CHAPTER VII
THE GILA CLUB
The class of cowboys soon outgrew the living room at Clayton Ranch,and now occupied the schoolhouse three consecutive evenings a week.Although the class had organized as the Gila Club, for study andsocial life, the meetings thus far had been for the purpose of studyonly.
From the inception of the club, it had met with popular favor. Formany a day, nothing had been so much talked of, and talked of withsuch unqualified approval. The knowledge of the teacher, her unselfishinterest in the men, her goodness and kindness, were themes upon whichmany a rough man grew eloquent. Had Esther Bright been a Sister ofMercy, in the sacred garb of the Church, she could hardly have beenrevered more than she was. It never occurred to her as she went andcame among them, that she needed a protector. Before the year wasover, many a one in that group would have risked his life to savehers.
And yet, Esther Bright was not such an unusual woman. Such as she maybe found almost anywhere in this land, sanctifying the home; rearingchildren to be true men and women; teaching in the schools;ministering to the sick; protecting the pure; rescuing the fallen; andexemplifying in every act of their lives, Christ's teachings of loveand mercy. And the work of this great sisterhood goes quietly,unfalteringly on, making, as no other force does, for the realprogress of the race.
An Esther Bright is never written up in glaring headlines of yellowjournalism; an Esther Bright is never offered in barter for a foreigntitle and a degenerate husband; such as she are never seen at thegaming table, nor among the cigarette and cocktail devotees. We findher in places where the world's needs are great, calm, well-poised,intelligent, capable, sympathetic; the greatest moral force of theage.
The common man, if decent, always respects such a woman. She becomesto him a saint, an ideal; and in proportion to his respect for her, ishis own moral uplift possible.
So those rough men of Gila, in those days of long ago, came to lookupon Esther Bright as a sort of saint, their Angel, as they calledher; and with this deepening respect for her, there gradually grew upin them, faint at first, but sure at last, a wholesome respect for allwomankind. Such was the atmosphere of the Gila Club.
Among the first to attend the meetings, after the organization of theclub, was Patrick Murphy, whom Esther had not seen since the night ofthe ball. He came with John Harding, and as he entered the room, hetook his pipe from his mouth, jerked his slouch hat from his head, andgave a queer little duck in lieu of a bow.
"I am plazed to be wid yez, Miss." He smiled broadly.
She assured him of a cordial welcome from all, extending her hand asshe spoke. He gripped it till she winced, and became so engrossed inhearing himself talk that he forgot to release it.
"The byes has been tellin' av me as yez learn 'em ter git on. Nowthat's what Oi allus preach,--git on. There's no use allus bein' widyer nose ter the grindstone."
He released her hand to stuff more tobacco in his pipe. After a puffor two, he continued his remarks:
"The childthren has been gittin' on so well, Oi sez to mesilf, sez Oi,p'raps the schoolma'am can learn me ter figger, an' read an' write. Sohere Oi am," (slapping his chest heartily, as that portion of hisanatomy rose an inch higher) "here Oi am!"
Just then Esther's attention was sought by a group of newcomers.Kenneth watched her attitude towards the people. She was gracious andcordial, but there was about her a fine reserve that the commonest manfelt, and tacitly respected.
At first, this young Englishman had been attracted to the young NewEngland girl by the delicate loveliness of her face, and the eleganceof her manner. He had felt, from the first, that in his socialintercourse with her, he must rise above the empty platitudes ofsociety. There were times when he flattered himself he had madeprogress in her favor. Then, when he presumed upon this, he was met bya strong wall of reserve.
Here she was now, bestowing smiles and gracious words upon just commonmen. He was filled with disgust. Then he, gentleman as he was, man ofthe world, university graduate, engineer, felt his self-love wounded;and he thereupon had an acute attack of sulks.
What was she to him, anyway?
The stern patrician face looked coldly, cynically on at the men aroundhim. The "vulgar herd," he called them.
