Orphan Train Tragedy

by Rachel Wesson

  “Miss Kathleen, my belly hurts. Can we feed it?” Mia asked, reminding Kathleen of her presence.

  Bella and Kathleen exchanged a look again, but they tried to subdue their giggles. Now was the time to act their age, not behave like a couple of school girls.

  “Yes of course we can. Let’s go downstairs and show everyone how pretty you look,” Bella said.

  Kathleen watched the little girl’s smile widen in response to Bella’s compliment. The young girl twirled in her new clothes. Even though it was a plain pinafore, it was probably the nicest thing the child had ever owned. Kathleen’s eyes filed up. Lord above, but she was becoming way too sentimental in her old age.

  Chapter 35

  The next day, it was time to take the orphans to the church hall to meet their prospective parents. Kathleen hadn’t had a chance to speak to Cindy privately. The night before the girl had avoided her by going to bed early, possibly as she thought Kathleen might be angry at her rudeness to Bella. This morning, some of the younger children were complaining of bellyaches. Kathleen knew they were nervous as they clung to her. Mia clung to Cindy. She tried to reassure everyone, grateful Bella and Brian were also on hand. Liam took Pieter under his wing and the two of them were getting along famously.

  “Bella, I need to speak to Cindy. Could you take Mia and the younger ones, and I will follow you in a few minutes.”

  “Of course. Good luck.” Bella whisked the little ones out of the room so fast they didn’t get a chance to cry for Kathleen. Cindy started for the door, but Kathleen was too quick for her.

  “Cindy, I’d like to speak with you.”

  Cindy glared at her, her arms folded across her chest. “Are you going to tell me off?”

  “No, although I was hurt by your rudeness to my friend. I have an idea I would like to discuss with you. Sit down please.”

  Cindy sat on the very edge of the bed, her arms still crossed. Kathleen knew she had to be gentle.

  “I was wondering how you felt about not getting a placement today?”

  “You think nobody would want a brat like me?” The girl looked defiant, but Kathleen could tell it was partly an act.

  “No Cindy, I don’t think that at all. Lots of families would love to have you stay with them. You are wonderful with children.”

  “You mean they want a slave,” Cindy said. “An unpaid worker.”

  The girl was trying her patience.

  “Cindy, please stop. I am trying to help you.”

  “You are? Why? Why do you keep singling me out? Do you feel sorry for me or something? Cause I am telling ya now I am fine. I don’t need nobody.”

  “That’s not true, we all need somebody. We need someone to believe in us. I think you are a very bright young woman and, if given the chance, you could become anything you want. An attorney or maybe a doctor, a teacher or a pharmacist.”

  “I don’t know what that even means,” Cindy said. “But I think you must be drinking. Look at me. I ain’t never going to amount to nothing more than I am. A New York street rat.”

  Kathleen shook her head.

  “You can be anything you want. You were born with a good brain. All you need to do is get a hold on that temper, change your attitude and the world could be at your feet.”

  Cindy glared at Kathleen. “You think it’s so simple don’t ya?” Cindy stood up. “It’s easy for you in your fancy dresses, lording it above the likes of us. Makes you feel good coming on the orphan trains to give us poor kids a chance. I don’t need your sympathy Missus, or your silly notions. I’ll find my own family. Thanks for nothing.”

  Kathleen didn’t know who was more shocked, herself or Cindy, when she pushed the child back down on the bed.

  “Sit down and shut up. Listen to me. You have a brain and you are worth so much more than what you believe. I told you before, I used to live in the tenements. But for Bridget, my sister, myself and Liam and the rest of our siblings would have been on the streets. Just like you. Now I got something for you. Can you sit there long enough for me to get it?”

  Cindy didn’t say a word, but she didn’t move either. Kathleen walked over to the door and took the dress she had been hiding off the hook.

  “This is for you. Bella and I, made this for you.”

  Cindy reached out to touch the dress, but her fingers lingered an inch from it, as if she was afraid to touch it.

