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ORIGINAL MSS. OR FIELD NOTES (Cheek one)
PUB. Living Lore in
New England
TITLE Mrs. Marie Baggerty
WRITER Emily B. Moore
DATE 2/30/39 WM.
POP.
CHECKER DATE
SOURCES GIVEN _Interview
COMMENTS
8
.1121/3,
STATE Hass&chusetts
84± EL.L Street, Worcester, Las.
DATE OF IIcTERVIE'W February 20,
SU-IJECT Livint. Lore
TE C. Ir IiTCPITLFT Mrs. Marie IT.E,L;Lerty
Mrs. PJaily Moore
63 Austin Street, Worcester:, Mass.
Name Emily B. Moore
Title Livini, Lore
Assignment Worcester
Topic Mrs. Marie Haggerty
T had invited Mrs. Haggerty out to lunch at an inexpensive but
attractive downtown restaurant. The little lady donned her best for
the occasion and was obviously delighted with such a "treat". She
took the greatest pains in selecting her luncheon, ate slowly) savor-
ing each bite with delight and finished with reluctance.
"You know being out like this for lunch is simply elegant. I
haven't been invited to eat out since poor Pa died. This reminds me of
the days when I worked, and didn't even have to brew myself a cup of
tea. When I worked for La's. French, I was second girl then) and even
if I did nave to wait on table) when it came time for me to eat) I was
served just like the rich folks. I never had any trouble with the
other help) for them days) serving girls was almost always big and
buxom) ena such a mite was I, well I dunno, mebbe they was sorry for
me being so little) they never picked fights. with me.
"My, but aren't the dishes pretty and the napkins. I:akes me
homesick for those days when I was in service. You know I like things
nice, but there's no use pretending, I can't have them that way now.
The ooys aon't like me to fix things up much. I tried just once after
Pa died. I was having company at the house, and I kinda put things on
a little fancy, like the rich people do) but the boys made so much fun
of me, I vowed T'd never do it again. If Pa had been livin', thc-'d
known better than to laugh at me. Pa would have socked them.
Pa always knoweu I was used to better things, and he always tried
hard to get tnem for me. Once he came home with a diamond ring for me.
I knew he couldn't affora it, anu I was afeared to wear it, thinkint
=M. ,.,•11•IN
lame Emily B. Moore
Title Living Lore
Assignment aorcester
Topic Mrs. Marie Haggerty
as how he m.ight not have come by it honestly. I didn't want to question
him though. He might feelload. I never wore the ring and not long
ago, Marie, my daughter, had it set over for herself. Two or three
years after Pa died, I found where the poor man had paid for it bit
by bit. Poor Pa, he was a good man.
"You know I like to think of how I met Pa. I was working for an
elegant high-class Jewish family, and we stayed at the Touraine Hotel
in Boston. I had a room by myself but I had to take care of a mall
baby and I was lonesome. They'd go out nights and leave me with the
baby all alone. I couldn't leave the baby and there wasn't much I
could do, because the bab slept right in the room with me. The lady
said if I'd stay with her she'd take me to Europe, but I was scart of
boats, so I got another opening to be a nurse girl. That was my
specialty." The little .lady drew herself up and patted her soft white
hair. "I always loved children. I took care of two children, lovely
children they was. Do you know when the boy was married, he invited
me to ids wedding just like I was rich folks. They was an awful nice
family so refined and kind. went to the beach every SURILleT and
what a. place it was. They had two saddle horses and two horses for
carriage and garden work. They had four cows for their own use, and
there was three men to work around the grounds and two coachmen. Every-
thing was elegant. They had a playground for the children and it was
kept up swell, better than most public playgrounds. e had lots of
good times, especially when the mistress went away. She'd be gone to
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17ame Emily B. Moore Assignment Worcester
Title Living Lore Topic Mrs. Marie Haggerty
Europe for months at the time and the mister would let us ride all over
the Cape with the coachman and the children."
"Did your folks up in New Brunswick like to have you doing house
work? I suppose they would have liked you to come home to them."