Just in the midst of his morbid reflections, he heard a merry,contagious laugh from Esther. He did not glance up. But, in aninstant, she was at his side, telling with great glee the skit thathad provoked the laughter. It was so irresistibly funny, Kennethlaughed with them, and the ice was broken.
To be sure, he did not know Esther Bright as he did the alphabet, butwhat of that? Who could sound the deeps of such a rare woman's soul?She _was_ a rare woman. He conceded that every time he held anargument with himself, when she was the question of the argument.Always in her life, he was sure, there would be a reserve, throughwhich no one could pass, unless it might be the ordained of God. Shefascinated him more and more. One moment, in his adoration, he couldhave humbled himself to the dust to win one gracious word from her; atother times, his pride made him as silent and immovable as a sphinx.
On this particular night at the club, Kenneth was in one of his moods.If Esther saw, she did not betray it. She came to him, telling in astraightforward way, that the work had grown so she could not do itall herself, and do justice to the men? Would he help her? There was aclass in arithmetic. Would he kindly teach that for her to-night?Kenneth looked savage.
"Oh, don't say no," she urged appealingly. "They are working incompound numbers and are doing so well. _Won't_ you take the class?"she urged, again. And Kenneth consented.
It is but justice to say that the selection of the teacher provedwise. What this did for Kenneth himself is not the least part of thegood resulting therefrom.
Soon the click of pencils, and occasional questions and answersindicated that the arithmetic classes were at work. In one corner, thedignified and scholarly John Clayton sat helping a young miner learnto write. By her desk, sat Esther Bright, teaching Patrick Murphy toread.
Learning to read when a man is forty-five is no easy task. PatrickMurphy did not find it so. He found it rather humiliating, but hisunfailing good humor helped him out.
The teacher began with script sentences, using objects to developthese. She wrote the sentences on the blackboard. Again and again thesentences were erased and then rewritten. But the pupil at lastremembered.
One sentence was, "I am a man." Patrick hesitated; then solemnly said,as though reading:
"Oi certainly am not a woman, manin' no disrespict to women folk,Miss."
She read quietly from the blackboard again, "I am a man."
"Perhaps, Miss, it would be more intilligint fur me ter say, 'Oi am anOirishman.'"
"Very well," she said, smiling, "I will write the sentence that way."
"You see, Miss," he continued, with droll seriousness, "it is ividintOi am a man. Let me read the sintinces agin!" And he read themcorrectly.
Here the classes changed, each teacher helping a group of men with asimple reading lesson. Then followed the lesson in penmanship, taughtby Esther Bright, and the work of the evening was over.
As the three teachers left the schoolhouse door, Mr. Clayton laid hishand on Kenneth's shoulder, and said:
"Come over to see Mrs. Clayton a little while. It's still early."
Kenneth hesitated.
"Yes, do," urged Esther. "We have some plans to work out for the club,you know, and we need your help."
Again there was an appeal in her voice. What a brute he had been! Whata fool! So he strolled along with the two. As they stepped on theveranda, they heard a deep voice.
"Lord Kelwin!" exclaimed John Clayton.
The greetings over, the meeting of the club and its possibilitiesbecame the subject of discussion.
"Why can't you join us, Lord Kelwin?" questioned the host.
"Yes, why not?" said Esther, with sudden animation.
Kenneth Hastings' face darkened.
"Ah--I--well--" stammered Lord Kelw
in. "I didn't suppose myservices--ah--would--ah--would be agreeable to the _teacher_,"--and helooked first at Esther Bright, and then at Kenneth Hastings.
A single, hectic flush suddenly appeared in one of Esther's cheeks.Then Mr. Clayton spoke.
"You do not seem to understand, Lord Kelwin, that Miss Bright's classhas grown so rapidly she has had to have assistance, and Mr. Hastingsand I, for lack of better material, have been pressed into service.Come, yourself, and you'll want to help the good work on." Lord Kelwinraised his monocle.
Esther spoke quickly, with more enthusiasm than usual.
"The girls have been seeking the same opportunity we are giving themen. They need help just as much, and so we must plan to help themtoo!"
