Nineteenth Century Woman Tailor

Terry knew that to cook corn kernels to perfection, one needed to boil them vigorously, add butter and honey, and simmer until the water evaporated, leaving a thick, fragrant paste.

For a woman like her, she never thought that handling such matters of food and drink was anything extraordinary.

But Eloise's words had indeed struck a chord, planting a seed in her heart that made her wish for winter to pass quickly.

...

Morning, the snow had cleared.

Eloise got out of bed and immediately started working. She first made a drawstring bag out of coarse cloth and put all her earnings inside.

The few coins jingled crisply as Eloise hung the bag in a hidden spot beneath her bed.

Thomas and Bella were, as usual, the first to leave the house. The siblings had already prepared the morning newspapers the day before, folding the stacks of papers into neat bundles. Early in the morning, with the corn porridge they had eaten still undigested, they began their rounds through the streets.

Thomas carried a small notebook where he recorded the addresses of all the customers who subscribed to the newspapers. Every day, he would deliver the latest morning papers or other publications to their doorsteps.

If the delivery was to a standalone villa, Thomas would knock on the caretaker's window and hand over the newspapers.

He had become quite skilled at this job, effortlessly dividing tasks with Bella. Each of them delivered to hundreds of households daily, never stopping even during snowstorms or heavy rain.

By around noon, the siblings had reached the slightly more affluent streets, delivering newspapers to buildings primarily used for office work.

Before them stood a law firm with a brass nameplate on the door, looking grand and imposing. Behind the wooden-framed glass door, busy people moved about, and a beautiful lady stood at the reception desk. Thomas straightened his clothes in front of the glass door, making sure he didn’t look too disheveled. After much hesitation, his face flushed red, he finally stepped onto the stone steps of the law firm.

The lady at the reception was no stranger to Thomas delivering newspapers. In fact, he had been bringing the latest daily papers to this law firm for a month straight.

Usually, the shy boy would hand over the newspapers and quickly leave, afraid that the respectable gentlemen inside might catch a glimpse of him.

But at this moment, Thomas went through a whirlwind of thoughts in just a few seconds.

He thought, even if he failed, it wouldn’t matter much. He could always go back to delivering newspapers. Eloise was right—there was nothing to be nervous about as long as he dared to speak up.

Besides, the receptionist here was a kind-looking lady, unlike other law firms where stern gentlemen dominated the front desks.

After handing over the newspapers, Thomas lingered by the reception desk, swallowing hard. He met Mrs. Romde’s gaze and asked, “Madam, I was wondering if you’re hiring any errand boys here?”

Mrs. Romde’s husband was the accountant here, and she was the receptionist, responsible for receiving mail and assisting in scheduling Mr. Lawson’s appointments.

“Errand boy?”

Seeing Mrs. Romde deep in thought, Thomas quickly added,

“I can read, do arithmetic, clean rooms, sweep chimneys, and I’m very familiar with the streets of New York…”

Thomas racked his brain to list everything he could do, even stumbling over his words. Once he finished, he closed his mouth, bracing himself for rejection.

Mrs. Romde looked the boy up and down. He wasn’t tall, but he was diligent in delivering newspapers, though he didn’t seem particularly sharp.

“Well, we do need someone to run errands and help out with odd jobs,” Mrs. Romde said.

She meant tasks like wiping windowsills, cleaning up wastepaper, dusting desks, and running errands. While such work was needed, she often did it herself.

The older job-seeking young men always asked her if they were hiring legal assistants.

No one had ever asked if they needed a handyman, as such a role wouldn’t teach them the skills of a lawyer.

Mr. Lawson was an eccentric man. He didn’t like overly cunning young men, nor did he care for assistants.

Although the other lawyers in the firm were doing well, as the boss, Mr. Lawson never hired subordinates who could add to his prestige. He was generous but indifferent when it came to managing the firm.

Mrs. Romde could make this decision herself. Thinking it would lighten her workload, she asked him,

“What’s your name? Where do you live? You’re quite young. If you’re to work here as an errand boy, you’ll need a guarantor to write a recommendation letter for you.”

Upon hearing this, Thomas immediately gave Mrs. Romde his name and address, watching as she noted them down in her book.

He asked, "As long as I have a guarantor, I can start working?"

Mrs. Romde nodded and pondered for a moment before saying, "The law firm can provide you with a small dormitory, three meals a day, but the weekly wage is only four dollars. Can you accept that?"

For men, not only is there unequal pay for equal work, but finding a job is inherently easier than it is for women.

However, Mr. Lawson, a prominent figure in the labor union who advocates for equal pay for men and women, had established the rules of the law firm. Therefore, Mrs. Romde simply offered Thomas the same salary as the female kitchen helpers.

Although Thomas also realized that the pay was not high, he was still overjoyed and quickly agreed.

Eloise had told him that once he entered the law firm, he could learn the habits of the lawyers and observe how they applied their wisdom. One day, he would benefit from it, which would be more valuable than short-term wages.

After leaving, he found Bella waiting for him outside and shared the good news with her. Bella was equally surprised.

