Mail Order Barbara (Widows, Brides, and Secret Babies Book 14)

by Elissa Strati

  You mentioned in your last letter that your town was expanding rapidly. Most of these young ladies would make competent shopkeepers’ assistants or mothers’ helpers. Of course we hope to place them here locally, where they would be comfortable and familiar, but there are more of them than available positions at the moment. Might there be some job openings in your Green River?

  I am open to any other suggestions you might have regarding opportunities for my girls.

  “It looks as if the rest of this is talking of your family again.”

  “Yes,” Father Francis wrinkled his face wryly, “she is convinced I want to know every last detail of each of the offspring of our siblings, especially our sisters. Needless to say, I scarcely know the younger ones, who were toddlers when I went to seminary.”

  “You know you are fortunate so many of your siblings survived to become adults! There were nine of us but only four still above the ground.”

  Although the war had brought some medical advances, the idea of washing hands still didn’t prevent scarlet fever or any number of other diseases and plagues that felled healthy folks. And accidents and fires claimed victims as well. Rare, in most families, the members that lived to old age.

  “Yes, we seem to be blessed with robust health,” Father Francis agreed. “But we have gotten off topic. I wanted to discuss Amelia’s idea of bringing some of the girls west.”

  “Like the mail order brides one sees advertised for in the papers?”

  “Yes, exactly!” Father Francis nodded his head vigorously. “We have a crop of young men; she has a herd of young women. And I suspect some of our shop owners could use a hand. Mrs. O’Keefe could certainly use a nanny to help with her flock of children.”

  “Are all the girls Catholic? You know that would, unfortunately, matter to some of our congregation.”

  “Surprisingly, no! The Sisters of Mercy have long provided a safe haven for any female in need. I am not sure what the church is about putting such a Board of Governors in charge of what has been a neighborhood sanctuary.

  “I must say there are times I am rather grateful myself that it takes so long for information to travel from Rome to the individual parishes. But allowing secular hands to rule an institution of charity is simply wrong!”

  Although his was an independent church, Reverend Joe agreed wholeheartedly. Hadn’t Christ driven the moneylenders from the temples?

  Francis’ housekeeper poked her head in at that point with a plate of freshly baked cookies. She cleared away the now empty dish of sandwiches and in short order brought out a refilled pot of coffee.

  Grinning at each other, the men each reached for a cookie and then got on with the business of scheming to help out the town.

  CHAPTER 9 – Brides Wanted

  Father Flanagan chewed on the end of his pen as he pondered the letter he was about to write to his sister, who was in charge of the female orphans at St. Francis. In her last letter she had been asking about jobs for some of the older girls whom the Board was about to put on the street. Perhaps some of them were old enough to become brides, he and Reverend Peterson had decided. He thought again about several of the confessions he taken that week.

  “My dearest Amelia,” he wrote, and paused, chuckling to himself. She tended to take herself far too seriously as Sister Evangeline, now Mother Superior, and needed to be reminded he was her big brother.

  I have been very troubled since I read your last letter, but I think I may have a solution to both our problems.

  It has come to my attention that a number of the young men in our town are of an age to take a wife and settle down. While there are many lovely young women here, there are far fewer than can accommodate the influx of new citizens.

  From what you told me in your last letter, there probably isn't time for much individual correspondence between these gentlemen and the young women, but there is usually work on a farm for a willing person, and I know a number of the local mothers might well appreciate an extra pair of hands. I doubt there would be much money available but the girls would get room and board and I would ensure that they were well treated. A few of the shopkeepers may also be able to use a willing helper.

  This would also give them an opportunity to socialize with others their age and perhaps meet their intended grooms. I have in mind, especially, some of the young men coming into town to work on the newly formed Tri Brand ranch.

  I know your girls are all city reared and don’t know the front end of a cow from its rear. They would need to understand, before committing to come west, that this is largely country living here. For those placed on farms, the only time they are likely to get into town is for church services on Sunday. If this will not suit, they still have the option of finding service or one of the other positions for which you train them. I trust you to weed out those who would not thrive in a rural setting.

  I have been working closely with the Reverend Peterson, who is a good and holy man, even if not of the Catholic faith, and who is as eager to conduct this experiment as I. Surely assisting young people to find their ways in faith and to embrace the Holy Sacrament of Marriage can only be a good thing.

