There's Wisdom in Women

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

Lillian McCullough:

I sat down at my break one hour with a fountain pen Catherine had lent me and a piece of paper.  I smiled, and began to write.

Dear familey, I am doeng good hear in America I alredy got a job and am erning a lot of money from it.  Inclosed is 18 dollars and 36 sense that I hope will help you out.  How are you all doeng back in Scotland ?  Was the harvest sucesful?  I have met some vary nice peopal-

“What’s this?  A letter to your family?”  I heard a voice from behind me.  I whipped around and saw Catherine, who stood there by the couch in the parlor.  I grinned.

“Yes!  I was finally able to find enough extra money for a stamp, so I thought I’d send a note back to them.  I’m going to put in some money for them too!”

“May I have a look at it?” she asked.  I happily handed it over, waiting to hear the praising response I was sure to get.  She read through it, her face hidden by the thin paper.  When she finally looked up, she looked a bit hesitant.

“This is… good,” she said slowly.  “But there are a few errors in your spelling and grammar…”

I stared at her.  “There is?”

Catherine replied with a grim smile.  “Yes, I’m afraid there are.”

“Where?” I frowned.  Catherine brought the letter ‘round so I could see it.  She pointed to my mussed writing.

“Well, for one, you spelt ‘family’ wrong.  There’s no ‘e’ in it… There should be a period after America .  You also used the wrong ‘here’, you would want to spell it ‘h-e-r-e’…-“

My frown deepened.  “I’ve never really been to school,” I admitted sheepishly.  “I only learned a little bit about reading and writing from my mum.  There were never any schools nearby.”  I lowered my head in shame.  I could only read small words, and I could not spell most things right at all.  I had always wanted to be a good writer, but living out in the country back in Scotland , it took about ten miles to get to town where there even was a school!

Catherine sat down on the couch next to me.  She looked at me supportively.  “Lillian,” she started, “for someone who has never been to school before, being able to write this is phenomenal!  All you need is a little bit of practice.”

I glanced up hopefully.  “Then could you help me?”

Over the next few weeks, Catherine taught me.  Whenever I had a break, or went upstairs to clean in the parlor where she usually resided, she spent time with me, working to improve my writing.  She taught me how to spell words correctly, even the long scary ones, and instructed me in how one would properly construct a sentence.  I also significantly improved in my reading skills, and pleasured in reading everything I could, even the news articles. Eventually I could write pretty well, and without error.

Dear family, America has been good to me.  While here, I have learned many wonderful things, and met many wonderful people.  I am currently working as a handmaid in a man’s household, where I get sufficient pay to buy food and clothes.  I am in fact sending you thirty dollars and fifty cents.  I hope this will be of use to you, and that you’ll be able to save up enough for America soon.  I do dearly miss you all, and I wish for you the happiest Christmas season. Much love, Lillian

Catherine smiled behind me as I finished writing the letter.  I quickly scrawled my name at the bottom of the note, and slipped it carefully into an envelope.  After I sealed it and wrote my family’s name and town, I turned to her, satisfied with my work.