My grandmother’s family was
well-to-do. While her two older brothers
went to school, she and her younger sister were raised at home. A nanny tutored them in school subjects and they
had a cook, a housemaid, and a laundress who cared for their needs.
This was the early 1900’s and a woman’s
future was very iffy. My great-grandmother wanted her daughters prepared for whatever
waited for them, so the girls were expected to help the servants and learn how
to do the daily chores.
When my grandmother was 12 years
old, her father died suddenly. His business partners asked my great-grandmother
to sign papers and she did, thinking they could be trusted. In a matter of
weeks, she and the children were penniless and homeless. The men swindled her out of land, buildings,
and other investments.
Some friends came to their rescue
and offered them a place to stay. The
boys went to work and my grandmother went to work for her laundress.
When my grandmother talked about
this woman, it was always with a smile. My great-grandmother was a harsh woman
before the death of my great-grandfather and she became even more so after his
death.
The laundress consoled my
grandmother. She befriended her, looked
out for her, and gave her advice. She was the one person my grandmother could
trust. She got her through this terrible part of her life.
My grandmother never regained her
monetary wealth. She often had to fend for herself and her five children on her
own since my grandfather was of little help. She came to live with us right after my
parents married and lived with my mother for most of her life after that.
Her story deserves to be told. It is a real life fable with several morals hidden
within it, but best yet, it is the story of a strong and resilient woman who
learned to make the best of her life.
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