Interview with Mrs. B.

Document text

Win uk BiilDwiskJela
TKRVISW WITH MRS. 8.7 Clinton Aro. Sumey
we walkod up a dart flight of stairs to tho door of a* 140210100k
(Ivo a vacant 'tor-. The hallway,originally paint** bright bins. IOW
reeked and dirty; the stairs were narrow and worm. At the tipp-ile
airs, a narrow hall led to a bathroom at oneonds and to the dpae
rtment at the other. Tao open door to the bathroom showed ea old
°nod, white enameled bathtub. A woman's voice answered our kmoOk WI
11 to "Coss ins.. when we out our hoods around th open door. the WOW
side halttily dropped th* spoon with 'hick she was nixing battOri dir-
er hands on a soiled house dress, and apologised for not having 4001114
a
to U.
w* stopped into a large, dark kitchom(aboat 12,12) with to*
IMindows hung with it net curtains. Between the two wind***
to largo square table with tho two drop loaves set up. It was SA 014
krashionod one, with heavy waehins-oarved legs. Tho table top was elUt
pith baking imgrodlonts, a hug* yellow bowl mu of bettor, crumpled dia
4114410..- cloths, et*. Two dirty-fsood, little boves, &god 3 and 4, lita
told* and bright p 'rod interest, wore hanging over tho yellow bold,
„*umgrily at its contents. Baring the interview, they surreptitiously
their fingoes into th* bettor, and licked furtivsly. In on* 'moor
black sod l stov*; in amothor, an old and chipped, gray Maytag washtMg
maohinis; a baby's highcaair one that had seen many years"seerlee
in a spay* between two doors. There were throe straight hacked wooden 0104
obi*. shales, varnished. as the table was, in dark brown. In the fcurtal
earner, stood an olo chest of drawers with its top cluttered with ipie.
and sods of sollod clothing. Over the tablo was braoketod a wood0S
shelf, ate* eluttorsd with odds and ends. The woodwork was palate's'
dark hewn, the walls and *oiling a smoke diasolored buff. OM the
was a limeleata, so worm that tn* pattern0 was mo longer distills'
clothssila* stretched across ow* end of tho room wae hung with
W 14115

PagO interferlOW
A large pantry opened off the kitchen, just opposite the. hall Memo.
14*
was bright with the light of a fairly geed mimed 'dude". A set tub and
sink were at one lend, and shelves were lined along the wall. The shelved,
held a motley collection of shipped plate*, sups, ete. A 'argil timil
flour bin was on the floor.
Three bedrooms led off the kitchen. The front bedroom(prebbly
meant as a living room) was as large as the kitchen, and had three windeMe.
The other two rooms Were much smaller, and had only one window. There was
a painted., trot double bed in each room. In the front bedroom, there was
an old type, varnished rocker, mid a radio placed on a small square table,
and an old dresser. The center bedrooa had a white, baby's crib and a
small table in the sterner piled with laundered, but unironedichitdrenle
clothes. The other bedroom was furnished with a tall chest of drawers.
The beds were neatly made, severed with thin blankets.
The writers winked Mrs. B. twice in order to complete the 1.1s,
terview. The second time, the ha oldest child, a'boy of twelve, was at
home. Mrs. B. explained, in a half sad, half angry voice, that she nad to
keep his out of sehool because his shoes wets in such a bad conditv (*WS
could not go out into th snow and slush, particularly sines he had a very
bad cold. on the second visit, also made rather early in the morning. Mre4
B. was preparing to scrub the floor; this had been swept aud everything
was- in the kitchen was in order. A small size galvanised tub filled with
water was being hirgted on the stove.
Mrs. B. asked us to he seated, and cleared two chairs of ameba
for us. She Seemed to accept our entrance and right to ask question. INS
distinctly had the impression that she thought we came with some autberttr
to do so. This submissiveness, let us say, (for want of a more Weld..
word) while it created a feeling of uneasiness in ourselves, and some
embarassment was quickly dispelled when we had a cAahee to *chi' with
her. Al first discussed the relative merits of worn breads with her--,
for it was that that was in process in the yellow bowl.

