A Life Worth Living (4 page)

As she talked, Allen’s heart warmed and he said en-couragingly, “There isn’t a doubt in my mind that you can manage the mill.”

She touched his right hand where he held the reins. “But only if you’ll help me.”

“I’ll help you,” Allen agreed. It wasn’t something he was deciding on the spur of the moment. In their short acquaintance, he’d decided that Dora had the temperament to accomplish anything she wanted to do. He’d already decided that if Dora asked for his help again, she’d get it so he didn’t hesitate in promising to advise her.

“I’ll want you to tell me when I’m wrong and give me advice. I may not like it, but I know I can’t do it with-out you.”

“I’ll do anything I can, but I’m not a businessman or a miracle worker. However, now that you want my advice, I’m telling you that unless you’re ready to devote one hundred percent of your time to the mill, you should tell your father to forget it. I suggest that you wait until you have a tour of the mill and see what you’re up against before you make your final decision. You’re going to witness ‘life’s other side’ this afternoon.”

Dora looked at him with an incredulous expression on her face, but she didn’t comment as they headed toward the small village. When they reached the outskirts of Fairfield, Allen slowed the horses. Smiling, he said, “I know this town can’t compare with the cities you’ve seen, but I’ll take you on a tour of Fairfield. On the left is the textile mill you will soon own.”

“Gracious! It’s a rather shabby building, and a big one.”

Allen shrugged his shoulders. “All textile mills look like that. There are large fans in the ceilings to blow the lint and other elements that gathered in the air through high windows in the structure.” Driving slowly, he pointed out a few of the other landmarks, including a brick church with a tower.

“That’s Bethel Community Church, which I attended this morning. It’s been here longer than the town itself. The church was established about fifty years ago, and this was all country then. The textile mill was built ten years later, and the town grew up around it.”

Many people were strolling along the tree-shaded streets, evidently enjoying the sun and the invigorating breeze wafting down from the mountains. Most of them waved, and Allen returned the salute.

“Twenty acres of forest were cleared for the con-struction of the mill,” Allen explained as he tightened the reins and brought the team of Morgan horses to a slow walk. “The lumber was used to build the town itself. I lived in the town of Canaan, several miles north of here, but I’m a carpenter, and I came here to help build the houses and mill. I didn’t necessarily intend to stay after the mill was in operation, but I like it here, so I’ve stayed on.” When they passed Aunt Sallie’s Boardinghouse, Allen said, “That’s where I lived until I saved enough money to buy a small farm outside of town. I have a small cabin on the land now.”

From the puzzled expression on Dora’s face, Allen suspected that he might as well be talking a foreign language, so he added, “When I came to North Carolina, where my cousin established the village of Canaan, he distributed land to his friends and neighbors who had traveled with him. I could have had a parcel of land in that settlement, but I didn’t want to be a farmer. So I became a self-taught carpenter and helped build the little town.”

“But you’re a farmer now.”

“I own a small farm, but I prefer building things with my hands rather than tilling the soil. That’s one reason I didn’t get along with my father. He wanted me to work for him on the plantation near Charleston. I couldn’t see any future there because many residents were still living in the past—thinking that the old carefree days prior to the War Between the States would return. I didn’t think that was going to happen; besides I prefer to look toward the future instead of dwelling on the past.”

“But you like it here and intend to stay?”

“So far. I’ve never put down roots anywhere, so I don’t know. Farming is sort of a hobby for me. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a poor way to make a living, but combining that with carpentry, I’m doing all right.”

When they reached the mill, Allen secured the buggy and horses then helped Dora to the ground. He opened the huge metal doors and motioned for her to precede him into the mill.

❧

Dora’s first impression of the textile mill was that the huge room was dark and dirty. She sneezed as Allen opened two other doors in addition to the one they’d entered.

“There’s usually lint from the fabrics floating around this building. That’s what caused the sneeze.”

