This column first appeared in the Victoria Daily Times on Sept. 2, 1939.
John Jenkins observed as he arranged the footstool in front of his reading chair, and switched the three-way light into darkness, trying to put it full speed ahead: 鈥淢onday is Labour Day and we must do something about it.鈥�
鈥淓very Monday is labour day for me,鈥� retorted Mrs. Jenkins, without looking up from her darning. 鈥淒id you ever think of that?鈥�
鈥淪ay, is this a buildup for a washing machine, or an electric ironer or something like that?鈥�
He had the light going right now, and spoke with a gentle tolerance. Minnie was always a bit edgy when she was working on the pile of stockings. He decided to ignore her complaint.
鈥淭o return to my observation, what plans have you made for Labour Day as a good citizen of the Dominion, on this day, set apart to glorify the working man in his trials and triumphs?鈥�
Mrs. Jenkins had her hand in one of his socks, spreading the toe to show a fair-size hole.
鈥淲hat makes your stockings break in the toes 鈥� could it be an unmanicured toenail? If so, I think it would be a great way to celebrate Labour Day for you to take steps. You could also empty your own ashtrays, say for the week before and the week following, just as two friendly gestures. I think it would be a fine idea for a son of Mary to do this much for a daughter of Martha.鈥�
John Jenkins laid down his paper.
鈥淵ou have a very literal mind, Minnie. You never see past your own little circle. You have a quaint way of running the conversation down a blind alley. You are so hopelessly local in your point of view.鈥�
She made no reply and he went on: 鈥淚f you haven鈥檛 enough help, it鈥檚 not my fault. I鈥檝e never kicked about your bills, though I do think, with a grown-up daughter and a half-grown one and an excellent maid, you are not entitled to very much sympathy. My mother did all her own work and liked it, and so did yours.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檝e heard all about that,鈥� Mrs. Jenkins said icily. Then with an effort, she changed her tone. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 see why you need to lose your temper so early in the evening. You began to talk about Labour Day. Let鈥檚 get back to it. What had you in mind?鈥�
鈥淲ell, I thought it would be nice to go and see the finals in the golf competition. We could take a picnic lunch and take Eleanor and Ruth with us, and go to the lake for the evening. I like to pitch quoits and the girls could dance there, and we could come home in good time.鈥�
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know about Eleanor,鈥� Mrs. Jenkins said. 鈥淚鈥檓 afraid that would seem too much like a family party for her. I heard her phoning some of her crowd about having a party here that night. She asked me first if we were going out, and I know Rupert is expecting to use the car.
鈥淗e told me a week ago he wanted it for the afternoon and evening of Labour Day and I forgot to tell you. He was feeling so badly about failing in his exams that I couldn鈥檛 very well refuse him.鈥�
鈥淩upert can鈥檛 have the car,鈥� John Jenkins said decidedly. 鈥淗e can come with us if he wants to, but after all we have some rights, and I think you are making a great mistake in coddling him because he failed in his exams. He failed because he didn鈥檛 work, and giving him the car isn鈥檛 going to make him work next year.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 afraid I can鈥檛 fall in with your plan, John,鈥� she said after a pause. 鈥淚 really should go to a dinner in the hotel that evening. I鈥檓 secretary of the Homemakers鈥� Club and I do not like to desert them. Our new president thought we should mark the day by something really constructive.
鈥淲e are having a speaker from the city, who will talk on 鈥楾he Dignity of Labour.鈥� I would really like you to come to it. We are trying to interest the young people, too, but I couldn鈥檛 persuade either Eleanor or Rupert to consider it.鈥�
鈥淲ell,鈥� exclaimed Mr. Jenkins, 鈥渢he day and night seem pretty well planned, with everyone going their own way. Eleanor will have a party, if she can have the house to herself. Rupert is prepared to take the car off our hands 鈥� you will go to your dinner, so I suppose I can go back to the office and work. As a family we seem to get in each other鈥檚 hair, and I鈥檓 fed up trying to arrange anything to suit you all.
鈥淚t seems to me we are bringing up at least two selfish, idle young people. Ruth seems to be all right so far. And what鈥檚 this I hear about Eleanor being so high-hat with the new maid? She seems to me to be the best girl we ever had in the house. Why don鈥檛 you make Eleanor be civil to her?鈥�
鈥淥h, I don鈥檛 think it is very serious,鈥� Mrs. Jenkins replied. 鈥淓leanor is just at the age when she likes to show her authority. She told Elsie the first day she came she must not expect to be treated like one of the family, but Elsie seems to understand her, and she just smiled and said there would be no difficulty about that.
鈥淚 think Eleanor resents Ruth鈥檚 admiration for Elsie, and she thinks that Elsie is just a bit above her station, with her trim figure and good clothes. Eleanor is inclined to be a bit snobbish, trying to keep up with some of her friends.鈥�
Just at this moment Eleanor came in hastily carrying a bundle of clothing. She would have been a pretty girl if she were in a good humour, but evidently her little world had gone wrong.
鈥淢other,鈥� she cried, 鈥測ou simply must help me. I forgot to send my party dress to the cleaners and I have to have it tonight. The slip is soiled and the dress is torn, but I know Elsie can fix it, for I have seen her do her own. Ruth is making a great fuss about it because this is Elsie鈥檚 evening out. Speak to her, mother. Tell her she must do it. Her date can鈥檛 be important.鈥�
Ruth, the 15-year-old, was on her heels.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e not going to shove this off on Elsie,鈥� she said to Eleanor. 鈥淪he has a right to her evening and she doesn鈥檛 owe you anything. Elsie is the grandest person I ever knew and I won鈥檛 let Eleanor impose on her.鈥�
鈥淕ood for you, Ruth! That鈥檚 the聽spirit,鈥� said her father. 鈥淚聽think聽you are right.鈥�
鈥淵ou鈥檙e all against me,鈥� Eleanor sobbed, and ran out of the room, leaving her finery in a heap on the floor.
At the door, she collided with Elsie who, with her hat and coat on, was passing through the hall.
鈥淲hat鈥檚 wrong, Miss Eleanor,鈥� she asked, 鈥渃an I help you?鈥�
Eleanor incoherently poured out her troubles.
鈥淟et me see the dress,鈥� said Elsie.
Eleanor showed her the place where the long skirt had been stepped on and torn. Mrs. Jenkins protested mildly. She never had been able to stand up to Eleanor. John Jenkins looked on with a wistful look in his eye. Ruth continued to rage, but Elsie took no notice of any of them as she carefully examined the dress.
Then she said: 鈥淵es, I can fix it. I can make it look like new. Can you give me an hour? The slip will have to be washed and I can iron it dry.鈥�
鈥淓lsie, you鈥檙e an angel.鈥� Eleanor cried. 鈥淗ow can I ever thank you?鈥�
鈥淥h, that鈥檚 all right,鈥� said Elsie. 鈥淚鈥檓 glad I hadn鈥檛 gone. I like a hard job 鈥� it鈥檚 fun. Come on, Ruth, I need a smart girl like you. We鈥檒l do a job we can be proud of. Phone this number; tell them not to wait for me. Then go to my room and bring down my work basket.鈥�
When the girls had all gone out, John Jenkins and his wife looked at each other. He whistled softly: 鈥淭hat girl responded like a doctor,鈥� he said admiringly.
鈥溾�業 like a hard job,鈥� she said, 鈥榠t鈥檚 fun.鈥� Did you hear that, Minnie? A hard job is fun! I think you had better invite her to the dinner on Monday night.鈥�
