The Daughters of Julian Dane

by Lucile McCluskey

  “Me, too,” Mattie declared. I sure enjoyed helping you do that house up, Della. We made a good size dent in all that stuff on the fourth floor.”

  “Oh, Miss Mattie, did you notice a long, narrow table turned upside down up there? I keep walking through it. William is going to need a table for the summer kitchen. It looked like it would seat about six people.”

  “I know which one you mean. It’s the table that used to be in the summer Kitchen for Miss Willy and me to work on. The top is sort of messed up, but a table cloth would take care of that. And, Addie, I don’t mind helping William with his cooking, or even doing it for him.”

  “Oh, no, Miss Mattie. I appreciate your offer, and I thank you for fixing supper for everybody last night. That was awfully good of you, but I won’t let you be doing for all these people I am bringing into the mansion.”

  “Well, I’ll help out anytime you need me.”

  Della and Addie thanked her for that, and Della said, “Mattie, if Addie causes you any trouble, just give me a ring.”

  “Della, I’m so glad to have her, she can cause me all the trouble she wants to.” All three laughed, and Mattie said, “I hear the elevator. I’ve plenty of breakfast for William and his people, so I’ll be getting it together.”

  “And I’m going to be leaving as soon as Addie helps me load up all this food,” Della said.

  As soon as her mother had left, Addie told Miss Mattie she’d be seeing Mr. Sully Morgan and would let her know what he had to say of her prospects of having a dinner club, and she thanked her for not mentioning it to her mother just yet. Then she told her about Judy Arnold and her organ. Mattie was delighted with the prospects of having an organist, with her own organ, should the dinner club become a reality.

  She greeted William when he came into the kitchen and asked him to make a list after he had seen the summer kitchen, and she’d go to the store for him later in the day. Then she made her necessary phone calls and left for Sully Morgan’s office.

  “Addie! My favorite girlfriend,” Sully exclaimed when she appeared in his office doorway. “Have I got news for you? There’s nothing like imparting good news. Sit down, sit down. Have a Jelly Belly. Any color – all delicious.”

  She didn’t really want one since she had just finished Miss Mattie’s good breakfast, but she took one to please him. She really liked this man. She felt so comfortable with him, like she’d known him for a long time, like she could tell him anything.

  “Our trolleys are set,” he announced with delight. Have a few papers here for you to sign, and we’ll need to find some drivers to train, and chart out our routes. I have to tell you that every member of the City Council was overjoyed with the idea, and I didn’t have to grease a single palm. Of course, that’s because the Mayor is out of town. Do you have any idea of where you want them to run?”

  He was really excited, she thought. “Just where they’ll do the most good for the most people,” she answered just as excited. “And Mr. Sully, thank you. I can’t believe it was that easy. Oh, I’m so excited. I can’t wait to get to ride one. Do you think the people will like them?”

  “You’ll like them, and I’ll like them. What’s there not to like about them? I want to go see them. And you don’t owe me any thanks. I don’t know when I’ve enjoyed an evening so much. I wish you could have been there,” he added, looking at her with a twinkle in his bright, blue eyes. “And you know, I think I know just the man to map out our routes for us. Of course, you understand you’ll only be able to put three of them on the streets.”

  “Why? I have four.”

  “I know you do, my dear, but think about it. Once we start running them, the people will depend on them to get them to work, or wherever they’re going, and on time. If one breaks down, you have to have a standby to take its place.”

  “Oh. I hadn’t thought about that. Will three be enough?”

  “That’s something we’ll have to determine once the routes are mapped out. And I think Fuzzy Kinnard can help us determine that also. Fuzzy used to be a cab driver until he developed some kind of eye problem and had to have several surgeries. He knows this town better than anybody. We’ll need to pay him for his help. He and his family have had a hard time lately. They work cleaning offices now, and they clean here twice a week, Elinor tells me. There is just him and his wife and daughter. They don’t have much work, but it keeps food on the table and the rent paid. They lost their home due to medical bills and him not being able to work for so long. They live in the slums. Just wish I could get them out of there. His eyesight wouldn’t allow him to drive for us.”

