CHAPTER VIII.
There is nothing that gives a better opportunity for friendship than for people to be thrown together in some interesting work or undertaking.
A great deal has been written about love affairs that were started on board ship but the society had broken the record, for it, unlike the short passage on the ocean, had been continuous. The men and women have had an opportunity to learn more about each other. It raised the standard in each sex. Each became independent of the other financially, therefore real love matches were the result. Men’s responsibility were being shared by their wives, and they were not so afraid to venture on the matrimonial journey. One thing, they are not so likely to step into it without preparation. Paul Arling was becoming fond of Scoris Vivian, but he felt that he had no right to neglect his mother’s interests even for her. She was young, while his mother was too old to support herself. He knew that Scoris had many admirers and yet he thought to himself, “she certainly favors me. I wonder if it is because she sees more of me than the rest. I would like to know, but I have no right to ask her until I know that mother is provided for. And yet, the society has made it possible to so centralize our interests that the risk is not what it would have been without it. She wouldn’t be an added burden, for she has more shares than I have. What a blessing is rightly directed industry, combined with economy! We don’t have to wait until we can fit up an establishment. But here I am taking it for granted thatshe loves me and that she would have me. Ah! well, longings and wishes sometimes blind our vision. It may be purely imagination on my part, but the expression of her eyes rest on me so differently from any other. I have watched her closely, I am sure she cares for me. She thrills me through and through if she but smiles upon me; and she does not smile in the same way at any one else. Surely it is so. I would like to call upon her to-night, but I have no excuse,” he still muses. But love always finds a way, and in looking around for it, his mother appeared dressed for the street.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
“Oh, just for a walk, not anywhere in particular. Won’t you come along?”
“Which way?” he asked, as they stand at the door, apparently uncertain.
“I usually go to the lake,” she answered. “The air is so clear and fresh there and I like to watch the water rolling and see the people. I go there often.”
“Very well,” he replied, and they start in that direction, he turning over the thought uppermost in his mind all the time. “You go to the lake often do you?”
“Yes, quite often. Why, do you want to go anywhere else?” (She had noticed his abstracted air.) “It is immaterial to me; I am so glad to have you take a walk with me I will go anywhere.”
“Oh! that is not quite fair,” he answered, smiling. “You always have the girls to go with you, so I don’t like to intrude.”
“Lucky thought,”—he said to himself. “That new building near the Vivians’ flat, with the figures on it that were drawn by a member of our society, I will take her to see it. You know Will Green, thearchitect,” he continued. “Well, if you don’t mind I would like you to see a building he has been erecting. It is around on another street. We will turn here. Clever fellow, clever fellow,” he said absently. His mother looked at him sideways, wondering what he meant. He slipped his arm under her’s while they crossed the street. Presently she said: “There is no hurry, is there?” for he had quickened his pace like a horse on the home stretch, not quite running, but faster than she was accustomed to walking.
“Oh, no,” he answered as he slackened suddenly, “I didn’t know I was going so fast.” Some middle-aged women learn to be diplomatic, though it is not usual. She knew that this walk was not taken on her account, but she was not going to spoil it by letting him see that she knew it. They stopped at the building he had spoken of. He pointed out the stone carving he had brought her to see, all in a mechanical way. Then they walked along a little farther, when he in the most surprised way, that even his mother did not detect at first, said: “Why, here is where the Vivians live! Let’s make a call.” At that moment Scoris appeared at the window, and thinking that they were coming for that purpose smiled and came to the door. The intimacy between the two families became closer as time passed, for there was always something to bring them together.
Scoris would wonder sometimes if Paul really did care for her. He would seem so interested in her, take such pains to bring his family and hers together and his eyes had often spoken more than words, yet he was silent. She would like to have known. “But after all,” she said to her self, “we are not in a position to marry if he did care for me.”
Two years passed and she had so many cares to occupy her mind that she was satisfied to let things remain as they were. She had secured a number of shares in the society, saying to herself, “marriage is not the only aim in life, and I will devote myself to art. I am weary of seeing my creations used for advertisements—of working for a firm that looks upon me as a part of its machinery. If our society was older advertisements wouldn’t be needed. What will you do then?” she asks herself. “Why, why,” she hesitates, then thinks again, “what will I do?” The answer didn’t come right away. She returned to it many times. Once she thought, “I will have enough saved to keep me before then. I can live in the Colony where the necessities of life are of more consequence to all than luxuries, and I can do without many things I like. Why, I do now. First my drawings and paintings are used to attract trade. The firm gets the credit for them, and about ten times more than I receive for them. Do I like that? It has greater expenses I am aware, but not ten times the amount. I work six days out of the week from 8 a. m. to 5 p. m., with about two weeks’ holidays once a year, and then I have to lose my time. If my eyesight fails in middle life, the age limit will pounce upon me with the lash of necessity. I certainly do not like the prospect. Marry the millionaire that Libra has taken so much trouble to persuade you to.
