to love me

Except a scolding wife.

(12)

But the angels allso loved her

And I suppose they thought it Best

For Just seventeen years today

Since she went to heaven to rest.

(13)

Shore is nothing in this world

For Whitch I need to care

But I know up in heaven

I have two darlings there.

(14)

Vernon was a sweet treasure

And dear Daisey was the same

How I loved & cherished Both

Till that death angel came.

(15)

Today they are Both in heaven

A singin around the throne

Wondering why Dear Papa

Was driven from his home.

(16)

But while in this lonely prison

George Thomas Clift

I sometimes think I see

Those two dear darling angels

A hovering over me.

(17)

I love those five dear children

Both the living & the dead

While I am here in prison

The scandals on your head.

(18)

But now I have grown old

My limbs are getting frail

A railroad man is in my home

And old Geo. Clift in jail.

Good by. Write soon.

Write soon?! What was he thinking?

George couldn’t spell worth a lick, but he sure could crank out a rhyme.

  

Don’t let this story leave you miserable because there are many fun stories from my friends at Sepia Saturday.

Wendy

© 2017, Wendy Mathias.  All rights reserved.