  “For me? I ain't never seen anything so pretty.”

  “Why don’t you try it on?” Kathleen prompted.

  “Now?”

  “Yes, but hurry. I can’t miss the start of the meeting. I’m supposed to introduce the children to the townsfolk.”

  Chapter 36

  Cindy stripped off her clothes, but she took her time putting the new dress on. She couldn’t do the back up. She turned to Kathleen asking shyly, “Could you help me. Please?”

  Kathleen tried to hide her joy at Cindy’s reaction. She didn’t want the younger girl to retreat behind the devil may care attitude she usually adopted.

  “Of course.” Kathleen did up the buttons. Then she looked over Cindy’s shoulder into the reflection in the mirror. “You look beautiful.”

  Cindy didn’t speak. She stared at herself, as if not believing it was her in the mirror.

  “Don’t you like it?” Kathleen asked.

  Before Kathleen could react, Cindy turned and buried her head in Kathleen’s shoulder. The tears wet through her dress.

  “Cindy darling, take it off if you don’t like it. I didn’t want to upset you. We thought you would like it. Please don’t cry.” Tears dropped down Kathleen’s cheeks too. “Please.”

  “I love it.” Cindy hiccupped. “I ain’t never had nobody give me something of my own. That dress I wouldn’t give you. I stole it. Off a clothes line. I know I shouldn’t have, but I wanted something pretty. I saw it there, fluttering in the wind and had to have it.”

  Kathleen drew the girl closer, pushing the hair back from her eyes. “I understand that feeling. Honest, I do.”

  “What did you want to tell me?”

  “I wanted to ask you something, not tell you. I wondered if you would like to come with me to Riverside Springs to meet Bridget. My sister needs help, but she won’t admit it. She has a weak heart. I worry she is taking on too much with the orphanage she has planned.”

  “You thought I would work in it.”

  “Yes, but not the way you think. I thought you could help her in the mornings and after school.”

  Cindy took a step back. “School? That’s for young uns.”

  “Actually, it isn’t. Most children finish school long before they should. They have to, as their families need them to work and help pay for food and stuff. But with an education you can do anything. Be anyone. Look at my husband. He’s a doctor. He wasn’t born rich.” Kathleen crossed her fingers. Richard’s family might not have been as rich as he was now, but they hadn’t exactly been living anywhere near Hell’s Kitchen. Cindy didn’t need to know that.

  “You really believe I could go to school? I ain’t been near one since I was little. Not since…”

  “Since?” Kathleen pushed.

  “Ma died. Then the woman where ma lived said I had to take her place or get out. Ma made me swear I wouldn’t do what she’d done. She couldn’t help it. She got me in her belly and my dad, well he…” Cindy was blushing and looking everywhere but at Kathleen.

  Kathleen put her finger under Cindy’s chin and gently forced her to make eye contact. “He left your mother alone and pregnant.”

  “Pretty much. She couldn’t go back to her family. They didn’t want her. So, she did the only thing she knew. But she was a good ma. She was kind and made me laugh. You know, she had a lovely smile. Well, before the sickness got her.”

  “Cindy, your mother sounds like a wonderful lady,” Kathleen said.

  Cindy’s eyes sparked. “You just saying that aren’t ya. You type of people don’t believe a woman that sells her body could be good.” />
  Kathleen thought back to what little she knew of Lily’s background. She was the best woman Kathleen knew.

  “I don’t think what you do to survive has anything to do with the person you are. I really believe that, Cindy. But we both know if you stay on the streets or go to the wrong house, you could end up in the same situation as your mother. You are very pretty and sometimes that can attract the wrong attention.”

  “But it wouldn’t in Riverside Springs?” Cindy asked.

  Cindy’s knowledgeable tone made Kathleen wince. When would the day come when twelve-year-olds were protected from the worst of life? “It might, but there would be people there to protect you. It is a wonderful little town, but it has its share of problems. Nowhere is perfect. But the key question is, are you willing to give it a chance?”