"Yes, and kill yourself!" growled Kenneth Hastings.
John Clayton smiled.
"Not if Miss Bright has sufficient help. If she will organize thework, we can surely assist her."
For a time, it seemed as though a club for girls was doomed. Then Mrs.Clayton came to Esther's rescue.
"Miss Bright is already in touch with the girls, and knows somethingof their great need."
"But they're such a tough lot," rejoined Lord Kelwin.
"Then they need her influence all the more. She can help them ifanyone in the world can." Again Mrs. Clayton had helped her out. Thehectic flush deepened. Esther's eyes grew brilliant. Her voice, whenshe spoke, was low, calm, sweet, but vibrating with an earnestness thegroup about her had occasionally heard in her voice before. She spokewith decision:
"I shall help the girls!"
"That settles it!" responded Kenneth, half in admiration, half indisgust. He could not understand what it was that could make a girl ofher fine and sensitive nature, a girl of her beauty and culture andgreat attainments, not only willing, but eager, to help a group ofcoarse, uncouth men and women, of doubtful reputation, and who, to hismind, were utterly incapable of appreciating her.
John Clayton spoke again.
"Won't you join us, Lord Kelwin?"
Again the Irishman looked at the teacher, but her eyes were fixed onthe glowing fire.
"I--well--I suppose--I could."
"Suppose we have a joint meeting of the men and women next Saturdayevening," said Esther. "Have a programme that would not be very long,but interesting. Then let them have a social time, and treat them tosome cake and coffee."
"That is a happy thought, Miss Bright," said Mrs. Clayton in heartyapproval.
Now plans began to be discussed in earnest. And before the guestsdeparted, it had been decided that the first social function evergiven by the people of Gila should be given in the schoolhouse thefollowing Saturday night.
As the two men walked toward the camp, Lord Kelwin questioned hiscompanion.
"What did Clayton mean by Miss Bright's being of the 'blood royal'?"
"That is what he meant."
"Related to some royal house of Europe, some native ruler here, eh?"
His companion stopped and laughed.
"Royal by nature. It is such blood as hers that should flow in theveins of the rulers of the earth."
"Then she has no vast estates coming to her?"
The darkness concealed the contempt on Kenneth's face.
"If there is a God, (and I begin to believe there is) she has a richreward before her."
"Poor in this world's goods, eh?"
"_Rich_ as few women are."
His companion whistled. Kenneth stopped. Lord Kelwin stopped too.
"Deuced fine girl, isn't she?" said the Irishman. His companion madeno reply. After another remark from Lord Kelwin, Kenneth said sharply:
"I do not care to discuss Miss Bright."
So the conversation ended. But something rankled in the heart of theEnglishman.
Saturday night came. Such jollity! Such overflow of spirits! Thelaughter was loud and frequent. People came in a steady stream untilthe little schoolhouse was full to overflowing.
Among the first arrivals, were Patrick Murphy and his wife. He wasbeaming with good nature. But Mrs. Murphy had come (as she expressedit) "agin her jedgment." She viewed the company with a chilly glance.Patrick chuckled.
"It's plazed Oi am wid this evint. Oi've persuaded me woman, here, asthis is quoite equal ter anythin' she iver attinded in York State, noteven barrin' a barrn raisin'."
Mrs. Murphy's beady black eyes seemed to come closer together. Hermouth set. Her nose rose by gradual gradations into the air, and herspinal column stiffened. She delivered herself to the followingeffect:
"I _will_ confess as I have never been at a club afore. Back in YorkState they was only fur men folks. But my 'lations as lives on LexityStreet, York City, knows what clubs be, an' parties too, I reckon."
But here John Harding, the president of the club, called the meetingto order. He announced that the first number on the programme would bea talk on physics, by Mr. Hastings.
After the applause, Patrick Murphy, in facetious mood, exclaimed:
"Begorra, if yez are not commincin' wid physic fur our stomachs!"
"No," responded the speaker, "but physics for your head, Patrick."
