Following his wife's death in 1881, Henry Garlock felt the need of his mother's help in raising his son, Edward. Since Matilda's passing he had paid little or no attention to his son. Most of his interaction involved handing him money to find his own entertainment.
This proved disasterous to young Eddie. By the time Henry moved to Roxbury, Ct. where his mother lived--his young son, (then twelve), was past being reigned in to a normal childhood.
He was enrolled into school where he found the only girl in the one-room class--easy prey. Pulling her pigtails, dipping them into the inkwell was the least of his pranks. Dissolving her to tears didn't seem to bother him.
In fact, the higher her level of emotion, (whether anger or embarrassment), the more satisfied he was with himself. His bullying reached a peak in early spring when a soaking rain left large mud puddles on the schoolyard. Watching his chance, he found her strategically placed in front of a large one. Circling her, playfully, while taunting her with: "Jessie Girl, Jessie Girl!" He without warning pushed her down, right in the middle of the mud.
Covered from the blue ribbons in her pigtails to the toes of her shoes, Jessie refused his offer of help to get up. She ran from the laughter of all the boys gathered around, through the woods and out of sight.
What turned a sweet nine-year-old boy from a well-respected family in Ellinburg, New York into the twelve-year-old bully of the Roxbury, Ct. school?
Broke my heart...
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