JOHN AND MIRIAM
Chapter Ten
The Calverts arrived in first class shortly
before the church service was to begin. Mary was openly impressed with the
fancy artwork and furnishings, and ran about shouting and touching things until
Miriam picked her up and refused to allow her to run about. Miriam sympathized
with the little girl's excitement, but, noticing the disapproving stares and
whispers of several first class people, she restrained the child. She didn't
want the family to be sent away because of the two-year-old's antics.
When they arrived in the room in which the
church service was being held, Miriam immediately noted the strict seating
arrangements--first class people up front, second class people in the middle,
and third class people in the back.
Scowling, she commented to John, "Why
can't people sit where they want? Are those first class people really so afraid
of being contaminated by third class trash?"
John was about to reply when he caught sight
of Miriam's former suitor, Caledon Hockley, sitting near the front. Hoping to
avoid a scene, he hurried toward the back.
Miriam followed him, still grumbling. She
quickly noted that the seating rules were very strictly enforced, as she watched
a first class man being led out of the third class section by one of the
stewards.
"Sir, this section is for third class
only. You need to sit up front with the other first class people."
The gentleman from first class stopped,
refusing to move any farther.
"I am here to listen to the word of God,
and it is impossible to understand God's word when you are surrounded by
uptight people more interested in how they compare with everyone else than in
religion." He pulled a twenty dollar bill from his pocket and offered it
to the steward. The man was about to accept it when he noticed one of his
superiors coming toward him.
"I'm sorry sir, but you must sit up
front--"
"Mr. Niethammer?"
The steward's words were cut off as Miriam
approached the gentleman. He turned to her in surprise.
"Miss Anders! I didn't know you were on
Titanic," he replied, glancing at her plain, unadorned clothing and third
class companions.
"It's Mrs. Calvert, actually. I'm
traveling third class."
"So I see. Is this your husband?"
"Yes. This is John, and his daughter,
Mary. They're from London."
Mr. Niethammer looked at the little family,
then back at the first class section, were his wife was waiting impatiently for
him to sit down.
"I envy you, Mr. Calvert. First class is
no place to hear the word of God." He paused. "You wouldn't happen to
want to switch places with me, would you?"
John laughed. "I don't think that would
go over too well, sir. They're about to start," he added, "and I
think your wife is going to have an attack of apoplexy if you don't join
her."
Niethammer laughed, a bit ruefully.
"You're right, she would. Good to see you again, Mrs. Calvert. Nice to
meet you, Mr. Calvert, Mary." He hurried forward to join his wife. John
and Miriam slipped into seats at the back of the room.
"Mr. Niethammer 'got religion' a couple
of years ago," Miriam explained to John. "He's very devout, and
always chose to sit as far away from others as possible in church in New
York."
"You knew him well?"
"He and my father went to college
together. They weren't exactly friends, but they did associate to a certain
extent, for business and such."
John opened his mouth to ask another
question, but the service started and he decided to ask more questions later.
The service went by with no disruptions,
except for once during the singing of the hymn 'Eternal Father Strong to Save',
at which time a small boy in second class loudly bellowed at the end of the
second verse "for those in barrels eating pears," drawing snickers
from other children sitting nearby and drawing disapproving looks from adults.
Miriam tried to keep a straight face at the
boy's antics--his voice had been clearly audible throughout the room--but a
small laugh escaped her before she could stop it. She glanced around and
noticed that she was not the only adult who found the boy's antics amusing--Mr.
Niethammer in first class was being quietly scolded by his wife for laughing.
The commotion calmed by the end of the third
verse, and as Miriam sang it--"For those in peril on the sea"--she
felt an inexplicable chill move over her, though the room was warm. It was
probably just her fear of sailing, she thought, but through the rest of the
service she couldn't help thinking of the rumors she had heard at
breakfast...rumors of icebergs in the area.