When the laugh at Patrick's expense had subsided, Kenneth announcedthe subject of his talk as "Magnetism." He talked simply, illustratingas he talked. Occasionally he was interrupted by questions that showeda fair degree of intelligence, and a desire to know. At the close ofhis talk Patrick, the irrepressible, burst forth again:
"Yez said that a natural magnit could magnetize a bar o' steel, makin'the steel a sthronger magnit than the iron, an' yit this naturalmagnit be jist as magnitic as it was before?"
"Yes."
"Begorra!" said Patrick, slapping his knee, "yez'll have a harrd toimemakin' me belave that. The idea! that anythin' can give to anothermore nor it has itself, an' at the same toime have as much lift itselfas it had before it gave away more nor it had!"
Patrick drew himself up. He had assumed a sudden importance in thecommunity. Did he not know?
The teacher smiled indulgently. As she spoke, there was quiet,respectful attention.
"You see, Mr. Murphy, the natural magnet is like a human being. Themore strength a man puts forth, the more he will have. If we give ofourselves, of our talents, to help other people, we are enriched byit. So the magnet teaches us a lesson, don't you see?"
Patrick scratched his head dubiously. The teacher continued:
"A natural magnet may not have much power in itself, but when itshares its power with a steel bar, the bar can do vastly more than thepiece of iron could. In the same way, the influence we exert, thoughit may not be great in itself, may enable other people to do greaterthings than we could possibly do."
The lesson went home.
Patrick shook his head approvingly.
"All right, Miss, all right! Oi'll belave the sthory if yez say so. Oifoind it hard to understhand what makes a bit o' iron a naturalmagnit. What Oi does understhand is yez are loike the steel magnit,an' yez draws the rist av us to yez!"
And having delivered himself of this compliment, which apparently metwith the hearty approval of the company, he subsided.
Then John Harding announced the next number on the programme,--a talkon Ireland by Lord Kelwin, illustrated by Mr. Clayton with his magiclantern. Again there was applause; and as the lights were put out, thegiggling and laughter grew boisterous. In an instant, a pictureflashed on the screen, and the laughter changed to quiet attention.
Lord Kelwin's voice soon made itself heard. He was well-known in camp,and popular. He spoke in a bright, attractive way, with occasionalflashes of Irish wit, when he provoked laughter and comment again. Onone of these occasions, Patrick burst forth. Patrick was in finespirits. He had stopped at the saloon on the way to the party.
"Begorra, the ould counthry is all foine enough in a picture orlecture; but Oi loike the Imerald Oile on this soide betther. TheImerald Oile of Ameriky, bounded on the north, by the North Pole; onthe east, by the Atlanthic; on the south, by the South Pole; on thewist, b
y the Pacific; an' on the top, by the rist o' the universe.Hoorah fur the Imerald Oile of Ameriky!"
A howl went up, and a laugh from everyone, followed by much clapping.
"Where did you learn so much geography?" asked one. Again there was alaugh.
"And this," said the speaker, as a new picture flashed before theireyes, "is Blarney Castle. Here is where Patrick learned his blarney."
But Patrick was not to be outdone. He chuckled.
"The blairney stone was all roight whin Oi was at Blairney Castle inthe ould counthry; but whin Oi landed in Ameriky, Oi wint to Plymouth,an' there Oi found an Oirish saint holdin' a rock. Oi sez ter him, sezOi, 'Phat do yez call the rock where the Pilgrims landed'? An' helooks at me scornful loike, an' sez he ter me, sez he, 'Y'remishthaken', sez he, 'this is the blairney stone of Killairney.Ameriky imports all the bist things from the ould counthry."
The people fairly howled.
"Includin' you, eh, Patrick?" shouted an Englishman, above the uproarof laughter.
The address held everyone's attention, and at its close, both LordKelwin and Mr. Clayton were loudly applauded.
"This closes our programme," said John Harding. "We hope ye'll talkan' have a good time, an' look about the room ter see what thechildren of the school have been doin'. Then the women folks will feedyer cake an' coffee."