  “Of course we’ll pay him, and I know what you mean about wanting to get people out of the slums. There’s a family I want out too. Hey! I just thought of something! There is an apartment upstairs at the old fire hall. Wouldn’t that be better than what they’re living in, in the slums?”

  Sully looked at Addie as if she didn’t know what she was talking about.

  “The trolleys are stored in the old fire hall. You know that. And there is two big, clean rooms upstairs there with two bathrooms, and each of them has two of everything in them. And there’s a place where the firemen had a kitchen in a corner downstairs, Wylene said.”

  “Addie! You’re a genius! That’s the solution to the next problem I was going to bring up. The fire hall can serve as a transfer station – a place where people could transfer from one trolley going in one direction to one going in another. You’ll have to have someone to take care of the station and keep track of the trolleys when they’re out on their runs – to make sure everything runs on time. You see?”

  “Sure. And a place where people can get a trolley when they’re downtown.”

  “Right. But I can’t say I like the neighborhood the fire hall is in – right across the street from the slums. But who knows? That might be changed too. I’m beginning to believe in miracles. How about you?”

  “Always,” she answered. “I wish they didn’t have to be there too, but that was the only place big enough for them, and they have to be placed in there just so-so, or it’s not big enough. Friends of mine who live just across the street from the fire hall are watching out for the trolleys for me. If Mr. Kinnard and his family wanted to move into the apartment, do you think they could do it soon?”

  “Well, they wouldn’t be moving out of the slum neighborhood, but it would be clean, and rat and roach free ...”

  “Oh, yes. The whole building is almost sparking clean. I wouldn’t put my nice new trolleys in it until it was.”

  “I’ll talk to Fuzzy tonight and let you know. Now is there anything else I can do for you while I’m getting the trolleys on the road? Anymore dragons I can slay for my fair damsel?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  A little surprised, he said, “Just name it. I’m at your service.”

  Addie hesitated, wondering how he was going to react to what she was going to say in answer to his question. But she might as well say it and get it over with. “I need to know if I can have a child- care center on the first floor at Stonegate, and a dinner club on the second floor, and a nursing home on the third and probably the fourth floor.”

  The man stared at Addie almost in shock. Then asked after a thoughtful moment, “You want to know, Addie, or does someone else want to know?”

  Addie didn’t know how to answer him, and she was a little irked that he should question her. She certainly couldn’t tell him about grandpa. Finally, she said, “Mr. Sully, I own Stonegate according to Mr. Cutler. He says I can’t keep it because it cost too much to keep up – as it is. I like Stonegate, and I want to keep it. And Riverbend is my town, but, if people keep moving away because they don’t have jobs – well, it won’t be anybody’s town before long. So, I want to use Stonegate to help this town – to give the people of Riverbend jobs.”

  Sully looked at Addie seriously, then, “And I admire you for that, but you didn’t really answer my question. This is not the reasoning of a sixteen year ol
d young lady. Do you want to tell me who is advising you?”

  “Yes, Sir. But I can’t.”

  “I see. Well, I just hope you, and this other person or persons knows what you’re doing. I’ll do everything that I can to help you have, lets see, what was it – a child- care center, a dinner club, and a nursing home? Now, is there anything else?” he asked in a very business like tone of voice that Addie wasn’t sure she cared for, but he had asked, so he was going to get it.

  “Yes, Sir. I want to tear down the old hotel and build a new one.” There. She had said it. And she waited while he sat in silence – just looking at her blankly. Was he about to laugh? He’d better not.

  Then quietly, he said, “You want to tear down the hotel and build another one. That is what you said, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, Sir,” she answered just as quietly.

  “Addie, you’re talking about a lot of money here. Do you realize that, and does the person advising you realize it?”

  All she could answer was, “That’s what banks are for, Mr. Sully.”

  “Humm,” he said rubbing his chin. “You’ve got me there.”