  Cindy was silent for a while. Kathleen tried her best not to move, despite wanting to flee out the door and see how the other children were doing. She needed to be in two places as the same time, but this was the most important.

  She felt Cindy’s hand slide into hers.

  “I can’t promise to be good in school. I don’t know much, but I do know my letters and I can do some math. Ma taught me.”

  “I think you will do your mother proud. Now, why don’t you dry your eyes and let’s go down and see how the others are faring shall we?”

  Cindy nodded. She looked at the dress once more. “Should I take it off? I might get it dirty.”

  “It doesn’t matter, we can wash it. But you can’t go running off in it. A lady never runs.” Kathleen smiled to show Cindy she wasn’t giving her a lecture.

  “Now I understand why. They wouldn’t get very far in this get up, would they?” Cindy smiled—the first real smile Kathleen had seen from the girl. She hoped this was the start of a new friendship for both of them.

  As they walked toward the church hall in silence, Cindy was the first to speak.

  “I will apologize to your friend when I see her.” Cindy didn’t turn her face but continued to stare at the street in front of her. Kathleen knew it had taken a lot for her to say what she had.

  “Bella will be a good friend to you too, Cindy.”

  Cindy shrugged her shoulders, but Kathleen didn’t push the point. In time, Cindy would hopefully learn to trust others. But for now, she needed to learn to believe in herself.

  Chapter 37

  When they arrived at the church hall, the local priest was giving a talk.

  “He couldn’t resist a captive audience. Thank goodness you came,” Bella hissed as Kathleen walked toward the front of the hall. She apologized for keeping people waiting due to a last-minute change of plan. She watched as Cindy spoke to Bella and, judging by the smile on her friend’s face, she could tell Cindy had apologized.

  Kathleen moved toward the center of the stage.

  “Father Matthew, Mayor, ladies and gentlemen, thank you all so much for coming to meet our children today. As you can see, they are all well behaved and looking forward to their new homes. Why don’t I introduce you to them?”

  “Why don’t you sit down and stop jabbering, Missus. We can see them. What more do we need? My missus wants a girl to help her in the house and a boy to work on the farm. Those two will do just nicely.”

  The man walked up to the front of the stage and put his hand on Pieter’s shoulder. Pieter winced, but before Kathleen could move, Brian stepped forward.

  “Take a step back mister, before you leave this building. This isn’t a cattle auction. Have you given your details to Father Matthew?”

  Kathleen was glad Brian asked this question. The man didn’t look like someone she would entrust a child too. Not only did he have mean eyes, but he kept spitting streams of tobacco out the side of his mouth.

  The man didn’t stop chewing. “You take your turn, stranger.”

  “I’m not here to adopt a child,” Brian replied.

  “Then shut up and go home. I got what I came for. You and you come on now. There’s chores to be done.”

  Before Kathleen could intervene, Brian picked the man up. Being twice his size, it wasn’t difficult for him.

  Liam stepped forward. “Need a hand, Brian?”

  “Yes son, could you open the door so I can throw this filth out where he belongs?”

  The crowd gasped, but nobody stood forward to come to the man’s defense. Even his wife seemed to melt back into her seat as if ashamed of his behavior.

  “You let me down. I’ll get the sheriff on you.”

  “Tell him Brian Curran said hi. Now go on, get. Next time you think of putting a hand on a child, you just think of my face.”

  The man didn’t get a chance to respond.

  Liam shut the door as Brian returned to Kathleen’s side.

  “Thank you,” she whispered out the side of her mouth. Then, moving toward Pieter who was shaking, she took his hand and pushed him toward Bella. “Take him back to the hotel, please. Cindy, will you help Bella?”

  Kathleen needed Cindy out of the way or otherwise Mia wouldn’t have a chance of being placed.

  Cindy nodded. Giving Mia a kiss on her good cheek, she spoke quietly to her before moving to the front of the stage. Taking Pieter’s arm, she walked him out of the church hall like it was something she did every day of the week. Bella followed with one last look at Kathleen. Kathleen was glad Brian was with her. And Liam. They wouldn’t let anything happen to her or any of the children.

