Newborn Nazi

by Rhoda D'Ettore

  "Mamai, come see the games they are showing me! Cousin Katie has been helping me, but can you please help me now Mamai?" He led Jane by the hand to where the children had set up a game.

  Katie smiled, "Good morning, dear! You must have been exhausted, are you hungry?" Katie began setting a plate for Jane. Jane noticed the table was a solid oak as well, strong and thick like the door and upon it sat small metal dishes. The dishes Jane used at home were much bigger to fit the larger cuts of animal meat they butchered on their farm. They were necessary for a farmer who did not have the luxury of a butcher within walking distance. These smaller plates showed that her new family was in a higher class neighborhood.

  "Have you all eaten already?" Jane asked not realizing it was already nine in the morning.

  "Yes, you slept for more than 15 hours. I wanted to wake you, fearing you were ill. But you were sleeping so soundly, I thought it best just to feed Liam." Looking at the child who paid them no attention, Katie continued, "He is a darling boy, and going to get along great with my own four children." Although Jane's back was to them, she could hear the kids playing in the living area. Liam certainly sounded happy as he giggled, and cheered for whatever game they were playing.

  Jane sipped some tea, appreciating the soothing sensation as it slid down her throat. Then she realized she must have appeared rude to the family for retiring to her room before a proper introduction. She was just so weary from the traveling, the morning sickness, and even the lack of fresh air that her body needed to rest. "I hope the family understands that I was not being disrespectful last night. The journey was a perilous one. The rough seas delayed our arrival by more than a week."

  In a loving but firm tone, Katie stated, "Never you mind about that. You needed your rest. Rest today, because Richard was able to secure you a job which you start tomorrow. Rent does not pay itself, you know," she added with a smile. Katie continued to flutter around the kitchen, grabbing ingredients and banging pans. The kitchen was small and functional, but it seemed quite large to Jane. There was room enough for an eating table and the shelves on the wall were made out of the same oak as the front door. They appeared solid and strong. There were two windows on the far wall that allowed the morning sunlight to dance its way into the room.

  Jane was taken aback, they had never discussed her getting a job. Where she was from, the men farmed and the women raised the children and took care of the house. She never had a job, and was never expected to work. She was not even sure how to react. They had intended for Thomas to provide a monthly stipend and thought that Katie wanted help with the children. Katie's oldest was 10 years old and could only help so much because of school.

  "A job, tomorrow? Where? What will I be doing?" What could she do? She was not trained for anything, and she knew no women who worked. Or those she did know were maids on the estates of the English lords who had come to Ireland and took over the land. These were the same lords who were raising the land leases, which was causing so many of the Irish to emigrate elsewhere. "Forgive my surprise cousin, as you had not written such in your letters. Thomas will be sending a monthly stipend for our support. We had an accord, did we not?"

  "Jane, dear, this is America. Your expenses will far exceed your stipend. But no need to worry about that as Richard was kind enough to secure you a job."

  Jane frowned, mumbling to herself.

  Katie did not even try to consider the fear in Jane, or that Jane felt she was tricked. "Tomorrow you start with my brother at the Sparks Shot Tower. He arranged your employment in the main building, and he works at the top of the tower. They make lead shot pellets, you know, like the ones used for hunting? A few years ago they received a government contract, and you will be polishing and sorting the finished products. You will love it, wait and see. Richard and his friends, well, they have the hard jobs."

  Jane did not know what to say, she had no idea what "lead shot" was, nor did she care to find out. Perhaps they call it something else in Ireland. Regardless, it sounded like a man's job. Had it been a position as a house servant, she would feel more comfortable. Now that she realized she would be working with strange men, she was even more nervous. "Cousin Katie, forgive me, for appearing ungrateful, but Thomas agreed to send a monthly stipend to pay for my expenses, thinking this would be enough. By how much would my expenses exceed his stipend? I could ask him for more."

  Katie quickly retorted, "The stipend he sends is for your spending money, clothing, personal needs. But rent and food allowances need to be paid, and therefore, you will have a job at the factory to do so." Jane realized there was no way to argue her way out of it, and she felt trapped and tricked. Was she only there because her family wanted to make some extra money?

  Tower of Tears Chapter 6

  Jane and Richard

  The next day, Richard knocked softly on Jane's bedroom door at four o'clock in the morning. He wanted to give her enough time to eat and dress. He too felt uncomfortable about having her work just two days after arriving in America. Jane was not sure what was considered appropriate dress for a factory. She had only two dresses with her and one pair of shoes. She went downstairs to pump some water and splash some cool water on her face to jar herself awake. She dried her hands and joined Richard at the door.

  It was a long walk to Front and Carpenter Streets where the factory was, and Jane wondered if Richard's boots were more conducive to walking than her thin shoes. She remembered what the roads looked like in Ireland--basically it was two lines of dirt that were created from repeated carriage wheels traveling the path, preventing grass from growing. Here in Philadelphia, she could hardly see grass at all. It was mostly dirt, with some stones mixed in occasionally, which caused her to stumble. Every few steps a rock would jut into her instep where the shoe was thin from wear. Looking around, it appeared the rest of the world was still at rest. A few windows had shadows bouncing around in them from gas lamps inside, but most were dark. The full moon lit the way, as daybreak tried to birth itself into the world on the horizon, sending streaks of purple, pink, and yellow across the sky.