This announcement, too, was applauded.
Mrs. Murphy, belle of the back East barn raisings, separated herselffrom the company. She came upon a good-sized play house, neatlypainted and papered. It was furnished tastefully with little wovenrugs, wire furniture, and crocheted window curtains. Over differentarticles, were placed the names of the children who had made them.Mrs. Murphy stood in amazed admiration, for her own children had beenamong the most skilled workers. She found simple garments, neatlymade, and here and there bits of sewing, clumsy, and botched in somecases, because baby fingers had been at work.
The teacher joined Mrs. Murphy, who said to her:
"You don't say, schoolma'am, as you learns the young uns to do sichthings as this?"
"Yes. Don't you like it?"
"Like it! I should say! Why, fust I know, they'll be makin' their owncloes, an' their pap's an' mine!"
"Perhaps."
But in another part of the room, a different conversation was goingon.
"I tell ye," said Jessie Roth, who was talking to Bobbie Burns,"schoolma'am kens an awfu' lot."
"How dae ye ken?" he asked with an air of scorn, "ye dinna ken muckleyirsel'."
"Ye jist shut up, Bob Burns," she replied testily. "I may not kenmuckle, neither do ye. Ye has no manners. I tell ye I want ter learn.I'm a mind ter quit the range an' go ter school."
"What's the matter, Jessie?" asked the teacher, coming up at thismoment, and slipping her arm about the girl's waist. "I believe Bobhas been teasing you. Make up, children;" and smiling kindly, and witha reassuring grasp of Jessie's hand, she passed on.
"What'd I tell ye?" asked the girl.
"Oh, she's only a woman. Anyway, she don't care much for you lasses,or she'd had a club for girls."
This was more than Jessie could stand.
"A woman, did ye say? A woman?" Jessie's eyes flashed with anger. "An'wasna' y'r mither a woman, Bob Burns?"
"I believe she was," answered the boy with a broad grin. He wasenjoying himself.
"An' as fur the schoolma'am's not carin' fur the girls, y're mistaken.I'm sure she will have a club fur us."
"Yes," taunted the burly fellow, "to hammer things into y'r headswith."
At this Jessie left him in high dudgeon. She sought Esther and asked:
"_Don't_ ye like we girls as much as the boys?"
"Just a little bit better, perhaps. Why, Jessie?"
"Bob Burns says ye don't care fur the girls, an' he knows ye don't'cause ye hain't made no club fur them."
"Bob's mistaken, isn't he? We girls," and the teacher paused andsmiled into several faces, "we girls are to have a club soon. Don'tyou say so?"
The girls gathered about her. Bob's remark, repeated by Jessie, hadbeen most timely, and crystallized what had been in the girls'minds,--to organize such a club for women as had been organized forthe men.
They talked rapidly, several at a time; but at last they listened toEsther, as she asked them to visit the school at an hour they couldagree upon, on the following Monday. This they promised to do. But atthis juncture, John Harding interrupted the conversation.
"They want ter know as will yer tell 'em a short story, Miss Bright."
"A story? Let--me--see--! What shall I tell them, Jack?"
"Tell 'em about Abraham Lincoln, as didn't have no chance till he madeit hisself."
So she told them a story of a hero, a plain, simple man, a man oftoil, a man of great heart. She pictured his faithfulness to simpleduties, his rise to the highest position his countrymen could bestowupon him, his death and the nation's sorrow.
As she finished, a cowboy asked, "Did yer say that Abraham Lincoln wasonct president of the United States?"
"Yes."
"My!" he exclaimed, "I wisht I'd 'a knowed him! I wisht I could 'a fiton his side!"
"It is not too late to fight on his side," she said. "Every time youtry to live a more sober, honest, decent life, every time you try tobe more manly and true, you are fighting on the same side he did."
"Gosh!" he said. "I didn't know that. I thought fightin' meant jestkillin' off the other fellers."
