New York, August, 1931.
"Another day, another job interview, and chances are another rejection." Eliza muttered to herself, as she walked towards the place specified in the paper. "But then maybe I'm being a bit ambitious in applying for positions I am..." But she knew that this didn't matter too much now that she had the money. Now she could be a little more selective and apply only for the positions she wanted. Not like many of the other people who were so desperate they would apply for anything. She stopped out the front of 124 88th Street, and checked the add in the paper she held in her hand. This was the place by the look of it. But she was surprised not to see the usual long line of applicants. With a shrug, she took a deep breath and went inside.
In the hallway three other women sat, all older than Eliza. One had to have been about fifty, the youngest was perhaps thirty-five. Eliza smiled politely at them. "I guess we wait here?" She asked.
The oldest one snorted. "Great, a genius. We all better be worried girls."
The others laughed, and Eliza felt her face redden. Nonetheless she sat down on the empty seat, and smoothed her clothes.
"Listen why don't you go home to Mummy and Daddy and leave a job like this for people who really need it?" The oldest woman asked Eliza.
"What's to say I don't need this job also?" Eliza asked calmly.
"Oh come on child-how old are you anyway eighteen, nineteen?" The oldest woman asked.
"I'm twenty-five." Eliza said. "And I don't actually have parents. They died when I was very young, so really, I need this job as much as any of you do!"
The younger of the three women snorted. "So what did you do? Steal those clothes? Because let me tell you girl, you look like a little rich girl."
Eliza didn't reply. Instead she sat there in silence. The three women resumed their discussion, and soon enough the oldest of the three was called in for her interview. After she'd gone the younger of the three said to the other "I hope she doesn't get this job-for the sake of the children mind you. Imagine having a bitter, sour woman like that in charge of children." "Yes, she does seem pretty unhappy." The other woman replied.
Eventually it was Eliza's turn to be interviewed. She was to be interviewed by both a man and a woman.
"Sit down, please sit down." The man offered, and Eliza sat down, trying not to be too nervous.
"So, tell me Eliza-have you worked with children before?" The man asked.
"Yes, after school I obtained a position in New York, working under a Mrs. Neville where I began to learn to be a governess. I was there for about five months. When the family left for Europe I then obtained a position in New Hampshire, where I worked for a further three years before the children both began to attend school and I was no longer needed. I then returned to Philadelphia, and spent the next seven years working for my guardian and his wife, as a maid and governess. However after an unfortunate accident my guardian is dead, and the others have returned to England." Eliza said.
"Good, good." said the man. "You said your guardian correct?"
"Yes Sir, my parents died when I was only six." Eliza explained. "I was fortunately taken in by a rich man as an act of charity."
"So you're an orphan then?" The woman said thoughtfully. "I guess that would mean you'd be able to understand how it would feel to be an orphan."
Eliza hesitated. Sure there had been times when she thought about her parents, but because Cal was looking after her so well she hadn't really ever felt like a complete orphan. Except, of course, when she thought about how the rest of the society viewed her. "Yes. Yes, I do." Eliza said.
"Well Eliza, we'll be letting you know soon whether or not you get the job. If you do get it you'll be expected to move in here and begin straight away." The man said.
*****
"How do you think it went dear?" Mrs. Hays asked that night. Ever since she and Eliza had spoken about the Titanic they'd gotten on a lot better.
"I don't know. "Eliza admitted. "I've been through so many interviews I don't have a clue anymore."
Mrs. Hays smiled. "Well something will turn up soon enough dear, I'm sure of it." And then she frowned slightly. "I was speaking to a friend the other day, and you won't believe this, but apparently Melanie Hockley has a new man in her life. And with Cal dying only in January!"
Eliza frowned, but decided to be as polite as she could. "Well Melanie's the sort of person who needs a man in her life." She said with a sigh.
"Maybe so, but society are talking." Mrs. Hays said.
"Society always talk." Eliza said bitterly.
"Indeed, indeed." Mrs. Hays agreed. "I usually ignore the whole gossip thing, but I thought you might be interested in knowing this."
"Hmmm." Eliza replied.
*****
"ELIZA!" Mrs. Hays called. "There is a man at the door for you dear!"
Eliza frowned, wondering who on earth the man could be, and hurried down the stairs. "Yes?" She asked the young man.
"I've come with a message from the New York State Orphanage on 88th street. You've been given the job to run the orphanage." He said formally.
Eliza stared at him in shock. She hadn't really thought she was qualified to be in charge of forty orphans, but obviously she was! "I have?" She asked. "I've been given the job?"
"Yes..." The young man said, looking at her strangely.
"YAY!" Eliza cried, and then she hugged him briefly, and then hugged Mrs. Hays who was laughing at the girl's antics. Finally, something had gone right for her!
