Harvey House Bride
Teresa Ives Lilly
I’ve always loved reading Harvey Girl
Stories and am so blessed to have been able to
write one of my own. I hope you enjoy.
Chapter 1
Slaton, Texas 1913
S heila, hurry up with that hem. I need you to deliver the dress as soon as possible. We need the money to pay the mercantile bill.”
“Ma, what did Pa do with the last bit of money we had put away?” The word Pa stuck in her throat. She hated calling him Pa, but her mother insisted.
Mrs. Bennet turned away from her daughter.
“He used it to buy liquor?”
The other woman’s head nodded slowly.
“Ma, why did you ever marry that man? Ever since we came to Texas, it’s been getting worse and worse. The children are going to starve if this keeps up.”
“I’m sure he’s doing his best.”
“But, Ma, he isn’t really trying. Look, we’ve been living in this tent for a year now. I know a few others are still in tents, but those are mostly newcomers. All the families who came with us have already begun to build small frame houses, and his promise of opening his own store never panned out.”
“Well, at least he did buy this acre lot on the edge of town. When we do get our house built, it will be real convenient.”
Sheila stared at her mother with pity in her eyes. The woman wanted a man to care for her, but she’d made a very bad mistake when she married Mr. Bennet.
“And we’ll be close to the church when they finish building it.”
Lord, why can’t I see things the way my mother does? She has so much hope, but this is a hopeless situation.
“Ma, there doesn’t seem to be much hope of things getting better here. Maybe, we should go back to Kansas.”
Her mother shook her head. “This is where your stepfather wanted to come. God must have a plan for us. You just need to have a good attitude. Remember what the Bible says, rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Her mother was truly a woman of prayer, but it was hard for Sheila to see how Ma’s prayers could be answered when Mr. Bennet drank away every penny they made.
Sheila sighed as she tied a knot and cut the thread, finally finishing the hem. Her hands shook from the cold. It was mid-November, and the air was more than chilly. She held the dress up and admired it with a sting of envy; she would never own anything as lovely as this.
Sheila dressed carefully in a dull, but clean, black skirt with a white tailored shirt. Her mother insisted she wear this outfit if she were out walking in Slaton so no one would give her a second glance.
Sheila stepped outside the tent and tried to take a deep breath, but the cold was oppressive. She lifted a hand to her eyes as she scanned the flat, dusty land all around She longed for their life in Kansas, where her real father had bought a farm and worked to make it profitable, right up until the Lord called him home. Then her stepfather’d sold it all, claiming he planned to open a small mercantile. He’d moved the family to Texas because Kansas was too crowded, he said. However, he’d done nothing except buy this acre of land and set up the tent for them to live in since they arrived.
It was as if, once the excitement of moving was over, he lost interest in the entire thing and spent his days in the town saloons drinking and gambling. It had become obvious lately that most of the money was gone, and the family basically had to live off the money she and her mother made sewing for some of the local women in town.
Lord, is this really the place you wanted me to end up in life? I need to find a way to help my mother and the children. I’m eighteen, but I don’t have much schooling. In this town, there’s little chance of meeting a man who could provide for me and my family.
“Sheila, I wish you’d go to school with the children. You’re too young to spend your days sewing and worrying.”
“Ma, I’m too old to go to that school. I can read, write and do sums. I need to get a job, something to help feed the family, but there isn’t any place in town that’ll hire me over the men who need work. I can’t work for the railroad.”
Her mother patted Sheila’s hand. “We’ll get by.”
Sheila shrugged and rolled her eyes. “You always say that, but it’s time to face reality, Ma. That man isn’t going to do anything but drink up all your money. Why look, it’s almost Thanksgiving, and once again we won’t have a turkey or even a pumpkin pie.”
Sheila grabbed the dress which her mother had wrapped in brown paper, and stomped away, heading into town.
The town of Slaton was fairly new, built in 1911 in the shape of a wagon wheel with the town hall in the center. She walked along one of the long roads and stopped to drop off the dress at Mrs. Warron’s house.
“You and your mother do good work,” Mrs. Warron told Sheila as she pulled a few coins out and deposited them in her hand. “It’s just too bad that your Pa…”
“He isn’t my Pa. Thank you, Mrs. Warron. Please let us know if there’s anything else we can help you with.”
Mrs. Warron’s lips formed a thin line. “You know, you look almost like one of those Harvey Girls, in your black skirt and white shirt.”
Sheila cocked her head slightly. “Harvey Girl?”
“Haven’t you been to the Harvey House, over by the train station?”
Sheila shook her head. “I watched it being built, but I’ve been too busy helping Ma. What is the Harvey House?”
“It’s a restaurant, newsstand and gift shop for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.”
“And a Harvey Girl?” Sheila’s interest perked up.
“They are the waitresses. From what I hear, the girls come from all around the United States and are trained by the Fred Harvey Company to serve at restaurants all along the railway.”
“Do you think I could get a job there?”
Mrs. Warron stared at Sheila, as if she were something unpleasant. “I’m sure I don’t know. I’ve never had to work.”