  “What do you think my chances are for having the dinner club, and all?”

  “I’ll have to check the zoning laws. But since Stonegate is situated in an area all by itself – you own it- you want it zoned for these businesses – I don’t see why not. But of course, it’s not up to me. I’ll talk to a few people and get back with you.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Sully, and there’s one other thing.”

  He sat with a ‘what now’ expression on his face, and Addie smiled real big. “I know a Mr. Mitchell who used to drive a truck for the clock factory. He needs a job real bad. Do you think he could drive a trolley?”

  With relief, Sully said, “Sounds good. Perhaps he’ll know other drivers. Send him to see me. How many drivers we’ll need will depend on how many hours you plan to run them each day, and how many days a week. We can decide that after we get Fuzzy’s report.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Sully. I do appreciate all you’re doing for me, and don’t forget I intend to pay you – anytime.”

  At this, Sully did laugh.

  Addie was soon headed for the slums to see her friend Wylene. She found her sitting on the steps of the shack where she lived, the left side of her face very swollen. Her own face was no longer swollen, but a good bruise was appearing, but what had happened to Wylene? So she asked.

  “Actually, Girlfriend, it’s your fault.”

  Had Bud hit her because of the wreck to his truck? She wondered. “What did I do?” She exclaimed.

  “It’s those trolleys of yours. Word has gotten out, and twice we’ve had to run off hoodlums trying to break into the fire hall. Dad says the bunch he ran off, yesterday morning, is the same ones I had to run off late last night. One of them decided to take me on, until another one yelled, ‘That’s big Bud’s woman!’ Then they ran, but, Addie, they’ll be back, and they’ll get in sooner or later, and there’s no telling what damage they’ll so. We can’t watch them for you twenty-four hours a day. You’ll have to get somebody more capable of protecting them than we are.”

  “Oh, Wylene, I’m so sorry.” She had taken a seat beside her friend. “I do appreciate all your help and I am going to pay your family for watching out for the trolleys for me. I may have a solution to the problem, but I’ve come to see your mother and daddy. Are they here?”

  “No. I’m watching Billy. Mom had a cleaning job, and dad is out looking. What do you want to see them about?”

  “I wanted to see if your dad would be interested in training to drive a trolley car. I’m sure Mr. Sully will pay the drivers while they’re training.”

  “You’re serious?”

  “Of course, I am.”

  “This is weird. Just before dad left to take mom to her job, his friend, who drove for the clock factory with dad, had stopped by, and dad told him about the trolleys. They both wanted me to ask you if you’d be hiring drivers?”

  “Great! Tell them to go see Mr. Sully Morgan. He’s an attorney in the old post office building. I mentioned your dad to him just a few minutes ago.”

  “Oh, Addie. That would be an answer to prayer. My dad is getting so discouraged.”

  “I hope it works out for him, and I wanted to talk to your mom about the possibility of running a day- care center for children. I don’t know for sure yet if there’s going to be one. Mr. Sully is going to see if it’s possible to have one at Stonegate? And if it is, I’m sure the first thing he’ll ask is who is going to run it?”

  Wylene looked at Addie as though she couldn’t believe her. “Boy! Are you full of surprises today? Girlfriend! My mom would like nothing better than to operate a day care center. She keeps saying if we had a decent place to live, she could keep children. But this is all we can afford.”

  “Then, will you talk to your parents for me?”

  “You better believe it! I can’t wait for them to get home!”

  “Be sure your mother knows that I won’t know for certain – for how long, I don’t know – but I’ll let her know just as soon as I know. And, Wylene, I’m sorry about your face, but I thought at first, that Bud had hit you for wrecking his truck.”

  Wylene laughed. “Are you kidding? He’s even sorry he got so upset over it. Said he should have been giving thanks that I wasn’t hurt. Now he wants to get the wedding date moved up. Wants us to get married just as soon as school is out. That would give us just over six weeks to find a place to live, and a place to get married.”

  To Addie, that sounded wonderful, and she was happy for her friend.