"But gly der, it wasn't .housework I did." There was scorn in the
gentle voice. "I was a nurse maid or a second girl never just an
ordinary girl out to service. My Punts and uncle were very glad to
have me working for such nice people real high;class people. I had
a good home and I was treated good. Now if I'd a gone into a factory
to work) the folks would have been worried. The girls in the shops
never made over six or seven d(llars, and then that dressed so well on
that) and paid their board, too, made people lift their eyebrows. I
was lots better off, for I got seven or eight dollars a week, my room
and it was always a nice one, and the best of food. I was really
next thing to a lady's maid for when the children went to bed, often
the mistress would let me hook her dress, or brush her hair) and all
the time I'd be doing them things, she'd be talkin, to me, just like
I was her equal. Every woman I ever worked for always admired my
slightness of form. The (.je%,ish woman I worked for used to tell me I
was 'queenly' and refined and that was why she wanted me to stay with
her.
"I always had good jobs, and as I said) we usually worked by twos,
another girl and myself. A body didn't have to show references for
jobs like they do now, but that wasn't the half of it. You got hired
by your looks, and even if yoU looked honest, they would test you out.
I:ame Emily Moore
Title Living Lore
Assignment Worcester
Topic Mrs. Marie Hagerty
Why onct I was making up a bed, and right beside the bed was a five
dollar bill. I knowed nobody dropped that for nuthin', so I didn't
know if I should pick it up and tell them, or what, but my face burnt
like fire, for I knowed I was gettin' tested. I left it there all the
time I worked in the room and when I got done, I put it on the bureau,
and put a vase over the end, so to make sure it didn't blow off. I
was just going out of the room when the madam came in. I often think
what would've happened if she'd come in while I was snoothin'the bill
out would she believe I was Loin' to put it on the bureau. I don't
think so, for I was so new there. They often let food and fancy cakes
around, just to test us, but I learnt my lesson early on that. Onct
I just had my hand on a fancy cake in the parlor, and I got such a crack
on my hand, and when I looked up, it was the cook. She grabbed me and
pulled me back to the kitchen and made me set down and eat my fill of
fancy cakes and told rde never to take anything that was outside the
kitchen, for it was alwaYs a trick to see how honest we was.
"Oh deerie me, I wish my m rie had a job like I had when I was
young. She's a waitress in one of those Greek restaurants you know.
Why she has to be as nice to 'trash, as she is to anyone else. There's
all kind of people came in there if she just had a nice job as a
nurse maid, I'be so happy.
"Pa and I used to talk about what we hoped our children would be
when they grew up. We always thought they were the best children
I guess all fathers .dad 1Qothers think that. we made them all finish
high school. Pa and I didn't have much education but we wanted our
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Lame Emily B. Moore Assignment Worcester
Title LivinE, Lore Topic Mrs. Marie Haggerty
children shoula so they could have a chance to become high-class
people. We sent Kitty) my youngest daughter) to Yormal School) because
Pa always wanted one of his daughters to be a school teacher. I don't
know why things never turn out the way you want then.
"',/nen Pa ana I got married) his uncle set him up in the grocery
business in Caubriage and we got along swell. But he haa a nervous
breakdown from working too hard and the doctor said he had to change
his business aria go out in the country to live. Ve moved to whitinsvil
and Pa went to work at the machine shop on the trucks and teams. I
didn't like it there. Most of them people were just mill people. They
didn't know an:/thing) not high-class at all. Pa knew I didn't like
living with 'em so he got a job with the Electric Light Company) and
we loved to ,,orcester. Then he got to be a foreman and we bought a
house down in Millbury. 14) we were nappy there until Pa died. He
uian't leave much money it wasn't his fault) though. ,e always
tried to give the children the best and that took money.
"I didn't mind that there wasn't much left for me because I knew
Pa meant well) but it left rile depending on the children and they got
their own troubles. Pa would turn over in his grave if he knew I went
out washing and cleaning) but I have to. The children are good but
they're too busy to bother with me much. Pa nevercbnied me a solitary
thing wnen he was livin') but now) if I ain't watch out for myself)
nobody'a care what I had.
