Lyddie

“I can’t borrow. I borrowed too much already.”

But Diana quietly insisted. Lyddie owed it to her family to let them know right away, she said. She brought out paper, pen and ink, and a sturdy board for Lyddie to write upon. Lyddie would have felt shy about forming her letters so laboriously in front of Diana, but Diana took up a book and made Lyddie feel as though she were alone.

Dear Mother,

You will be surprize to no I am gone to Lowell to work. I am in the weving rum at the Concord Corp. I bord at number 5 if you rit me. Everwun is kind and the food is plenty and tasty. I am saving my muny to pay the dets.

I am well. I trus you and the babbies are well to.

Yr. fathfull dater,

Lydia Worthen

It seemed extravagant to take another sheet to write to Charlie, but Diana had said that she ought to write to him as well.

Dear Bruther,

Do not be surprize. I am gone to Lowell for a factry girl. Everwun is kind. The work is alrite, but masheens is nosy, beleev me. The muny is good. I will save and pay off the dets. So we can stil hop. (Ha ha)

Yr. loving sister,

Lydia Worthen

P.S. I am at Concord Corp. Number 5 if you can rit. Excuse al mistaks. I am in grate hurry.

She folded the letters, sealed them with Diana’s wax, and addressed them. Before she could ask further about posting them, Diana took the letters from her hand. “I have to go tomorrow anyhow. Let me mail them for you.”

“I’ll pay you back as soon as I get paid.” She sighed. “As soon as I pay Triphena—”

“No,” said Diana. “This time it’s my welcoming gift. You mustn’t try to repay a gift.”

The bell rang for curfew. “We haven’t looked at the silly regulations,” Diana said. “Well, another time …”

Diana walked her to Number Five. It was a bright, cool night, though in the city, the stars seemed dim and far away. “Until tomorrow,” Diana said at the door.

“I’m obliged to you for everything,” Lyddie said.

Diana shook her head. “They need to know. They’ll worry.”

The roommates were already getting into bed. “You’re late,” Amelia said.

“I come as soon as the bell rung—”

“Oh, you’re not really late,” said Betsy. “Amelia just doesn’t approve of where you’ve been.”

“It was Diana Goss, wasn’t it?” Amelia asked.

“Yes.”

“And?” Lyddie was taking off her bonnet, then her shawl. And what? What did Amelia mean? Amelia answered her own question. “Did she try to make you join?”

Lyddie folded her shawl, still uncomprehending.

“She means,” said Betsy, “did she tie you up and torture you until you promised to join the Female Labor Reform Association?”

“Oh, Betsy,” said Prudence.

“She never mentioned such,” Lyddie said. She made her way around Amelia and Prudence’s bed and trunks to the side of the bed that she shared with Betsy. She sat on the edge and began to take off her shoes and stockings.