Sheila stepped back; her head dropped. “Oh, yes. I see. Thank you, Mrs. Warron.”
Sheila turned toward home, walking slowly. The sky was filled with puffy dark clouds. She wondered if it would snow this year, but she finally picked up her pace. She knew the children would be home from school soon.
How can I even call that tent “Home,” Lord? I need to do something to help Ma and the children.
Sheila stopped, turned and headed toward the center of town. When she reached the town hall, she moved down another road, leading away from the center of town. The road was called Railroad Avenue because it ran straight to the depot.
Sheila walked along the railway and stepped onto the depot platform. Then she made her to the Harvey House. It was a large building, painted an unusual beige color, with red on the windows and doors. She hesitated outside the door, peeking in. It was quiet at this time of day. Finally, with a determined mind, she opened the door and stepped inside. She stood to the side, glancing around.
In the middle of the room was a large oval counter with a rose-colored marble top. Several people sat at the counter, eating and drinking coffee. Toward the back was a newsstand and small gift shop which opened into the restaurant.
“May I help you?” A voice startled her. Sheila looked up at a young girl, perhaps a year or two older than herself.
“No, thank you. I was just looking.”
The girl nodded. “Are you coming to work here?”
Sheila shook her head.
The girl stared at her. “Well, I thought, since you’re dressed that way. You almost look just like one of us. ‘Course, they giv
e us these uniforms; you don’t have to have your own.”
Sheila glanced around the room. Several other young women were serving the customers at the counter. Each of them wearing a black shirtwaist dress and perfectly starched white apron with a white cap on her head. There wasn’t a stain on any of their aprons. Her own outfit didn’t look exactly like those, but she could see the similarity.
Before the other girl walked away, Sheila spoke up bravely.
“Are there any jobs available?”
The other girl smiled. “One of our girls slipped away this morning. Run off to get married. We aren’t allowed to get married if we want to keep the job. She’ll lose her pay. But I don’t know if you could get a job here. Most girls are trained for six weeks in Topeka, Kansas, then sent out to the different Harvey House Establishments along the railway. I personally answered a newspaper ad.”
Sheila swallowed. She knew she should just turn around and walk away, but seeing the inside of the Harvey House, it was hard to leave. This looked like a dream come true type of job.
“But I suppose I could let you talk to the house manager, Mr. Jordan. He and his wife live here. His wife is our house mother and oversees us girls.”
“Can you?”
The girl nodded. “I have a break in a few minutes. If you sit at the counter and purchase a cup of coffee, you can wait.”
Sheila thought of the precious coins in her skirt pocket, but the chance of getting a job in this wonderful place was too important. She slipped to the counter and sat down.
Immediately another Harvey Girl stepped forward. “May I help you?”
“I’d like a cup of coffee, please,” Sheila’s voice trembled slightly. She’d never been in a restaurant before and wasn’t sure how to behave.
The girl nodded, reached up and turned over the lovely coffee cup, which was placed on the counter in front of Sheila; then another girl came along with a silver coffee pot and poured the dark brown liquid into the cup.
She set the pot near Sheila and told her she could have as much coffee as she liked, for the price of one cup.
Sheila thought this was the most extravagant thing she’d ever heard. Her mother only served coffee on Sundays, before she and the children went to church. The pot was left behind for her stepfather to drink when he awoke.
Sheila swiveled her head all around, trying to take in everything. Behind the counter were two large silver containers. She noticed one girl fill the coffee pot from it.
As she lifted the cup to take another sip, she examined it. Sheila remembered a lovely china cup her grandmother owned. This was sturdier, but just as nice.
My, Mr. Harvey must spend a lot of money on this china.
Sheila fingered the silver coffee pot, considering a second cup.
“Anna suggested you might like to speak to my husband. He’s currently very busy so may I be of assistance, Miss?” A strong voice spoke, startling her, so that her arm knocked the cup off the counter. Sheila’s hand swept out and quickly snatched it before it could fall. She turned agonized eyes back at the woman and murmured, “Yes, my name is Sheila Hobby. I wanted to ask if there were any positions available?”
The woman squinted in a scowl. “We do need a new girl. How old are you?”
“Eighteen.”
“Can you read, write and do sums?”
Sheila’s head nodded vigorously up and down. “Yes, I haven’t had much formal schooling, but my mother taught me all those things.”
The woman leaned forward, her nose almost touching Sheila’s. “You got a beau?”
Sheila stepped back slightly. “No! I need a job to help to build a small house for my mother, sister and brother.”
“No Pa?”
Sheila’s lip trembled, not sure what to say. “I have a stepfather; however, he isn’t much help.”
The woman crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Sheila for a full minute. Sheila stood still and straight, trying to keep the tears from rushing into her eyes.
“You’d have to go to Kansas for training. The company would pay your way. Then when you return, you would live in the rooms here. The work isn’t hard, but the days are long, and we expect perfection at all times.”
Sheila’s eyes opened wide. “Does that mean you’ll hire me?”