  Katie had been kind enough to pack their lunches the night before, but Jane failed to appreciate the act after being lied to and used. Richard sensed Jane's growing level of discomfort, but he assumed it came from being around a strange man. He wanted to ease her mind as they walked down the dark streets. They heard a whistle blow in the distance which startled Jane making her jump.

  "Please calm yourself, Cousin." said Richard. “Those are the whistles of the constables and fire brigade. In the night, it is too dark to see, so it is easiest to use the whistles for them to find each other." He continued to reassure her that all was well.

  "Constables? Fire?", her eyes widened as she asked. "Are we safe?"

  "We are perfectly safe. They need a way to communicate in the night, and that is the most effective way to do so. You will become accustomed to such things."

  The sun just coming over the horizon was beautiful, but Jane still did not feel as though she was used to the time difference. On the ship, the only way she could tell day from night was by timing the meals that were brought to them. As the voyage progressed, however, it seemed even the meals were not served twice a day as they should have been. In America, her body thought day was night, and night was day.

  Richard looked straight ahead, and said, "I know this must be hard for you to come here, but it will be okay. There are good people in this factory, and they pay on time. Some other places do not always pay when expected. Or they pay Irish immigrants less. I know my sister can be pushy, and does it with a smile. But she is a good-hearted person who has been through much strife this year." He was a good brother, and loved his sister. He felt as though at times she was controlling, but Katie did have a good heart and wanted the best for everyone.

  He continued, "She was recently caring for our mother, Eva, who had been hiding her illness from us. Mother was spitting up blood for months and did not tell anyone. Katie was determined to get h
er well. Do you know our mother has lived with our father's family, even after father's death?" Jane nodded in the affirmative. "But when she became ill, they no longer wanted her there. I do not know if they feared becoming ill themselves, or were simply unwilling to nurse her." Richard was tall and handsome, walking with his hands joined behind his back. He obviously cared deeply for his entire family.

  Jane remembered when her own mother died and felt sorrow for the whole situation, "I'm so sorry. I had no idea she was ill."

  Richard continued, "She become ill just before you left Ireland. Katie insisted she see a doctor, and they told her it was consumption. Mother was coughing blood, and Katie nursed her twenty four hours a day. We really thought we were going to lose her, but Mother said nothing invisible was going to kill her. Both Katie and Mother fought hard, and Mother was right. She shocked those doctors!" Richard was smiling now, thinking of his mother's spirit and determination. In that respect, Katie was much like their mother--spirited and determined.

  "So she survived? I thought most people died of it?" Jane responded. Her own mother had died of consumption, and with her final breath, she told Jane to find a way to a better life in America. When Katie extended the offer of housing soon after that, it seemed like she was fulfilling Jane's mother's dying wish.

  Her thoughts drifted to her dear mother, Erin, with her bright red hair and flashing green eyes. Jane's sister may have been her namesake, yet Jane was the younger version of her mother. She was an extremely devout Catholic who raised her children to be strong and to trust in the Lord. She was a jovial woman who often sang hymns while doing her chores, and insisted the children pray several times a day. "It takes a strong woman to raise eight children, but once ya have three, ya already suffer from madness, so the others ya hardly notice!” She could hear her mother's gentle voice speaking those words in her head.

  "Yes, she is doing well now. She moved back in with my father's family, and is torturing them--telling them neither heaven nor hell wants her. She promises to torture them all until they die, because they deserted her. That's my mother!" He sounded almost proud that his mother was such a strong person, something that was usually frowned upon regarding women. Sadness swept over Jane as she wondered why the Lord saw fit to save one sister, while taking the other.

  "That is wonderful! I have not seen her since I was very young. Is she well and close enough for me to visit her?" She was sincere in her request, as she hoped that meeting Eva would give her a connection to her own mother who passed away.

  Tower of Tears Chapter 7

  The Factory

  Realizing Jane was now finally feeling more comfortable with him, Richard began making eye contact with her while speaking to her. He searched for some familial recognition and found none, except for the green eyes and pale, creamy white skin. But most Irishwomen in the city had those traits. He wondered if his mother had looked like her when she was younger.

  Richard explained the job to her, "I work in the top of the tower with a few other men," he pointed to the top which was clearly visible as they walked toward it. It was the same building Jane had seen while riding in the carriage from the ship's docks. Tall and cylindrical, it towered over the city. "There are three of us that pour molten lead down into the tower through a screen. The size of the screen determines the size of the lead shot we produce. It then lands in a pool of water at the base of the tower, cooling it to make it solid. After it cools, it needs to be polished, checked for quality, and sorted by size, making the shot ready for packaging and shipment. That is what you will be doing, the final stages of production from the polishing to the shipping." The blue daytime sky had become more pronounced, and the city began to awake from its slumber. The streets started to bustle now, and stores were opening for business.