  Chapter 38

  A woman came forward, her husband following close behind. “Excuse me missus, but I was wondering if I, I mean we, could speak to that cute little boy over there. He has such a lovely smile.”

  “Of course,” Kathleen said. “His name is Billy. Billy, come here please.”

  Billy came running up to them. “Do you have a farm?”

  The woman was a little taken aback. “Why yes, we do.”

  “Sold. Take me,” Billy said. “I will be a very good worker. But can I play with the animals when my chores are done?”

  The woman looked at Kathleen, uncertainty written all over her face. Kathleen bent down to speak to Billy.

  “Billy, darling I told you before. You aren’t here to be anyone’s worker. We want a family to look after you and bring you up.”

  Billy didn’t look too convinced. The woman moved closer.

  “God didn’t bless me with children. I want a son. You even look like my Jeremiah, don’t he, missus?”

  Kathleen wasn’t sure who Jeremiah was for a moment until the woman linked arms with her husband. She tried to think of the right words. What resemblance could the lady possibly see between the skinny looking man with few teeth and Billy’s wide-eyed innocence.

  “What happened to his parents?” the woman asked.

  Kathleen gestured to Liam to take Billy back to the other children for a few minutes. She didn’t want the child to overhear the conversation.

  “We aren’t sure, ma’am. Billy was found fast asleep in the coal cellar of our local priest. We believe he was wandering the streets alone. Well dressed and obviously cared for, but alone. He lived at the orphanage for a while but it’s a been over two years and nobody has claimed him.”

  The woman took a hanky out of her bag and sniffled.

  “Oh, the poor boy. Who could do that to their own child?”

  Kathleen was quick to correct her perception.

  “We don’t think his parents deserted him by choice. We, at least the police and Father Nelson think it may have been an accident.”

  “The police?” The woman glanced nervously at her husband.

  Kathleen kicked herself. Weren’t the papers full of horror stories telling the public that New York orphans would bring the police to their door? Or the local sheriff.

  “Ma’am, we wanted to check that Billy’s parents weren’t looking for him. Billy is as innocent as the day is long.”

  “The little angel.” The woman beamed in the direction of Billy who was happily playing with Liam.


  “Why don’t you tell me something about yourself, Mrs…” Kathleen didn’t know the lady’s name. If only she had taken the sheet of would-be families from Father Mathew. But being late had made her disorganized.

  “Higgins. Wilma and Ted Higgins. We’ve never been blessed with children of our own. Just thought that was God’s way. But then our neighbors, they adopted the two cutest little girls from one of your orphan trains. They are as happy as can be. So, me and Ted, we got to speaking. Why can’t we do the same? We got a nice place, not too big but not too small neither. We don’t want a worker, we got some men who work for us. We want a boy to raise as our son.”

  To her horror, Kathleen wanted just for a second to find a reason not to let Billy go with this couple. She wanted to keep him for herself, if she were honest. But that wasn’t the way things were done. Billy wanted to live on a farm and these people seemed to be well suited to give him a very good life.

  “Billy is a lovely little boy and, as you saw, is mad about animals. He has a natural gift with them. He is very eager to please.” Kathleen stopped to consider how to phrase the next point as gently as possible. “Billy will have to write to us on a regular basis to tell us how he is getting on.”

  “Quite right, too. Don’t you hear such horrible stories about what happens to the dear children? We couldn’t imagine anyone hurting a child could we, Ted?”

  Ted didn’t respond. Kathleen guessed Wilma spoke for both of them quite a lot of the time.

  “We will have him write to you every Sunday. After church. That be okay?”

  Kathleen nodded.

  Then Ted found his voice. “But what about his parents? If he ain’t an orphan, he can’t be our son. We best find another one, Wilma.”

  Wilma turned on her husband.

  “Don’t you go saying that about my son, Ted Higgins. I told you God would show me the one and that’s the one he chooses. I want Billy.”

  “But Wilma…”