“Marry? No, if I ever marry, it will be for love and companionship. He is a nice fellow, his money would help to carry out the very things I am working for! I like him and he is fond of me. If I had never seen Paul I would have learned to love him. He and others who are wealthy have proved to me that human nature is the same whether rich or poor. Both kinds of people can beselfish and they average the same in generosity, both he and Libra’s husband are generous. Lear is a rich man and Libra is happy with him, why couldn’t I? Because,” she answers the one-sided debate, “we wouldn’t be companionable and because he knows nothing about the poverty in our midst. He would expect me to out-rival other women and display his wealth while I would know that little children were hungry and the aged were cold and homeless. Every time I took up the daily newspaper and saw the accounts of suicides and all the rest of the misery caused by money being drawn into the hands of the few, I would have to say to myself ‘coward!’ No, I will not marry him. I never encouraged him. He would never have asked me but for Libra. I can hear him say it yet, in answer to an argument brought up about the working classes, ‘No one can reach them all, so what is the use of our trying to do an impossible thing?’ ‘No one person can change any condition in which all the people are involved, but if each one does his or her share, individually, it can be done,’ I told him, ‘and I will not desert the cause.’”
Scoris had been alone all evening, and as she loosened her hair and let it fall around her shoulders, she arrived at this mental conclusion; then she heard Helen unlock the front door and come in to their parlor.
“I thought you had gone to bed, you were so quiet,” Helen said.
“Did you enjoy the play?” Scoris asked, as she fastened her loose gown and slipped on her soft shoes.
“Very much,” Helen answered. “Libra and Lear would have come in if they had known you were up.”
“I am glad they did not,” Scoris said. “You know what Libra is after, and I have made up my mind that I will never marry.”
Scoris had been alone all evening and as she loosened her hair and let it fall around her shoulders she arrived at this mental conclusion.
“Never?” Helen asked in a quizzical way. “There are other men besides the millionaire.”
“Yes, dear, I know,” Scoris answered, “but some of them, like me, don’t wish to marry.”
“I have not seen you since morning,” Helen said after a while. “Well, I have been promoted.”
Her duties were in a basement of the store where she was employed and she had discovered that her eyesight was becoming defective. She was told that it was from the glare of the electric light and that she would have to wear glasses after two or three years there. “You cannot tell the colors accurately without them,” the oculist had said.
It was bad enough to have to work in a basement, day by day from one year’s end to another, without having to impair her eyesight. Glasses were her horror, but she must work, and at last she applied to the head manager to give her something where she could work by daylight for at least a part of the day, and was sent up to the dress department.
“You see, Scoris,” she explained, “after my capabilities had been inquired into as a saleswomen, then I had to be looked over for all the world as if I was a horse for sale. I passed on the strength of my figure, height and ladylike appearance. The humiliating ordeal was trying, but I won’t have to wear those glasses, thank goodness, and, do you know, Scoris, my salary will be raised. But I have to get a new tailor-made gown with a train, made in the latest style, so as to make the best appearance.
“Well,” Scoris remarked, “it is very nice to be dressed well and I am pleased you are going to be out of that basement. I felt uneasy about your eyes. I have seen so many people who had to give up work altogether on account of the long hours under the electric light.Especially when their work is steady all day, as yours has been. Now, my work is more trying to the eyes than yours, and if I had to use electric light it would blind me, even with my shorter hours.”
The next evening Helen came home in her new dress, walking rather slowly, paying more attention to the holding up of her skirt than to her surroundings. She walked past her own door before she noticed it. Scoris meeting her, she exclaimed:
“Do you know this dress has cost me so much that it will take me over two months to pay for it, and when the weekly amount is taken out of my salary I won’t have as much as I did in the basement? No wonder they pay more for this kind of work, or agree to, for in reality, they don’t pay as much, as we have to get new gowns every three months so as to be in style.”
“Never mind,” said Scoris, “it won’t last many years, for the society is gradually gathering in all the industries. Then we will only have to work about half the time that we do now and have more holidays, and rest. I have just been reading the society’s paper for this month. Listen and see what you think of this.