PEW,
Mrs. 111. la ab ut 5 feet 6 !Sieben tali* well built; thong* iler
ehoulers droop badly. Her oval Mae was we 110114 with a tight, st
S trained full mouth; pale, seemingly dairel blue eyes tint stare UMS0•210,
at times. The ugh she was a partiOnlarAy good informant* and answered oil
our questions readily, her eyes thawed little change in exprmaim little
response. Her fine remained more or less expressionless.deadi. except tar
a rare and momentpry amiloothat tinkered out instantly* when she Was et
one or two pastigirlhood experiences in Nora Scotia and Maine* and when two
of the children, a boy and girl came in from school. Then her face *sae to
life* and her eyes lighted up.
ors. s. stood by the table* looking down at us as we asked ear
qmstions,for some time. Ale .seemed uneonscious that she was doing 1010
until we asked her to be seated. She sat at the table, and during the
early part of the first interview, until we managed to enga00 her in
reminiscences* her hands kept wandering restlessly, without conscious
purpose* to the collection of utensils* cloths, etc., on the table
picking them up, putting them down again in the same place, touching
them. Later she sat still, with one arm across her protruding abdomen*
holding her hand el --)se to her body -.almost hugging it; this, we notieek
was an habitual relaxed position. Mrs. told us she was theetp.thrte
years old* and had been married for thirteen years.
"I was born in the Province of Quebec* in Canada, but I was
brought up in Trenton, NoVa ceotia, so I look upon that as my home. Ity
father and mother were both born on Magdalen Island it's only fifty
miles long. Did you ever hear of it? It's pet a fly speck an the mele.
My father was a fisherman there. They were married there. My fatherless
an adventurer; he traveled all over like what's the expression they
use like the 'wandering Jew'. My father went to work In the coal
mines in Nova Bootie; he got Miners consugption at the age of forty and
had to quit. You know what that is? No, he didn't get any compensation.
He took up cobbling then; he's still doing that there. The Company doesn't
allow them to go back into the alas* when they have eonsumption.

711ectrIK.tut,
Worn*w with ire.
441y mother had alas children, but brought up only serene 4,
eldest brother west into the seal mines when he was twelve years *LC no
did regular work, side by side with my father; why, at sixteen, he was SE
full-fledged miser with miners' papers. glad my other brother never
went into the mines. Hs worked at the steel works in Trenton; he got as
high as 1145. stweek when he was only sixteen years old heating rivet**
Thee the steel plant closed up. my uncle was buried alive in the same
min* where my father worked, just last year. He was ay Godfather. That
was the third brother in that family that was killed; two died in the nines,
and one was killed in the war. My oldest ample had the heart knocked right
eat of his body they were blasting, and they struck reek a pleedi or
it hit Maw if. left eighteen ehildrea, but they giive the widow a $60. a
month pension, and gave the two oldest boys jobs in the min*. You knew,
it was a strange coincidence my uncle's son got up late one day and (WO
go te work. That day the mine blew up and seven hundred people were killed
that was twenty years ago. They never found some of the men; and some
of the bodies were so mangled they never sent them home.
You know they have a very strong miners' union in Canada; their
all stick together; they're what they call a brotherhood. If one man seta
fired, because or a grudge or something, they all walk out. That's what I
call a real brotherhood. I think the miners have the most fighting spirit;
they have to have why, they're in danger from the minute they go down
until they come up. They never know when they leave the surface if thieve
going to some up. I'm glad my olher brother never went into the mines.
'Trenton was next door to being a city if it had gone *a as
it was going during the war it would have had enough people to become one.
There were two steel mills, a glas- factory, facturies where they made
bridge parts and box ears, and two mines. It was a nice little town; it
had concrete walks, and everything. Not like here.
"During the war, my mother took in boarders. There were ne