  Trusting in the Lord that this may prove to answer the prayer you shared with me,

  I remain,

  Your loving brother,

  Francis

  ~~~

  A broad smile spread across Mother Evangeline’s face as she read her brother’s letter. Even better than she’d expected! She’d been working with the older girls much as she always had, but the new Board’s policy had put pressure on her she’d not had to cope with before.

  Several of the girls had jobs but had not yet moved out on their own, for reasons of safety. But when she’d suggested the working women could contribute a stipend as rent, she had met with heavy resistance. That’s when she began to suspect another agenda behind trying to clear out as many occupants as possible. She tucked that thought aside to concentrate on her immediate issue.

  Probably best to start with a photograph of the young ladies and their names as she made arrangements on her end to acquire train tickets and travel clothing and valises. Most of the girls just had two dresses, one for work and one for church, so didn’t need much in the way of luggage. Perhaps a carpet bag for each?

  She would suggest new items be contributed so a good impression of the parishioners of St. Francis would be made on the fine citizens of Green River. She was picturing the faces of her girls if each received a new item of any sort. They’d all made do with donations most of their lives and certainly while they were here.

  Thanks to Barbara’s skill with a needle, most of the clothing for the older girls had been recreated into simple, custom-fitted gowns, which the previous owners would not have recognized. The orphanage would sorely miss her talents—if she could be convinced to go—as well as those of several of the other young ladies Mother Evangeline had in mind as likely candidates for this experiment.

  CHAPTER 10 – Running the Orphanage

  In their small community the nuns each had overlapping duties, both as a religious order and as a school and orphanage. Today Mother Evangeline would be meeting with her group in their latter capacity.

  She smiled to herself. Her father was president of a not-so-small company and she had grown up hearing of board meetings with his vice presidents and directors. Her awareness of corporate structure had made her an invaluable assistant to Mother Agatha, and still stood her in good stead.

  Before becoming Mother Superior, as the face of the convent to the public, it was she who welcomed incoming orphans, whether brought by the police, dropped off from hospitals, left on the doorstep, or however they found their way to Our Lady of Mercy. She processed them into the system with great compassion, making each child feel welcome and as if she had found a new home, which, in fact, each had.

  The infants and foundlings were sent straight to the Nursery to be cleaned, fed, clothed, and evaluated for health. The ones who survived the trauma of bein
g abandoned actually had a fair chance of being adopted once their identity was determined, if at all possible.

  While not as comprehensive as the Pinkertons, the sisters had their own network of informants who were aware of what births had occurred and why the mothers might not want to retain their children. In some cases the mother actually came to the back door for her delivery, endeavoring to ensure the best possible life for her infant despite the circumstances of its birth.

  Of course whenever possible the sisters worked to keep the baby with its mother, but times were hard, as they always are for the poor. And not all of the mother were poor, but there were reasons for them not to admit to motherhood. An occasional couple might wish to adopt an older child as well, but requests were examined quite closely to ensure that it wasn't merely cheap labor being sought. Life in an orphanage was not ideal, but the sisters did their best to make it a home for their charges.

  Sister Benedicta had always assisted and provided a warm embrace to forlorn newcomers. She had now taken over receiving the children and interfacing with the community.

  To Sister Bridget fell the task of teaching the orphans not just their letters but how to behave. For those going into service, a familiarity with etiquette and manners gave them a leg up on their future careers, even if they would never need to distinguish between an oyster fork and one for fish at their own meals. But they also learned deportment and even dancing.

  The specifics of the education the young ladies received was not generally discussed outside the orphanage, as discretion was also considered part of ladylike behavior, but from its earliest days the system had been modeled on that of exclusive girls’ schools such as had been known by the original founders. Their own experience had been that the really superior household servants knew the details of comportment better than the young hoydens whom they served and, as those servants usually had more influence than parents in a large, well-staffed household, it behooved the Sisters of Mercy to ensure their own pupils would have the best opportunities for success.

  Besides providing a break from everyday activities, the dance lessons also gave exercise and taught grace and the conservation of movement that allowed the best staff to move invisibly behind the scenes even though functioning in plain sight. And the monthly “cotillions” to which the male orphans were invited gave split families an opportunity to stay in touch.

  Sister Frances was head housekeeper. In addition to maintaining linens and supplies, she supervised the training of the girls in the basics of cleaning and housework. The girls were responsible for keeping their own spaces bright and shining while the nuns maintained their areas which were separate and private, providing them peace and solitude for prayer and contemplation.

  Various other nuns also taught skills such as cooking and sewing, but these three plus Sister Agatha served Mother Evangeline as her own advisory staff.

  Before making any plans the notion must be discussed thoroughly. This whole concept was far outside the traditional arrangements usually made for the girls when they came of age.

  CHAPTER 11 – Opportunities

  “Thank you for joining me this morning,” Mother Evangeline greeted her staff. “By now you have all been made aware of this new decree from our Board of Governors. While I am awaiting further advice from the Mother House, I think we need to make contingency plans for our young ladies to ensure their smooth transition back into the world outside our doors.

