few—”
Mr. Jenks was forced to wait while the cheers filled the room again. Some girls pulled forth papers from hidden spots, like pockets, wrist purses, and bodices, and waved them in the air as they hooted. Kathleen even saw one girl raise her skirts and withdraw a paper from her stockings.
When the calls subsided, Mr. Jenks continued. “You will all need to see me. I will post a list with your name and the date and time that you are to appear. Please, try to keep the appointment. It will be most difficult to reschedule and could put your situation in jeopardy.
“You all have your room assignments. I know they are crowded but”—he stopped to smile—“you have good mates. We will do all we can to make the voyage as pleasant for you as possible.
“Now, I do have many duties to see to, so if you will excuse me. Please, feel free to stay and enjoy yourselves as long as you wish. The gentlemen here will be glad to serve you. And will show you back to your cabins, should you need assistance.” He surveyed the group one more time and then added, “Good-day.”
Mr. Jenks bowed and left the room to the cheers of the women.
Kathleen stood looking about her. Many of them were still on the floor. Some were even playfully rolling around, their skirts carelessly flying about them. Kathleen felt a little sick. Was this the kind of girl who “sold” herself to a man in America? Whatever had she done?
Her face blanched pale and she reached out to clutch Erma’s hand.
“I—I’d like to go to the cabin,” she managed to whisper. “Could—could you show me the way?”
Erma looked at her and her gray eyes widened. “Are you sick?” she asked anxiously.
“I—I think so,” responded Kathleen. “I—I—”
But Erma waited no longer. She took the glass, still filled, from Kathleen’s hand and set in on the table. It was promptly grabbed by another hand even before Kathleen could turn away.
Gently Erma led Kathleen toward the cabin. She did not rush. Kathleen had no trouble keeping up to the other girl as she limped along beside her.
“Here we are,” said Erma as she opened the cabin door with the key she withdrew from her bodice. “Just you lie down, lovey, and get some rest. The feel of the sea is strange to some. I grew up with it—so I never give it a second thought.”
“It’s not the sea,” responded Kathleen before she thought to check her tongue.
Erma’s face showed concern. “Something else, then? Do you have a sickness that you didn’t confess?”
All the girls had been grilled about their health.
“Oh no,” quickly responded Kathleen. “I’m fine—truly. It was just—just—well I’m not used to such—such bawdy behavior. I—I—”
“Oh that,” said Erma with a careless shrug.
“It was—was—oh, Erma, is that the kind of woman they expect us to be?”
“Now don’t you go judging too harshly,” said Erma firmly. “It’s all—well, it’s just a—a cover for their real feelings.”
Kathleen could only stare.
Erma reached out a hand to give Kathleen a boost up on to her bunk. It was too close to the cabin ceiling. Kathleen felt as if she would soon be gasping for air, but she tried to calm her unsettled nerves. Erma sat down on the lowest bunk opposite and studied her hands in her lap before lifting her eyes to Kathleen again.
“We—we might not have come from the best—best circumstances,” Erma began, “but at least we knew where we fit. Now—well, now everything will be different—new—rather—rather scary. For all of us. Oh, we know where we are going. The name of some unknown town. We know if we are to marry a farmer or a rancher or a hotel owner or—” She stopped and shrugged.
“We have been given a piece of paper with a name on it. Maybe a little information. Height, weight, age, coloring. Maybe not even that. But what do we really know? Does he have a temper? Is he quite sane? Will he make unheard-of demands? Use his fists? Drink too
Mr. Jenks was forced to wait while the cheers filled the room again. Some girls pulled forth papers from hidden spots, like pockets, wrist purses, and bodices, and waved them in the air as they hooted. Kathleen even saw one girl raise her skirts and withdraw a paper from her stockings.
When the calls subsided, Mr. Jenks continued. “You will all need to see me. I will post a list with your name and the date and time that you are to appear. Please, try to keep the appointment. It will be most difficult to reschedule and could put your situation in jeopardy.
“You all have your room assignments. I know they are crowded but”—he stopped to smile—“you have good mates. We will do all we can to make the voyage as pleasant for you as possible.
“Now, I do have many duties to see to, so if you will excuse me. Please, feel free to stay and enjoy yourselves as long as you wish. The gentlemen here will be glad to serve you. And will show you back to your cabins, should you need assistance.” He surveyed the group one more time and then added, “Good-day.”
Mr. Jenks bowed and left the room to the cheers of the women.
Kathleen stood looking about her. Many of them were still on the floor. Some were even playfully rolling around, their skirts carelessly flying about them. Kathleen felt a little sick. Was this the kind of girl who “sold” herself to a man in America? Whatever had she done?
Her face blanched pale and she reached out to clutch Erma’s hand.
“I—I’d like to go to the cabin,” she managed to whisper. “Could—could you show me the way?”
Erma looked at her and her gray eyes widened. “Are you sick?” she asked anxiously.
“I—I think so,” responded Kathleen. “I—I—”
But Erma waited no longer. She took the glass, still filled, from Kathleen’s hand and set in on the table. It was promptly grabbed by another hand even before Kathleen could turn away.
Gently Erma led Kathleen toward the cabin. She did not rush. Kathleen had no trouble keeping up to the other girl as she limped along beside her.
“Here we are,” said Erma as she opened the cabin door with the key she withdrew from her bodice. “Just you lie down, lovey, and get some rest. The feel of the sea is strange to some. I grew up with it—so I never give it a second thought.”
“It’s not the sea,” responded Kathleen before she thought to check her tongue.
Erma’s face showed concern. “Something else, then? Do you have a sickness that you didn’t confess?”
All the girls had been grilled about their health.
“Oh no,” quickly responded Kathleen. “I’m fine—truly. It was just—just—well I’m not used to such—such bawdy behavior. I—I—”
“Oh that,” said Erma with a careless shrug.
“It was—was—oh, Erma, is that the kind of woman they expect us to be?”
“Now don’t you go judging too harshly,” said Erma firmly. “It’s all—well, it’s just a—a cover for their real feelings.”
Kathleen could only stare.
Erma reached out a hand to give Kathleen a boost up on to her bunk. It was too close to the cabin ceiling. Kathleen felt as if she would soon be gasping for air, but she tried to calm her unsettled nerves. Erma sat down on the lowest bunk opposite and studied her hands in her lap before lifting her eyes to Kathleen again.
“We—we might not have come from the best—best circumstances,” Erma began, “but at least we knew where we fit. Now—well, now everything will be different—new—rather—rather scary. For all of us. Oh, we know where we are going. The name of some unknown town. We know if we are to marry a farmer or a rancher or a hotel owner or—” She stopped and shrugged.
“We have been given a piece of paper with a name on it. Maybe a little information. Height, weight, age, coloring. Maybe not even that. But what do we really know? Does he have a temper? Is he quite sane? Will he make unheard-of demands? Use his fists? Drink too
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