“Yes, if you do well in training. You may call me Mrs. Jordan. My husband is the manager of this Harvey House, and I serve as the house mother. I run a strict house, but I’m fair. The main thing you need to do, to keep your job, is avoid men. There are plenty of them in this town, or coming in on trains, who will try they’re hardest to turn your head.”
Sheila pulled back her shoulders. “I have no interest in men. If there were anything besides finding a job I’d be interested in, it would be reading.”
“Well, in your spare time, you would be allowed to utilize the Santa Fe Reading Room. It’s the building next door. Mr. Harvey built it so the railroad workers could read and relax. There’s nearly five hundred books in the building. Probably not anything silly or romantic.”
Sheila felt as if her heart would burst. “That would be so wonderful. When would I go to Kansas?”
“Hmm, I think we can get you on the train tomorrow. Will that work? I’m anxious to get a new girl in, but I’m willing to wait for you to train. With your mother living here in town, you’re more apt to stay put. So many of the girls get here, meet a man and run off to get married.”
“That wouldn’t be a problem for me.”
The woman shook her head. “That’s what all the girls say. Guess I can’t blame them. You can sign a contract for six months or a year.”
Sheila held out a hand. “Thank you so much, Mrs. Jordan. I need to go home and tell mother.”
“Can you be here before the nine o’clock train in the morning?”
“Oh, yes. There’s nothing keeping me here.”
Mrs. Jordan slipped away, and Sheila stood. She straightened her skirt and headed out the front door. The depot was busy because a train had just pulled in, filling the air with soot and noise. Sheila pressed herself against the building near the Harvey House window and watched as people who got off the train, went in, were seated and given a menu. From time to time, a Harvey Girl would turn the person’s cup upside down, other times right side up. She wondered what that meant.
Lord, thank you for this opportunity. I know leaving mother for a few weeks will be hard on her, but when I get back, I’ll be making money I can give her. At least I won’t ever have to be a burden for them to feed again. Boarding at the Harvey House is like a dream come true. No more tent life for me.
Sheila couldn’t help feeling slightly guilty, knowing her mother, brother and sister would have to go on living in the tent, but for now there was nothing more she could do about it.
As Sheila made her way down the road, toward home, her eyes shifted to the saloon. She made a sniffing sound of disapproval. She started to hurry by, but once she passed the building, she noticed a man lying on the ground beside the saloon.
At first she thought he was merely a hobo; however, something about his coat stirred a memory in her. She slowed and began to approach the man. By the time she reached him, her hand was trembling because she was sure, from the stiff way the man’s body lay, her stepfather was dead.
Chapter 2
S heila sat straight on the train seat, twisting her hands. Glancing out the window, she saw a large board with a picture of a bull. The words printed on it read: This is no bull. Slaton is the Best Town in Texas.
Sheila giggled. She didn’t agree with the advertisement, but it was rather funny.
It had been several weeks since she left Slaton to do her Harvey Girl training in Kansas. She’d missed Thanksgiving and Christmas, but now she was headed home.
Home? Can I really call Slaton home? Now that my stepfather is dead, Mother, the children and I could easily go anywhere else and create a real home; if only we had enough money.
Sheila wondered how her mo
ther had paid to have her stepfather buried. She had to leave the morning after his death so she wasn’t able to help.
“You go, Sheila. Your job’s important. I’ll be able to get him buried. With my sewing, we’ll get by ‘til you get back. I wish you could go to school. Since you won’t, this is the next best thing. Just think, a real job with food and board.”
Sheila sighed. Her mother had no idea how much that life meant to her daughter. Since doing her Harvey Girl training, however, she also knew her mother had no idea how hard it was to earn that life.
Why, just the questions she’d had to answer once she reached Kansas had been grueling. Her past had been probed into to determine whether she was truly of good character.
Harvey Girls worked long twelve hour days, with very little rest time. They were expected to keep their dresses and aprons clean at all times, be polite and follow about a million rules from how to turn a cup over to indicate a customer’s preference for coffee or tea, to no Harvey Girl could date or get married while she was under contract.
I won’t get much time off to see Mother and the children, but I will have short breaks in which I can slip into the Santa Fe Reading Room.
Her training had been vigorous, and there were times she felt she couldn’t do what was required. The first few days, her feet hurt, and her legs shook from standing and serving coffee, but after a few weeks, it all became routine. Never boring.
She now owned two Harvey Girl uniforms and four aprons, which were her responsibility to keep neat and pressed between cleanings. She was proud of these items. Along with the two handmade dresses she owned to wear on her days off, she felt like a rich woman.
Sheila’s thoughts were interrupted by the jarring of the train as it slowed by the Slaton depot. She gathered her bag and stood.
Although she’d only been gone a few weeks, it seemed longer. She felt she’d left as a child and had returned as a young woman.
When she finally stepped out onto the wooden depot walkway, her eyes flew to the Harvey House door. This was now her home. She wanted to run in, but the new decorum she’d learned held her back.
Harvey House Bride (Harvey Girls Book 1) Page 1