Inside, the building seemed even larger than it did from the outside, and numerous machines were situated around the room. Most of them had fabric of different kinds in the process of being woven. Large bolts of cotton were stored on shelves.

What a terrible place to work
, she thought and wondered why her father had invested in the place. No doubt he’d been able to buy the mill at a low price and was convinced he could double his money in a short time. If she accepted this gift from him, she vowed to herself that she’d improve working conditions for her employees. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like to work day after day in such a place.

Dora saw a figure coming toward them, and supposing it was a workman, she was surprised to see a young woman sweeping the floor.

“Kitty,” Allen called. “We have company. Miss Porter is visiting in the area, and I brought her to see the mill. We can wait outside until you’re finished.”

“Ain’t no need of that, Mister Allen. I’m almost through. Come on in.”

The girl was of slight build, and Dora noticed that she walked with a limp as she approached them. “Miss Porter, this is Kitty Franklin. Her mother is one of the mill employees. Her father died last year, and Kitty does odd jobs around the plant to help support the family.”

A sense of frustration mixed with compassion swept through Dora’s heart. Most of her life she’d heard the statement “life’s other side.” Allen had used it that very day. She believed she had seen the depth of that “other side” in the past few days, but this child’s injury, her poor grammar, and her ragged garments reached a portion of Dora’s heart that had never been stirred. Looking beyond the girl’s disability, she realized that Kitty was really a beautiful girl. Was it conceivable that if she managed the mill she could make this girl’s life happier? No doubt there were many such cases in these mountains where she could make a difference in the lives of those who weren’t as fortunate as she’d been all of her life.

Unaccustomed to such feelings of frustration, she wished momentarily that she’d never met Allen Bolden or had ever come to North Carolina. As long as she had stayed at Biltmore, her lifestyle didn’t differ from what she’d always known. Her association with Allen, however, had introduced her to a segment of society that she didn’t even know existed. Why had she ever made this trip to North Carolina? Her peace of mind had been disrupted, and for the first time she was dissatisfied with her own way of living.

“What’s wrong with her leg?” she asked Allen after the girl left the building.

“As I understand, she broke her leg when she was three or four years old, and there wasn’t any doctor available to take care of it.”

“You mean there isn’t a company doctor to minister to the workers in this mill or to their families?”

He shook his head. “There are doctors in Asheville, but most of our local residents doctor themselves. They can’t afford to pay for health care. As for Kitty, it’s not as bad as it sounds. For one thing, they didn’t live here when the accident happened. Her parents moved from another village southeast of here. There’s a doctor in Fairfield, as well as doctors in Asheville, who take care of the accidents that happen in the mill itself.”

“Still, it seems harsh for the child to live like that.”

“I agree. But some of these people have Calvinistic views—meaning that they believe whatever will be, will be, and they accept life as it is. They don’t believe in doctoring.”

As they walked around the large building, Allen explained the purpose of each machine to Dora, which gave her an idea of the output of the workers. She asked a few questions, but what impressed her most was not the mill products as much as the poor lighting and the dirt and dust on the machinery as well as the floor. How miserable it would be to spend six days working in such squalor!

They said good-bye to Kitty and left the building. “Any questions?” Allen asked as he took her arm and assisted her into the buggy.

“Yes, but one you probably can’t answer. Why would my father be interested in buying a textile mill in North Carolina?”

“To make money,” Allen said without hesitation. “The textile industry is one of the most lucrative businesses in the South now. The climate is perfect for growing cotton. There are hundreds of people, both men and women, who need employment and who will work long hours for low wages. It’s a potential gold mine for someone who has plenty of money to invest. At Vanderbilt’s request, I took your father on a tour of the village as well as the mill. He obviously knows a good deal when he sees it. There’s money to be made here, and he wants the Porters to make that money. I observed him at Biltmore and when he toured this plant. He knows a good thing when he sees it.”

“I still don’t understand why he wants to give the mill to me. He’s not an old man—he manages his other business investments.”