  This was all new to Jane, she had never even considered how bullets were made. Then she asked, "Is it very busy? I mean, is there a demand for such things?" She came from a small farming village, she could not even remember if she ever saw a gun, let alone a shot pellet. When they killed animals in her village, it was usually farm animals, using some sort of ax or blade. Guns for protection were never an issue either, as most of their neighbors were family, in one way or another.

  Richard was glad to see her interest, he could not imagine how she must feel coming to a completely new way of life. He remembered the stories his mother and sister told him of Ireland, knowing he could never truly appreciate the country, having lived in America all of his life. Although Katie had been born in Ireland, Richard was born in Philadelphia. He was slightly younger than Jane, but he looked even younger than his age. He had an almost innocent deportment about him as well. "Aye, we are busy. We have contracts with the gun maker William Booth, as well as the New Jersey Militia, and some local gunsmiths. Gives us plenty of work. During the last war, Sparks received a government contract, and the workers have been praying for another war ever since. We get paid by the volume, not the hour. If we slow down, we fail to make money. So work quickly, cousin. Work quickly."

  As they got closer to the tower, he pointed to a separate building, "There, that is where you will be working. You won't be able to see me, except on lunch, perhaps. Although they may send us to lunch at different times." The place looked tremendous, even her dreams would never depict such enormity. It was basically a huge warehouse with thirty foot ceilings, and at one end was a set of stairs. The stairs led up to a platform from which one could look upon the whole of the factory, and included only one door. That door was the supervisor's office, and the office was occupied by Mr. Landon.

  They continued walking to the main office, where he told her, "I will meet you right here at the end of the day. We start at six every morning, usually go to lunch around one o'clock, then we finalize the work day around six in the evening. So I will see you right here at six this evening. Agreed?"

  She nodded her head as she contemplated the twelve hour work day of shaping and sorting metal balls. She still was not sure what to expect, but at least knowing Richard was nearby made her feel somewhat better, even though she had not known him at all before their 45 minute walk that morning. As they climbed the stairs to the office, Jane got a better view of the inside of the factory. Hundreds of workers assembled to their work stations. Men were pushing carts full of metal and others had buckets of pellets in their hands. There was one wall of furnaces ablaze, and a dull hum of urgency hung in the air.

  Richard knocked at the office door, then entered. "Mr. Landon, this is my cousin, Mrs. Thomas McClusky, just in from Ireland, sir." Mr. Landon gave her a twice over with his eyes. He was a tall man, at least six feet, with sandy hair and dark eyes. His olive complexion made Jane feel uncomfortable. Most people she had met were light complected, she could not even remember seeing someone with olive skin. Richard claimed he was an Englishman, but he looked like no Englishman she had ever seen. And she had already seen more than she ever wanted.

  Richard excused himself, "I need to report for work, sir," then he turned to his cousin, "Mr. Landon will take good care of you, Jane." When Richard left, she felt scared and alone again, the way she felt on the ship before she met Anna. Anna, she hoped to find Anna again someday. Jane observed the office which was full of books and papers. There were writing instruments on the desk and a thick wooden chair built for someone who wielded power.

  Mr. Landon waited until Richard left, then said softly, "Nice to meet you, Jane." He was moving in a little too close and using her first name was all too familiar for her.

  "Mrs. McClusky, if you please, sir. I would prefer to remain more formal in the work environment, thank you." She hoped that would get the point across. He squinted his eyes while he peered at her. It was almost as if he was rating her in some way. A way that made her very uncomfortable. He was a well dressed man, clean and strong looking. Perhaps too strong looking, and she began to shy away from him.

  He did not like her lack of indulgence. "Mrs. McClusky, things would go much easier for you here
if you would change your preference to the 'informal', if you take my meaning." He stepped toward her and stroked her arm, but just then a short, fat woman with gray hair walked in. God be good! Jane thought as she let out a sigh of relief.

  "Ah, Mr. Landon, I was just coming to ask if the new Leadman arrived. Or Leadwoman, so it seems to be." She knew what Mr. Landon had on his mind. As soon as he saw a young, attractive woman, he was on the prowl. She turned to Jane, "Do you have a name, girl? I'm Mrs. Poole, I manage the Leadmen." She smiled, so Jane smiled back, "Come on then, enough dawdling. We need to get to work."

  Mr. Landon grimaced. He felt as though his new prospect was being whisked away intentionally, and so she was. He was already determined to have her, he just needed time. She would come around, they always did. And next time, the door will be locked to prevent Mrs. Poole's interruptions. Perhaps Mrs. Poole needed a permanent interruption of her duties, and that could be arranged, too.

  Mrs. Poole took Jane around, showing her the process she would soon know better than she knew of any American mannerisms. She felt more at ease as she saw that the workforce in this part of the building was composed of more women than men. She might be able to find a friend amongst the workers, a friend who would understand her fears and anxieties. After the tour, Mrs. Poole turned to Jane and said, "I warn ya, girl, always keep another woman by your side, no matter where you go. That is the best way to protect yourself. We are stronger together, than apart." Jane assumed she meant regarding the men, if they were all like Mr. Landon, it was easy to see how trouble could brew.