Page S. rate -14'4i
MOOR
in a lobster factory,
hotels in Trenton, and they begged My Nether to take them in. I reneaker
we had to put three beds in each room. The war was the ruination of this
cpuntry they brought all the women into the factories, and then wham
the soldiers came back, instead of giving them a break they kept the -women
on at lower wages. when the depression came, the woman had that training
and went back to work for lower wages than the men were getting. They
ought to pay the men a decent wage and let the women stay home and take
care of the house and children. Some women really don't have tom work.
I know what I'm talking aboA; I worked with them up in Maine. Their
husbands were making good money, and they were working because they didn't
like taking care of the house and then they'd flirt with all the Amn.,
That causes a lot of divorces. Of course, maybe I shouldn't say this,
but I think they ought to give the men decent wages, and let the women
stay home. It's the manufacturers who are responsible for a lot of this.
They're responsible for the depression. If the workers stuck together
here the way they no in Canada they'd be a lot better off.
"Nova Scotia was a pretty place. Tiave you ever been there?
You've htlard of Halifax? It's the big harbor. I wont there once for
two weeks, when I was fourteen. You could see all the big ships come la.
My mother spoke poorly Knglish she can't read; she mast laid, and a-
fraid to go round, but my sister she was twelve then and I, we vent
all around. 7ie had a lot of fun. They have what they cell the 'Public
should
usrdons' you/see the beautiful flowers; they had animals thre like
a littic sou: and a lake with swans that was beautiful. There was S
drilling ground on the hill you coulu see the whole harbor. There was
an armory, too-- with lots of cannons and guns inside that was besutl-
ful too.
"i went to work when i. was fourteen
packing. I got $25. a month. well, I thought that was pretty good par
for a fourteen year old child. we got room and board and got paid
whether we worked or not; when it was windy or stormy, and the flOWIniiit

Page T. intenr,Wor with Vine. h.
and rocked back and forth, "WAH WAR, all night long. Then I wOnt int*
the mills, thank the Lord. I went to work in a paper bag factory; I opera-
ted a press that print -d the bags I used to feed the machine. I made
reventeen do11.4rs a week. when tie gong rang, we were through. That was
good. '7;d1 didn't have to think about work until the next morning, we used
to walk home it was adout a mile; wnen you're young you don't mind so
much. when you got home, your mother had the meal ready; you had yolOr-
dinner, got dolled up, and went out with the boy friend. You have a lot
of fun in a small town. You know everybody. That was in Rumford; we lived
in a little town nearby in eexico." the laughed. "when we came to
urldgeport, and the kids in the neighborhood asked my kids where they ease
from, they were so surprised when they said, elexico'.
worked nine hours a day from seven to Site with at
.our oft —for ainner that broke the monotony. I worked half a dayAnt
Saturdays. Once I got my hand caught in the machine; it was so smashed
that my fingers were all flat; the skin didn't break, but the i)lood was
coming through the pores. It felt like a thousand pins and needles. I
could feel that blood pound and pound, until the first ain man slit the
little finger and let the blood out. It healed all right. I worked there
until I was twenty, then I got married. A month after I was married, er
husband got hurt in the mill. He almost lost his right arm. He worked
in the Oxford paly:r mill you've heard of that feeding the machine,
and got his arm pulled into the roll. It was burnt to the core's; it's
lucky it didn't iiurn the cords, otherwise hold have had to have his ariii!
amputated. First they put in a steel plate, but tne bone wouldn't knit,'
so they took slivers from both his legs, and now he's pretty well. HO get
eighteen dollars a week compensation, but they took that away from his at
ter three months. They wanted to give him a lump sum #300. but they
wouldn't have taken him back to work. He figured that it would be better
to go back to work, because they guaranteed him his job that way. After
he was back a short while, the mill closed down. Bo what got was that,

Page 8. Interview with Ors. 19.
VFW
.17.4
ehile my husband was out with his arm, they called me back to work. Tem
see, they had let all the married women go when things got slow that
eas only fair; they had brought a lot of single girls there. They lived
an. rooms, and if they lost their joie, they were stuck. when my husband
got hurt, it was a plow; it wasn't so bad, though, I didn't have any child-
ren then. They wouldn't have provided for me any °tatter than they ald)if
a. hao had the chiloren. There was one man with four kids that got his
toot caught in the roller, arm had to havc it amputated.
"my husband had some goon jobs. He made $35. in the paper mill.
Then the mills moved out and went down South. when the tirst mill closed,
it threw 350 people out of work; and when the second mill closed, it
threw 700 more out. 7ften they kick because the people go to the town for
help. And, in fact, we were on the town. ey husband tried everything*
but he couldn't find work. The r liof is much oetter here than it is up
in amine. I used to get script for 77. a week* and a luart of milk a day
She's
for me arm six chileren. I was pregnant then with the youneest. WERINift
a year old
Igmanultnt now, and doesn't maee any attempt to get up./ eben't getting the
prop r nourishment when I was aerrying her. what 1 had I gave to the
children, and didn't take it for myself, which I shouldn't have done.
cheated her to feed the others. 7omehow you don't think of the on that
isn't there yet, yeu just think of the poor little kids around you. Did
you see in the papers abeut the 5000 esople children all underneuris
in Maine. They took a survey.
"1 have tour boys and three girls; the oldest is twelve, and
the baby is a year old. I hope I don't take after my own mother or my
eothE‘r-inelaw. 4y mother had nine, and my mother-in-law haa nineteen.
Seven is enough; they al/ came close together. Let's hope there won't Is0
any more. I'm only thkskty-three, so I have plenty of time to have more.
Two of the kids are at ellas Howe, and two go to Saint Anthony's -e- the
two younger ones. I want them to make their first communion* and I filthy*
the nuns can Lemma them their eateehism better; I don't have the tie.\