Allen unhitched the horses and climbed into the buggy beside her. “Are you his only child?”

“Yes. My mother died giving birth to me. He’s lamented more than once that he wished I’d been a boy. I don’t know why he didn’t marry again and perhaps have a son.” She shrugged and continued. “But it’s a legend in our family that Porters only marry once. They marry for love, and it’s a lifetime commitment.”

Smiling at her, Allen said, “Does that apply to women as well as men?”

She favored him with an oblique glance. “I don’t know from personal experience. I’ve never been in love.”

As they left the mill behind, Allen sensed a lift of his spirits as he recalled her words. “If you aren’t in any particular hurry, I’ll take the long drive back to Biltmore after we eat at Aunt Sallie’s.”

“I’d like that! Since I’ll be leaving for New York soon. . .”

He glanced quickly toward her. “Not to stay.”

“If father carries through with his plans of giving the textile mill to me, I suppose I’ll have to come here occasionally. However, I think you’ve been hinting that being an absentee landlord isn’t a good thing.”

“Now just a minute—don’t blame me for the decisions you have to make. I’ve just answered your questions, but you’ve admitted that you wouldn’t want to live here.”

“That’s true, but I’ve got a stubborn streak—apparently inherited directly from Father because my mother’s relatives aren’t like that. I’d be willing to bet the reason he bought the mill in the first place was that he looked the situation over and decided a lot of money could be made. He’s determined that I must earn any inheritance I get from him, and if he makes me take this mill, I’m going to turn it into the most successful textile mill in the state of North Carolina without any help from him. The first thing I’d do is improve the working conditions. Father won’t like that, though, because that would eat up most of the profits.”

“You can’t do that by living in New York.”

“Can you actually envision me living in Fairfield?”

Laughing, Allen said, “No, but I can’t envision you living in New York for that matter. An absentee landlord can’t give one hundred percent to his—or her, in your situation—work. In my opinion, that’s necessary for success in the few businesses I’ve seen operate. That’s the reason the former owner didn’t make a profit. He lived in South Carolina and only came here occasionally.”

“I’ve never had any experience operating a business of any kind, so I’ll probably spend as much time here as I do in New York, at least until I learn what it requires to own and operate a textile mill. I’ve been discontented the last year or two, feeling that I wasn’t accomplishing anything, so perhaps a new challenge is what I need. I’m determined to make a success of this, if for no other reason than to prove my worth to Father. I can’t do it alone, but I believe the two of us working as a team can make this a good investment. I may even take you in as a partner. Are you interested in managing the mill?”

He shook his head. “No, I wouldn’t unless I had absolute control, and I know you well enough already to realize that you’ll be determined to operate the business your own way. I don’t blame you for that—that would be my attitude. I’ve got a stubborn streak, too,” he said, and a determined expression spread across his face. “I’m not going to tie myself to any promises I don’t want to keep.”

“Well, we’ve laid the cards on the table, so to speak. I know what to expect from you—you know what to expect from me.”

He lifted the reins, and the eager horses took off at a trot as soon as they reached the narrow road heading north. Neat farmsteads lined the road, but the owners and their farmhands alike were loafing as they took advantage of their one day of rest. In a small community like this, no one was a stranger, so Allen waved to everyone.

They rode for several miles without talking. Dora seemed satisfied to just look at the scenery, and he was pleased that she didn’t find it necessary to carry on a conversation all the time. Another reason he admired Dora. Being a quiet person himself, he was often frustrated when he was in the company of someone who talked constantly. He was thankful for the opportunity to spend as much time with her as he could. The fact that she was returning to New York in a little while distressed him. When she reached New York and resumed the company of her former friends, mill or no mill, would she ever return to North Carolina? Although Dora seemed convinced that her father would disinherit her if she refused to accept ownership of the mill or couldn’t operate it with a profit, Allen didn’t think that would happen. Mr. Porter was a shrewd man, and he would prod her to be successful.