  “Under no circumstances will they be simply abandoned after we have cared for and nurtured them to become the best women they can be.”

  There were eleven girls at the orphanage who were either already over sixteen, or about to have birthdays, and become victims of the Board of Governors’ new policy. A few minutes were devoted to grumbling about the idiocy of the new Board, before Sister Benedicta cast her eyes skyward and prayed for their souls.

  “Thank you for reminding us of our duty,” commented Mother Evangeline, dryly. “Yes, we all need to pray on this a great deal. But God also expects us to endeavor on our own behalves and I'm looking to you for your advice on a proposal to allow our young ladies to become, in effect, mail order brides.”

  There was a stunned silence in the room.

  “Sisters, I’ve asked you here for your intimate counsel on the propriety and feasibility of taking a group of our girls to Kansas to try to find suitable jobs and potential husbands. But not only must we determine whether this is appropriate for the girls, we must determine whether they are appropriate for the venture. Have we trained them to cope with such a completely different life from what they now know? Most of them don’t know one end of a cow from another, after all.” She chuckled, remembering her brother’s comment in his letter.

  “Evangeline, I think you’re being a little bit harsh on the girls. I realize we live in a city, but they have seen some animal life. You know full well there are dairy cows in the park and we keep chickens in our own yard.”

  The twinkle in Sister Agatha’s eyes was matched by that in Mother Evangeline’s.

  “Nonetheless, Agatha, we really do need to consider how these young ladies would cope with the countryside. I cannot imagine Gracie, for example, trying to milk a cow.”

  There was a general round of laughter before Sister Benedicta commented wryly that Gracie was an unlikely candidate since she was mooning after Clara’s brother, Jack.

  “If we agree to go forward with the plan, in fairness, we should offer it to each of the girls, but I agree that Gracie is unlikely to be interested unless Jack were to decide he wants to be a cowboy. And he’s doing quite well as a haberdasher’s apprentice right now.”

  There was another round of laughter as they thought of the young dandy Jack had become. He had been a regular attendee of the monthly dances held with the boys from the monastery. At first he and his sister would take time to catch up on each other’s news, but over time Jack’s interest in his sister, while still brotherly and affectionate, was supplanted by the attention he devoted to Gracie.

  Clara didn’t really mind. Gracie had become a good friend and had a loving nature. But while she could manage most chores with competence, she had exhibited no special talents which would make her useful as a servant or shopkeeper’s assistant. Most of the sisters agreed marriage to Jack, now that his wages were sufficient to support a family, would be an ideal outcome for the couple.

  Sister Bridget commented that she did not believe either Kathleen or Maria would be good candidates. They were still at the orphanage because they lacked maturity, and someone setting off on an adventure like this would need to have her wits about her. Both girls had secured decent jobs, one as a waitress in a family café, and the other as a daily help for a growing family.

  “I believe Maria also has a young man courting her,” she added.

  Mother Evangeline ticked those names on her list and scratched a brief note next to each before she looked up.

  “We will need to pursue safe housing arrangements, preferably boarding houses with reliable matrons to provide that option, but I believe each of the girls should be allowed to think about all the choices being presented. Many of them may have no interest whatsoever in leaving this town. It is what they know.

  “And while for some this may be a unique chance to possibly better their lives, it could also prove to be a nightmare of the unknown. We may find that none of them wishes to go.”

  Sister Benedicta nodded her head thoughtfully. “Considering some of their backgrounds, I suspect the sense of adventure has been drummed out of them a bit. But I confess to being intrigued at the possibilities!”

  Sister Frances had remained silent, carefully following the discussion. Now she spoke up.

  “You know, Sisters, I think you are somewhat underestimating our charges. I’ve watched them grow from frightened and timid waifs to poised and self-confident young women under our tutelage. It has been as much for our own convenience as theirs that we’ve allowed some of the older girls to remain with
us. Their maturity is a good example for the younger girls.

  “While I do not agree with the extremes to which the Board has gone, I think we need to balance security against complacency. We do rather cocoon the girls.”

  Laughing at the somewhat shocked and then chagrined looks being exchanged, Sister Frances added, “I mollycoddle them myself. So many have overcome such hardships! But look how resilient most of them have become!”

  Sister Bridget nodded. “Yes, even poor Emily has improved immeasurably, although I doubt she’ll ever be able to manage on her own.”

  “At least we have several years before we need worry about that. But will her sister go off without her?” Sister Benedicta spoke with concern.

  Mother Evangeline brought the threads of the conversation to a close. “I would gather we all concur that including my brother’s proposal should be included in the options we discuss with the girls.” Heads nodded in agreement.

  “And your thoughts on whether to approach them as a group or invite them individually?”

  Sister Agatha spoke up.

  “You know, dear, these young ladies will immediately talk to the others as soon as they leave your office. I think it would be best to have them all in at once. I suspect some of them may have ideas which we haven’t even considered.”

  “Thank you, Agatha. That is what I thought too, but wished to have your input on the matter. So we are agreed that all of the eligible young women be ask to join us so we can explain the proposal?” More nods.

  “I suggest,” Sister Benedicta put in, “that we make it a somewhat social occasion and provide tea and cakes. The rumors have been flying around about the Board’s new edicts, and you must know that the girls are somewhat panicked that they will be thrown onto the streets. I think for us to assure them that if they are not part of this group heading west, we will ensure they have proper lodgings and positions and not turn them loose on their own would reassure them greatly.”