Page 9. !flt?VIIr1Imire Ilk
I wish the suns were Irish instead of French. Uthink you aheuld 'Meek
,or the country n.at you're living in. Ay husband speaks poorly Prawns; he
was born born in Canada, but his father was an American. That's how he's a
citizen. He was three months old when ne came to New Hampshire, and he
never spoke trench. you know, more people speak French here, then they
do up in Canada. I always spoke hnglish in Uanada. If they heard you
speaking rrench on the street there, they'd laugh at you and call you a
Frog. ly motner hasn't got good tnglish; she speaks rrencn. i speak it
too, but nut very Food. Xy father used to holler at us if we answered him
in English. le made us repeat it in french. He didn't leant us to lose
It.
"I'm not a citizen yet. I never had the money to take out my
papers. I don't think you should denounce your country. America and
Canada are the same, anyhow."
We asked Iles. s. if sne had to pay to send
the
children to
parochial school. t530 answered us, a little on the defensive
611•01,
embaraseed.
"NO, I don't have to pay at aint Anthony's. I told them I couldn't af-
ford it. but they want them, so they told me to send than just the same.
"My husband had worked in Winsted„ Conn. once, so he came down
to visit his brother there and look for work. He didn't get anything
he came down to bridgeport. He 7ot a job at cudany's packing
there 80
plEint, working in the kitchen. 40 had done it years ago. In the winter
he hss to work from seven till four, and on Saturday mornings; in the
summer he has to work plentyof hours. 4e only gets 121. a week; tnatis
salary.
"I left a beautiful rent up in Aaine. ly husband was 0Own hers
about six montns before I came. I paid s4.25 a week for rent; here it
would cost about $60. I had five rooms on tne thtOid floor of a three
family house. It was all new and clean. The kitchen was so big I had
two stoves in it, and you couldn't even notice It. There was a bathreen
and a hot water heater. Not like here. ALL the houses in Aaine have tot

page
water. Tners was a porch on three sides. There VMS a beautiful vielf.-Imia
could look out at tie mountains and wide open spaces and breath the
front
fresh air. I didn't lik it then, but I miss it now. I had a nice **WM
room there. I sold the front room set for 115. before I left. it was
pretty brocaded velour in taupe ann blue; I rAid 7165. for it when
was mprried. 7e nad a nice cellar, and a big patentor a gsrden."
TIv: oldest boy interrupted, "And a nice yard to play in, too."
"Yes uid you notice that little patch alongside of the house?
That's all the yard there is here. It cost us about -65 or *70 to get
our furniture down. It cost us well over a hundred dollars before we get
I'd like to have my front room furniture for when
don't have so much company. while 1 was up in
rF41-30141414414-4
4411FORMIellir_
settled. Of course,
have company
aains waiting to come Gown here, we all got sick ,ith the Ylu. There was
no one to take care of us, anti all tne while I was pregnant. %)ne of the
boys this one", she said, pointing to the four year oio child, 1 al
mullet lost. He had convulsions; then when he got over that, he got the
night and day putting hot poultices
IMMO
out then 1
ilu and try:11 pneumonia. I had to ee ur
on his chest. we were all in bed we got by as best we could. I was eo
sift, I had to go to bed. I felt like a pig, depriving them or care. They
used to come crying to tie bed saying. Idioms, I'm eieK, I'm sick'.
almost went foolish. I don't know why I didnt. At Thanksgiving. MY
brother-in-law brouallt us a ohietten. i don't know how I managed to get
up to cook it. I couldn't enjoy tns meal,but the poor little kids did.
My husband nau sent me some money so we could have a Tnanksaiving dinner.
had abscesses in my throat, ann the kids haft runntnv ears. Tney were
for a couple of days; the tovn palm
afraid of mastoids. I had the Doctor
for it.
"1 same to eridgeport last June. my husband foufld. the place4
and scrubbed for a month °store I got hcrc. The Landlord wouldn't de app.
thing. de said it was the dirtiest place, and grown up peol:le lived bore
before. she used to arink ali the time. Thank God, I don't drink. Ws

