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 Richardson 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 the young ladies 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 Richardson, 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 hoped! 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.
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 advisory 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 had 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 being 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 they could 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