"Another day, another job interview, and chances are another rejection." Eliza muttered to herself, as she walked towards the place specified in the paper. "But then maybe I'm being a bit ambitious in applying for positions I am..." But she knew that this didn't matter too much now that she had the money. Now she could be a little more selective and apply only for the positions she wanted. Not like many of the other people who were so desperate they would apply for anything. She stopped out the front of 124 88th Street, and checked the add in the paper she held in her hand. This was the place by the look of it. But she was surprised not to see the usual long line of applicants. With a shrug, she took a deep breath and went inside.
In the hallway three other women sat, all older than Eliza. One had to have been about fifty, the youngest was perhaps thirty-five. Eliza smiled politely at them. "I guess we wait here?" She asked.
The oldest one snorted. "Great, a genius. We all better be worried girls."
The others laughed, and Eliza felt her face redden. Nonetheless she sat down on the empty seat, and smoothed her clothes.
"Listen why don't you go home to Mummy and Daddy and leave a job like this for people who really need it?" The oldest woman asked Eliza.
"What's to say I don't need this job also?" Eliza asked calmly.
"Oh come on child-how old are you anyway eighteen, nineteen?" The oldest woman asked.
"I'm twenty-five." Eliza said. "And I don't actually have parents. They died when I was very young, so really, I need this job as much as any of you do!"
The younger of the three women snorted. "So what did you do? Steal those clothes? Because let me tell you girl, you look like a little rich girl."
Eliza didn't reply. Instead she sat there in silence. The three women resumed their discussion, and soon enough the oldest of the three was called in for her interview. After she'd gone the younger of the three said to the other "I hope she doesn't get this job-for the sake of the children mind you. Imagine having a bitter, sour woman like that in charge of children." "Yes, she does seem pretty unhappy." The other woman replied.
Eventually it was Eliza's turn to be interviewed. She was to be interviewed by both a man and a woman.
"Sit down, please sit down." The man offered, and Eliza sat down, trying not to be too nervous.
"So, tell me Eliza-have you worked with children before?" The man asked.
"Yes, after school I obtained a position in New York, working under a Mrs. Neville where I began to learn to be a governess. I was there for about five months. When the family left for Europe I then obtained a position in New Hampshire, where I worked for a further three years before the children both began to attend school and I was no longer needed. I then returned to Philadelphia, and spent the next seven years working for my guardian and his wife, as a maid and governess. However after an unfortunate accident my guardian is dead, and the others have returned to England." Eliza said.
"Good, good." said the man. "You said your guardian correct?"
"Yes Sir, my parents died when I was only six." Eliza explained. "I was fortunately taken in by a rich man as an act of charity."
"So you're an orphan then?" The woman said thoughtfully. "I guess that would mean you'd be able to understand how it would feel to be an orphan."
Eliza hesitated. Sure there had been times when she thought about her parents, but because Cal was looking after her so well she hadn't really ever felt like a complete orphan. Except, of course, when she thought about how the rest of the society viewed her. "Yes. Yes, I do." Eliza said.
"Well Eliza, we'll be letting you know soon whether or not you get the job. If you do get it you'll be expected to move in here and begin straight away." The man said.
*****
"How do you think it went dear?" Mrs. Hays asked that night. Ever since she and Eliza had spoken about the Titanic they'd gotten on a lot better.
"I don't know. "Eliza admitted. "I've been through so many interviews I don't have a clue anymore."
Mrs. Hays smiled. "Well something will turn up soon enough dear, I'm sure of it." And then she frowned slightly. "I was speaking to a friend the other day, and you won't believe this, but apparently Melanie Hockley has a new man in her life. And with Cal dying only in January!"
Eliza frowned, but decided to be as polite as she could. "Well Melanie's the sort of person who needs a man in her life." She said with a sigh.
"Maybe so, but society are talking." Mrs. Hays said.
"Society always talk." Eliza said bitterly.
"Indeed, indeed." Mrs. Hays agreed. "I usually ignore the whole gossip thing, but I thought you might be interested in knowing this."
"Hmmm." Eliza replied.
*****
"ELIZA!" Mrs. Hays called. "There is a man at the door for you dear!"
Eliza frowned, wondering who on earth the man could be, and hurried down the stairs. "Yes?" She asked the young man.
"I've come with a message from the New York State Orphanage on 88th street. You've been given the job to run the orphanage." He said formally.
Eliza stared at him in shock. She hadn't really thought she was qualified to be in charge of forty orphans, but obviously she was! "I have?" She asked. "I've been given the job?"
"Yes..." The young man said, looking at her strangely.
"YAY!" Eliza cried, and then she hugged him briefly, and then hugged Mrs. Hays who was laughing at the girl's antics. Finally, something had gone right for her!