THE GREAT SURPRISE
During the next few months the Bretton family prospered in their careers
in the Paterson mills. Madame Bretton, whose deftness and care in
handling material was quickly recognized, was promoted to a position
much better suited to her age and refinement, and also one that was more
lucrative. In addition Marie, skilful too of touch, was put in the
labeling department. But with undaunted spirit Pierre still drudged at
the heavier work of the mill, mastering one step after another of its
dull processes. To another boy the slow climb to the top of the ladder
might have been tedious; but to the French lad, with eyes fixed
constantly on the great industry of silk-making as a whole, every part
in the ingenious art became interesting.
Despite the fact that Mr. Gautier was his uncle the boy received no
favors. In such a vast group of factories one superintendent had small
jurisdiction over individual workers; nor was Mr. Gautier a man to
promote unjustly. Whatever progress Pierre made he made on his own
merits. On entering the mills he had been employed at _lacing_, one of
the simpler tasks usually given to beginners. His duty was to run short
threads in and out through the skeins of silk in order to divide them
into four parts, and prevent them from becoming tangled in the dyeing.
Many young boys and girls known as _lacers_ were set at this task for
the first month or two. But Pierre did not remain a lacer. He went on to
being a learner in other departments.
He saw how the raw silk which arrived at the factories in bales ranging
from eighty to a hundred twisted skeins were weighed; sorted as to
quality; soaked in oil so that the gum might be extracted, and the ends
freed for winding. He witnessed the drying, or rather the partial
drying, of the silk. All this was an old story, for he had seen every
step of the process before when at the Gaspard throwing mills. Then
followed the winding on big, three-inch spools; and the first spinning.
Afterward if the thread was for tram it went direct to the doublers, to
be made stronger; but if it was for organzine it was spun again after
leaving the doubling frames, and was given a much tighter twisting. It
was then reeled into skeins again, this form being found the most
convenient one for dyeing. The tying, or lacing of these skeins, had
been Pierre's work. The skeins after being laced were then bundled, or
packed tightly, to be sent to the dye-house. This finished the work of
the throwing mills and Pierre was interested to see that the process was
practically the same in America as in France.
But from the time the dyed silk came back to the weaving mills
everything was new. The weaving of broad goods such as dress materials,
mufflers, handkerchiefs, and necktie silks took place on the broad
looms; while narrow goods such as ribbons were woven on the narrow
looms. It was a long time, alas, ere Pierre came to understand the
complex weaving machinery; and before he half comprehended it a most
unexpected happening befell the Bretton family.
It was heralded by a letter from far-away Bellerivre--a letter from
Monsieur le Cure; and before the amazing tidings in the missive could be
assimilated another letter--a feeble scrawl--followed.
Monsieur Bretton lived!
The beloved father they had given up as lost was actually alive!
He had been wounded, captured, and kept a prisoner in a hostile camp
from which it was impossible to communicate with his family. As soon as
he was able he had been forced to work for his captors, and there he had
remained cut off from all knowledge of his family or friends. By and by
he had succeeded in escaping and reaching his own lines, only to be shot
down in the next battle in which he had taken part. Then had followed a
long illness in a French hospital where under the care of the kind
sisters he had hovered 'twixt life and death. There had been no letters
home because he had been too delirious to tell his nurses where to
write. At length out of the chaos had come sanity, and now because his
wounds were such that he could do no more fighting he had come home to
Bellerivre. Monsieur le Cure and Josef were nursing him, and he hoped to
join his dear ones in their new home as soon as he was able.
It was a wonderful story!
Some day, the doctor said, he would regain his strength and be well
enough to do some simple work so that he could still earn a livelihood
and not be a burden to his family.
How good the tidings were! How almost unbelievable!
Over and over again the jubilant Brettons rehearsed the tale and framed
new plans for the future. It took all Madame Bretton's resistance not to
draw from the bank the treasured nest-egg still reposing there and go
home to France to nurse her husband back to life. But Monsieur le Cure
bade her not to come. The invalid was in good hands and progressing
rapidly. Soon she might send money for the journey, and the kind priest
himself would see the wounded Frenchman aboard a ship that would carry
him to America. It was the wisest plan. Both he and Monsieur Bretton
thought so. Then when peace was restored to the weary world, and the
family had sufficient money they might all come back together to
Bellerivre, never again to leave its sunny valley.
Thus argued the old priest.
But that day never came.
Pierre rose to a fine position at Paterson, enabling him to establish a
pretty home there in which his father and mother lived in comfort.
Marie, in the meantime, married an American and settled next door.
Thus the new land, once but a haven to a tempest-tossed household,
became the permanent dwelling place of the Bretton family.
Affectionately they remembered the green valley of Bellerivre; and the
friendship of the old priest and the faithful Josef. Tenderly they
spoke of their neighbors in the old home and ever loyally they loved La
Belle France, the soil that had given them birth.
But the spell of America was upon them. They did not wish to go back.
The golden path of opportunity lay in the country of their adoption and
in exchange for all that it was giving them they resolved to return a
devoted citizenship.
And so between the two great sister Republics another bond was
established--a humble bond to be sure, but one that linked in loving
ties the old world and the new; and daily spanned the distance between
them with many a kindly thought, and a speeding message of good-will.
The Stories in this Series are:
THE STORY OF COTTON
THE STORY OF GOLD AND SILVER
THE STORY OF LUMBER
THE STORY OF WOOL
THE STORY OF IRON
THE STORY OF LEATHER
THE STORY OF GLASS
THE STORY OF SUGAR
THE STORY OF SILK
THE STORY OF PORCELAIN