  “Our church is held in the basement of the preacher’s house – certainly no place for a wedding. I want a nice wedding, a real church wedding with flowers and candles – everything I can’t afford.” She was looking at Addie. “What? Why are you looking at me like that? What did I say?”

  “Church! You said ‘church’.”

  “Of course I said ‘church’. Churches are where people do get married. What’s wrong with that?”

  Addie held up her hand. “I’m thinking,” she said. The gatekeeper’s cottage and the three efficiencies over the garages. Miss Mattie said they had been used for hired help and were nicely furnished. And the Kinnards. If she could just get them to move into the fire hall apartment right away, the Mitchels could move to Stonegate. She took Wylene’s hand, “I may have a solution we can work on to both of your problems.”

  “You’re kidding! Tell me what you’re thinking. Work is my middle name. I don’t mind doing any kind of work to get what I want.”

  Then she told Wylene what she had been thinking as to a place to live. “The cottage has only one bedroom, but it has a sofa bed in the living room which is a good size. The kitchen and eating area are in the right end of the room. And with you living in one of the efficiencies...”

  Wylene jumped up. “Girl, what’s wrong with you? Don’t you know we’d move from this dump if we could afford to? But a place like Stonegate?”

  Wylene was angry. And Addie was sorry. “Wylene, listen to me. I haven’t said anything about money ...”

  “We don’t take charity!” the girl announced, her face right in Addie’s.

  “Wylene, listen to me! Please! Mr. Sully said he didn’t see any reason why I couldn’t have the child- care center, but there will be a lot of work to do beforehand that I will need your mother’s help with. You don’t have to pay any rent, but if that’s the way you want it, you can. But only what you pay here.”

  “I assure you, that’s the only way! We pay our way in this lousy world regardless of how hard we have to do it!”

  “I’m sorry if I offended you in any way. I wouldn’t do that for anything. We’re friends, and I don’t have many friends. I need your friendship. Please accept my apology.”

  “Aw, Addie,” Wylene said shaking her head. “I know you’d never deliberately offend anybody. And I do appreciate all you’re offering to do for us, a
nd I just pray that it all works out for us as well as for you. And I have to tell you that Bud gave me the money he charged for moving the furniture and taking the boards off the windows. He even filled in the nail holes and painted over them. I figure I have enough to buy a good used riding mower, and maybe Billy and I can get some yards to mow.”

  “Oh, boy! Wait ‘til Miss Mattie hears that! If you want grass to mow, we have acres of it at Stonegate. She is real done out with the people who have been doing the mowing. She said they have gone up on their price and down on their service. It seems they have hired new people who never show up to work, and don’t seem to know what they’re doing. So, see! One more reason I need you and your family to move to Stonegate.” she said smiling at her friend.

  Wylene looked at Addie for several seconds. “Girl,” she said, “you drive in here, and out of the clear blue sky, you give my dad the hopes of a job and my mother hopes of a business to run, you offer us a decent place to live, and you give Billy and me work to do. Now, before I find out I have died and gone to Heaven, I want to know what happened? One day you’re about as penniless as I am, and the next day you’re dressed in expensive clothes, driving a nice car, even if it is smashed in on one side, you’re living at Stonegate, and you own four trolley cars. You’ve been spending money like it’s going out of style. Now give!” she demanded.

  Addie sat back down on the steps, and Wylene followed. She really didn’t want to answer Wylene just yet, but she supposed she had to for the girl to take her serious. “Wylene, I came into an inheritance.” She looked at the surprised girl. “Actually, I own Stonegate, but I don’t want people to know it before I have to.”

  Wylene sat there speechless. Then, “Am I supposed to believe you?” she asked just above a whisper.

  Addie nodded her head and waited.

  “Well, I, uh, guess I do, but I can’t believe it.” Then they both laughed.

  “I know. It’s hard for me to believe too.” Then she remembered the church. “I also own a church! At least I think I do. I just have to see if the key fits the door. And a parsonage – a neat little white house. And the church has rose bushes under the windows.”