While the refreshments were being served, John Harding extended aninvitation to the men to attend the club regularly, and suggested thatthe girls see Miss Bright about a club for girls, adding:
"I believe a club fer women is in the air."
Vociferous applause. Patrick Murphy stepped forward.
"John Harding, y'r honor, I jist wish ter say as this is the foinesttoime Oi've had in Ameriky; an' I tells yez all this: that if anyyoung feller wishes ter git on, he will have a chance here in thisclub. Schoolma'am learns us a lot (the Saints bliss her!). She's afoine lady! She believes in givin' a man a chance ter be a man. Instido' wastin' our earnin's in the saloons Saturday nights, let's comehere t' the club, an' learn how ter git on. Save y'r money, lads. Nowwho'll give three cheers f'r Miss Bright?"
The room rang with the cheers.
The festivities were over, the last guest, gone. The officers hadtaken their leave, and the Claytons walked on ahead, leaving KennethHastings to escort Esther Bright home.
"It was a great success," he said enthusiastically.
When Esther spoke, there was an expression of weariness in her voice.
"Tired?" he asked gently, with sudden sympathy.
"A little."
She looked so slight, so fragile, to shoulder a man's work in theworld, he felt a sudden shame at the insignificance of what he haddone. He would stand between her and the world, this he would do.
"You gave an instructive and interesting talk," she was saying. Herecalled his wandering thoughts.
After thanking her, he said he had liked Patrick's remarks about herbeing a magnet.
"Patrick's great fun, isn't he?" she laughed.
"Yes, but he usually hits the right nail on the head. It is true, ashe said, you _do_ draw people to you. You draw me to you as no one hasever done."
"Don't!" she began.
"You have taught me to believe in true womanhood. I used to despisewomen. I thought they were a vain, frivolous lot, at the bottom of allthe wrong-doing of the world."
"Indeed! I understand that some Englishmen have very little respectfor woman; that she is regarded as the inferior of man, a littlehigher in the scale of intelligence than a horse or dog."
"How sarcastic we are to-night!" he said ironically.
"The Englishwoman trains her daughters to wait on their father andbrothers."
"How extensive has your acquaintance been with the English?"
"Many American men grow up as their fathers have done before them,chivalrous toward the women of their families, and often
chivalrous towomen everywhere."
"Indeed! A paragon of animals, the American man!"
"England kept her universities closed to women, because English menwere afraid bright English women would carry off scholastic honors,if admitted to the universities."
"What remarkable wisdom you possess in the matter!"
"I read the magazines."
"Indeed!"
"And the daily papers," she added, chuckling.
"Remarkable!"
"I read several English periodicals. I am interested in Englishpolitics."
"The deuce!"
"The--what?" she asked, with a suggestion of suppressed mirth in hervoice.
"The gentleman with horns."
"Ah, yes," she said. "I have heard something of the gentleman. A verybad-tempered fellow, isn't he? Have you known him long?"
"By George, you think you're funny, don't you?" But by this time helaughed, too.
"Come in, Kenneth," called John Clayton, when they reached theveranda.
"No, I thank you," said Kenneth. "Miss Bright has been abusing men,and Englishmen in particular."
"Well," responded John Clayton laughingly, "you stood up for our sex,I hope."
"I tried to, but Miss Bright came out ahead. Good night, Miss Bright.I hope you'll change your opinion of the Englishman, and that he willnot always suffer when compared with your pink of perfection, theAmerican man."
When he had gone a short distance, she called him back.
"Well?" he said, turning.
"I just wished to remind you that it isn't becoming to you to begrouchy."
"You wretch!" And he turned on his heel and stalked away.
"What's the matter with Kenneth?" asked John Clayton.
"Oh," said Esther, indifferently, "he thinks altogether too much ofMr. Kenneth Hastings. He must learn there are other people in theworld besides K.H."
"Don't be too hard on him," said her host warningly.
"No," she said, "I won't. I'll teach him to respect the human being,irrespective of sex, color or previous condition of servitude.Good night."