"I think you can ask the Owner of the Coal Shop to be your guarantor. Our family has been a loyal customer there for several years, and our credit is good."

Thomas nodded, "That's exactly what I was thinking. Once I start working as a handyman at the law firm, with meals and accommodation provided, I won't have many expenses. Then, I’ll make sure to send you, my little shadow, to school."

Bella immediately became a bit upset. She trotted back home, asking, "Why do I have to go to school?"

Thomas silently thought that if Bella went to school, she could learn more skills, such as typing and sewing. Perhaps she could even escape the hard physical labor they were enduring now and help ease their aunt's burden.

At home, Eloise had sewn most of Amy's blouse. She had been working at the dining table for half a day, and her back had grown stiff. Hearing the knock on the door, she finally stood up and stretched her shoulders.

It must be Thomas and Bella returning.

Eloise was troubled about what to make for lunch. There wasn’t much left from breakfast that could be eaten.

She unlatched the door, intending to discuss with Thomas whether they should buy something to eat from outside. Before she could speak, Thomas, beaming with excitement, interrupted her.

Thomas told Eloise about his successful job application that day, recounting every detail vividly, including his nervousness.

"I never thought I’d actually get a chance to work at a law firm. Even though it’s just odd jobs, at least I won’t have to freeze early in the morning anymore."

Eloise understood this feeling. Often, the gap between people and opportunities, apart from learning, is just a matter of courage.

"Today must be your lucky day! We shouldn’t let it pass casually. Later, the three of us will go to the market and buy some meat and pasta to cook."

Eloise suggested this, taking a few coins from her purse. She rarely visited food shops and wasn’t familiar with the usual prices, but she still wanted to improve their meal.

On the way, Thomas planned to visit the Owner of the Coal Shop after lunch to ask for his help as a guarantor.

In fact, many small business owners like him, who ran fixed storefronts, would act as guarantors for handymen without connections, as long as the handymen had been long-term customers. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Generally, only the most grueling factory jobs required no guarantor.

Eloise wasn’t aware of these 19th-century social rules. While she seemed to respond to Thomas in kind, she was also quietly storing this knowledge in her mind.

The Gunter Walter Market, where their aunt often shopped for its cheap goods, was quite a distance from where they lived. It was on 11th Street, about a half-hour walk away.

Along the way, the three siblings chatted and laughed. For the first time, Eloise even looked up to admire the scenery of New York.

She had been shut indoors for too long, working, and had almost forgotten how beautiful New York could be. The serene snowscape of Central Park contrasted with the bustling streets.

On the calm Hudson River, boats glided like white doves across the water.

Walking through the lively streets, she noticed the shopfronts adorned with pine branches, mistletoe vines, colorful ribbons, and glittering glass balls, all covered in a layer of fluffy snow. It looked like a scene from a movie. The cold air she breathed in was laced with the warm aroma wafting from the bakeries.

When they arrived at the market, Eloise saw many small shops packed closely together. It was an open-air street, with butcher shops and grain stores lining the way.

Since the three of them did not yet have the spare money to dine out at restaurants, they could only come here to pick up as many ingredients as possible to cook at home.

Eloise knew she wasn’t skilled in the kitchen. At the butcher’s shop, she spotted smoked bacon and sausages, as well as various fresh cuts of meat, and decided to choose some that would be easier to prepare.

A pound of beef loin cost twenty-five cents.

A freshly plucked and cleaned hen, tender and ready to cook, was priced at sixty-five cents.

These items weren’t cheap, but they were neatly arranged and hung in rows in the shop. The more affordable options were limited to cured, dried goods and freshwater fish.

For example, smoked sausages at twelve cents a pound and dried, spiny fish at nine cents a pound. New York’s abundant freshwater rivers made these fish a relatively cheap byproduct.

For staples, there were various grains, flour, and semi-processed flour products like pasta, bread, and flatbread, all priced at no more than ten cents per pound.

The market even had Chinese immigrants, with their long, thin braids hanging down their backs, wearing skullcaps and long gowns, selling rice cakes, bean cakes, and tofu.

There were also vendors selling dairy products like butter and cheese, as well as some winter root vegetables. The selection wasn’t vast, but it wasn’t lacking either.

Eloise felt overwhelmed as she wandered around.

She was reminded of her previous life, a time when she juggled school and part-time work, living in constant financial strain.

Back then, she was always busy with exams and grades, working part-time to make ends meet, meticulously planning how to eat on the tightest budget. Often, it was just plain steamed buns, pickled vegetables, and boiled eggs for all three meals.

Even after she had more money later in life, she still ate simply and never developed any remarkable culinary skills.

The three sisters bought a pack of hollow pasta, a pound of smoked sausage, and a pound of dried fish. Eloise also noticed some unwanted pork fat at the butcher’s and took a large piece for just a few cents.

Seeing her purchase so much, the butcher threw in half a head of cabbage for free.

Eloise couldn’t help but miss the flavors of her hometown. She also stopped by the Chinese immigrant’s shop to buy a block of firm tofu, planning to fry it at home and make a simple salted fish soup, which she knew would be delicious.

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