“‘Mrs. Thorn and our president have just completed the transferring of the property to the society. We know all our members will be pleased to learn that we now own the land our principal buildings are on, as well as the buildings themselves. I also wish to draw attention to the increase of the society’s wealth in being able to secure this land in such a short time since we began our society. It proves the theory of concentrated effort as well as the combined industry of us all. Our old obligations to Mrs. Thorn are the same as to any other member. She now owns sufficient shares in the permanent wealth to entitle her to a three-room apartment. These shares arein the names of her three children, giving her a life interest in said shares. Besides, she receives a pension during her life. This places her in a better position than when she only received the rent, securing for her a better home than she had before. Her apartments have a hot water bath and other conveniences and are heated; then, like all the other tenants, she has the use of the dining room and kitchen, public parlor, etc., in fact, it makes her independent for life and secures to her two married daughters as well as to her son a home during their lives, after her death, of at least one room each, they having become members so as to entitle them to that privilege. Our business transactions have been very satisfactory with her and we take great pleasure in recommending her for the title we are about to confer on all honorable members, and this is the first publication of her name. The society is about to confer the title of “The Honorable” to Mrs. Thorn’s name, if there are no just reasons why such title should not be given. This notice will be published in regard to her and the other members, for three months, and the list will be found on the second page of this paper.
“‘All members who have proven themselves to be honest and trustworthy in their lives and an honor to our cause during the past two years are eligible. Their past life up to two years ago we do not hold against them, as we believe this society enables all to live honestly. If, however, it is proved that any who have applied for the honors we wish to confer upon them are unworthy, or if they in any way break the law of the country, they cannot receive these titles until they have reformed. Again, no person in our society can retain any title if at any time proven unworthy. These titles cannot be transferred to any other person, nor are theyhereditary, nor can a husband confer a title upon his wife. A wife cannot give this title to her husband. They are issued to our honorable members to give them prominence over the idle and the undeserving, also to show our respect for all labor. We believe that in this way the generations of the future may become equal. We know they are not at the present day. We are treating facts as we find them and intend doing our duty by honoring the best among us by titles. Those who do not come up to the standard we do not condemn, but silently ignore in all business transactions where they could get the best of us or disgrace us. They are not allowed to hold office nor to help make the laws or to sit in the Council of this society. Therefore, the title gives to the society a dignity that is required in the present time on account of the dishonesty that prevails among all classes. We are sure that all honest people will appreciate these titles, for by them they will be known.’
“Quite an article, don’t you think so?”
“Why, yes, indeed, but it will be years before we can use them; that is, you and I. We would be ridiculed in the store or illustrating house where you are. Just think, if it were known that you are ‘The Honorable’ Scoris Vivian, for now you are considered only a good servant by the firm, and nothing more.”
“Oh, yes, of course,” Scoris replied, “still it is a good deal in our private life to be held worthy of the honor. It will always give us a standing among the best class of people, and to be known as an honorable person is a protection for us in that class. Holding a title will show where we belong socially, no matter what our employment may be. In the present time, if we do certain kinds of work, we lose caste, because labor is not honored as it should be. See the position I am in—illustrating fora firm that gets the benefit of my talent and ability. I have no opportunity of enjoying the triumphs; all is the work of the firm and they can be depended upon—the public says. ‘According to the opinions of the money class this is as it should be. This woman is only too glad to find employment. We who have money have a right to dictate.’ I think differently. It is mine and I should have the benefit of my own creations and industry, and it is hard to bear when some rare illustration has been used for common advertising.”
“Yes, Scoris, I know it is harder for you than my position is for me, but I would sooner do anything else. When I mentioned the fact to Libra she begged me not to do so or it would disgrace her if it became known among her set. I hate to be on my feet all day, bowing and saying polite things to the people I serve in that store, and then to think I only receive a bare living. I know I have talent and it makes me almost despise myself to be subjected to it.”
“Patience, Helen dear, the times are changing and you are doing your share. That article you wrote last week was a rousing good one and I have been complimented on having such a clever sister who was capable of expressing herself so fearlessly in the cause of right. Keep up your writings until you are better known and sufficient returns come in to justify you in making it your life’s work. You are not the first or the last to be placed in an unpleasant position.”
“And just think, Scoris, so many have asked me how I ever got such a nice position. Oh, well, every one to their taste.”
“Here is a letter from Nellie,” Scoris said, “and she and Tom are coming to make us a visit.”
“I don’t suppose we will see very much of them foralready the different members are arranging to entertain them. Tom will change places for two weeks with the city manager and will be very busy. I am glad they are coming,” Helen replied.
One morning Scoris received a letter from her mother, saying that Geron had mortgaged his portion of the estate and that Lear Shuman had secured him a position in the city at such a good salary that they were all going to move in a few months. The girls had heard about his dissatisfaction and were not surprised at the news, but regretted it, for they knew that it was a mistake. “One comfort we will have out of it: mother will live with us,” Helen remarked.
“Yes,” Scoris said, “it will be nice for us, but hard for her, after living all her life in the freedom of the open country, away from smoke and dust. Think of Geron investing the money he received on the mortgage in stocks. The uncertainty of it and that Lear advised it. That is the outcome of that visit Geron and Grace paid them a year ago. The salary Geron is to receive seems large to him now, but how little he knows about the destruction of clothing and household goods with the constant dust. I am afraid they will regret it.”