Chapter 20 #2
“I’m not going to hurt you. But I do have an idea of where you can go to get a job and a place to stay.
Come with me.” Travis told them and made sure they were following him.
He took them to Mavis and her resale store.
Martha, Mavis’s older daughter was going away to teacher school in two weeks.
She would only have one daughter left. It was going to be very hard on Mavis to run her store by herself with only Mary to help her.
Eliza could be the answer to her dilemma.
He took her to the large barn and called Mavis over.
“Good morning, Travis. Who have you got here and how can I help you?” Mavis was never one to beat around the bush.
“This is Eliza Jane and her brother Jute. They just came in on the morning train. They need a job, a place to stay, and someone to make sure they get fed. I thought with Martha leaving, Eliza could help you in the store cleaning, unloading the big teamster wagons with Mary, and even helping with cleaning and cooking in your little home. Jute can chop wood, run errands, and help around the store as well. You can make them two mattresses with sheets filled with grass and they can sleep in the loft of the barn. Put up a blanket to give them some privacy, they can get some clothes from your resale store, give them a bath, and they’ll be ready to go to work. What do you think?” Travis asked her.
Mavis looked the two thin young people over.
“I think it’ll work, or at least I’m ready to give them a shot.
Thanks for thinking about me.” She turned to Eliza and Jute and put out her hand.
“My name is Mavis Loewen. We’re going to give you each a bath, some food, and some different clothes to wear.
We’re going to make some mattresses for you to sleep on, give you some blankets, quilts to keep you warm at night, and put up a blanket for privacy.
Would you consent to go to work for me and live here? ”
Eliza couldn’t agree fast enough to go to work for this kind woman. Having a bath and clean clothes was too much to hope for. “Yes, ma’am. We won’t let you down. Jute and me will work real hard for you.” Eliza told her and Mavis saw tears come to her eyes.
“I feel that you will. My oldest daughter is going to teacher’s college in a few weeks, and I’ll really need help around here and in my kitchen making food for all of us to eat. How are you at cooking?” Mavis asked her.
“I worked in the kitchen on the plantation. I can make bread, meat, biscuits, grits, you tell me what you want to eat, and I can make it for you and your daughters.” Eliza told her quietly.
“Perfect. Sometimes I get so busy in the store, I don’t have the time to make bread or start dinner.
It will work out very well to just send you to the kitchen to cook or bake what we will eat today.
I love that I won’t have to teach you to even boil water!
My niece stayed here for a while, and she was a mess.
She didn’t even know how to brush her own hair.
” Mavis told her and Eliza nodded. She had seen young ladies who had been so pampered that they lived like that.
“Now, let’s get you both some clothes, a hot bath, some food, and those mattresses made. ”
She was a whirlwind getting them each some clothes.
Not just one dress…but three! Never had Eliza ever had anything but the clothes on her back to wear, and this kind lady was giving her three dresses to wear, chemises, bloomers, petticoats, socks, and even shoes to wear!
Then she found a coat for her and a bonnet, too.
She found the same things for Jute…three pairs of pants, three shirts, a pair of suspenders, three pair of long johns, socks, a pair of shoes, a jacket, and a hat.
They picked up blankets, quilts, sheets, pillowcases, a rope, and towels.
Eliza and Jute couldn’t believe it. They just carried whatever Mavis gave them to hold.
She even gave Eliza a brush to use on their hair.
They carried everything upstairs to the loft.
It was clean and smelled good. She took the two sheets back downstairs to start sewing and making them into mattresses.
She also started heating up water for the bath she was making the two young people take. She also made them both sandwiches.
Eliza and Jute almost inhaled the sandwiches, so Mavis made them another one.
By then, the bath was ready and she told Eliza to go first and to wash her hair too.
She heard her sigh as she slipped into the hot water and started scrubbing her skin and hair.
Jute didn’t talk to her, but he was sure looking around her little home.
Mavis was sewing as she watched for customers.
As soon as Eliza came out, she had Jute go in to take his bath.
She had Eliza sit down as soon as she was dry and she cut off some of her hair that was so matted that they’d never get it untangled.
By the time she was done, it was a lot shorter, but it looked very nice and curled around her face and head becomingly.
Then, she got dressed in her new clothes and shoes.
She felt like a new woman. Mavis did the same thing to Jute.
He almost didn’t recognize himself in the mirror when she held it up to see himself.
She gave them the sheets to fill up with grass and clover for their mattresses.
Eliza and Jute took off behind the barn to get it done. They would do anything for this kind woman who gave them food, clean clothes, and a whole new start in life.