"Of course I don't go out workin' for just anybody. After all I
wasn't used to workin' for cheap people and I don't do it now. I have
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Name Emily B. Moore Assignment Worcester
Title Livi/v, Lore Topic Mrs. Marie HaggerV
my special customers all real nice people. I don't mind going out to
work independent and that's something. But I won't he bowin'
to anybody. When I worked for Dr. F ---he was fine) but when that wife
of ids got home from the hospital) I left. She was one of those that
never had anything till she married. I've heard though I don't know
if it's true she was a cook herself. She tried to boss me around
and I left. Them keople aren't quality and I'd go hungry afore I'd
work for 'em. A bony's got to have some pride. I was brought up good
and I got my self-respect. I like to do favors for people) but I'm no
slave. 'Now) with you) I'm like your mother) and you even take me out,
like today) and never onct did you say I was a 'maid' or what -you -may
call -it, not as how'd bother me none. I like nice homes and nice fix-
ings, and can't abide them that don't like them.
"My land, if I hadn't met Pa and married him) who knows, mebbe I'd
be a lady companion now. That's what I always wanted to e; go travel-
ing around, seeing things, and goin' places) wearing nice clothes. Lan'
sakes, I don't kho)., what I'd do if I didn't have the League Shop (Junior
League Economy Shop) That shop is a life saver for me) who's used to
good clothes ana the like. Marie don't bother much) but Kitty likes to
fuss me up. Poor Kitty) she like to broke my heart; I always wanted
her to marry her own kind) but she married a Jewish boy. She's doint
all right for herself and the children, and Aaron is a nice boy) and I
.don't think his mother liked it any better than I did) so that's a
consolation.
Name Emily Moore
Title Livin, Lore
Assignment dorcester
Topic Mrs. Marie Haggerty
"Now you got me talk in' on Pa again. 0h, yes, I was go in' to
tell you now I met him. Well, when I was living with those folks that
went to the Cape) Ia was the grocery 'salesman' and come far orders
three times a week. Ty) I can even hear him now) for he was a great
whistler, and very jolly. I could hear him a mile off) and I usually
went out near the back, never letting him knows of course, but I
always managed to Lake him see me, and he'd come and talk. He rode
a horse and buggy) anu they didn't deliver mail them days, so I would
be on my way) usually to the post office, and he would drive me there
and back. He usually had a dog in the seat beside him) and what a
jolly, red-cheekea lad he was, with blue eyes and light hair. He
always had a smile. After a while) we got to keeping compny, and
we used to drive around the Cape Sundays. I remember my first date;
it was after the 10 o'clock mass, and how I blushed and fumed. I
couldn't speak for a half nour, but he was so kind and decent. Poor
Pa.
"I knowea Pa for tnree summers, before we got engaged, and I well
remember that uay. it was Sunday afternoon) and he come by with his
horse ,tna buggy. It was such a nice day) and hot) and the horse was
all sweat, so he tieu up the horse) and we went a-walkin'. We walked
all aown by the water, and he was very quiet, and there was people all
around, so he said) 'Kitten', he always called me 'Kitten', fliet's walk
tnrougn this little woods, 'tain't very thick.' ell, sir, I felt
sometning was 'bout to come, and I diun't know what. Jell, we walked
ITame Emily D. Moore
Title LivinE Lore
Assignment cester
Topic Mrs. Marie Hagerty
for an nour or more, and then we set down on a tree stump) and while
I was just pickint grass and chewini on it, he outs withit, and asks
we to get married. First I was glad and saia I would) but then I
was suddenly struck with the way he asked me. 'Twaren't like any
proposal I'd ever heard of. I always thought when I was asked to
be married, he'd do it kinda grand likp get down on his knees
mebbe. Wasn't I the fool? Well, can you imagine what I did? I gave
him one look and I ran away from him right down to the water where
all the people was. He came after me and then I got to feelin' how
silly I was, so I told him I wanted to go home. We did and I went
right into the house without even sayin' good-bye.
"When I got to my room and dot quieted down I decided definitely
I wouldn't marry him at all. But can you believe it, the next time
I saw him aria it wasn't for two days, he started to tease me about
actin' so and can you imagine it, I couldn't help but feelint sorry
for him so I told hiL. I didn't mean to act so. So that was the eni
of it. I married him."
Luncheon time was long over and the waitress had begun to stare,
so I decided it was time for us to depart. Mrs. Haggerty, thrilled
by the luncheon and excited over her tale of meeting "Pa", was pink-
cheeckea and smiling. It was one of the "big momentalof the little
lady's drab life.