Pens It MekampiMmumwmunmwm air-
hard to find a place where they'll take no nasty ehliures. The landlord
live, aownstairs witn hie wife. Tney're Lithuanian. He's been out or
work for a long time, ane now he's getting relief. They wouldn't give it
to him for a long time b cause of the house, but he can't eat the nous*,
can he? They're fussy apout noise so I have to keep the kias quiet. They
havc never had any chileeen of their own. The house is tumbling down.
have four rooms here and one up in the attic; pay e4.50 a week for rent.
ge didn't want to take it that way at first, but it makes it easier tar
_both of us. This way they have a littit to go on with, too. I don't
nave any gas. burn coal end wood; when it geteetoo hot for the baby
to sleep eith the stove going„ I use a to burner oil stove. The bath le
out in the hall, but who can take a bath out there it's so cold. M7
electric bill is apout *2. a month; I have a washing macnine anti a radio
it's so ola i.aon't play it herdly. Thank eod I got the easnine machine)
the firet year j was married, or else I wouldn't have it. et's twelve
y(ars old. I've eperiencee it all it's tough to get married aria not
tieVO enough to get along eith. It's a struggle. Sometimes have only
five dollars a week for eroceries. It's pretty slim. The milk comes to
g2. I get two quarts a day. have to get vitamin for tne Deny. ehe's
undernourished. I buy day old bread at the bakery it costs five cents
a loaf. I used to bake it myself, but it's so cheap I don't now. i shop
where I can get the cheapest at the giant, and the elf -service eat P.
know, last enristmas tee preist at esint ,enthony's gave us a big
basket of food; I guess that's eeeawe re ere strangers here, and had a
big family. I haven't been able to get the bapy any Cod Liver Oil but
suing to try very soon. ehe needs it."
She turned back to the bowl and stirred the better. "If I don't
Eet this done, the kids won't have any lunch. Tney'll have soup tonight.
One thing, i make ewe bread." ee discussed bread making tne ireneh,
tne ltalian, and the Jewish methods of making it. ers. b. was simply min-
tounded when she discovered that one of us was Jewish. Her astouleheen$
-ors! _...ANPWRINOWt '11111111Wringw-

;Tv
kegs 12. Interview with Are. a., Clinton Ave. Survey.
indicated incredulity that anyons could be so aloe and be Jewish at the
sane tins. Later in the interview she voiced opinions that corroborated
this deduction.
"I have a sist-r living across tne street" Ars. b. told us.
"7hat's how we napbened to come an this street. my husband had an awfully
hard time finding a place for us to live. Nobody wants children." we
mentioned the Government riaosibg program for dridgeport to Ire. d. "That
would be wonderful. Government housing? well, I uon't care where you 450,
there's a certain amount of slums in every city, up in Maine it ain't so
hard to find rents. I had an awfully hard time up thure. My brother-in-
law used tonhelp me 'faun he could. You know, my brother-in-law was the
president of tne State federation of Labor up thure for years. Aaine is
pretty backward; my brother-in-law lost his job in 1934 When he tried to
organize the Oxford Paper mills. less been out ever since"'
her head.
MTS.
D. shook
"Up in Aaine I had my folks. Down nere I don't know many people.
The only person I really know is the woman next door I took care of her
kids when she was working. And I know tne little polish woman across the
street. I'm making a novena with her now at Saint Anthony's. we went
last night they had a wonderful speaker a Franciscan father. Skis
used to walk way down to Saint Peters, but I told her what does she want
to go so far for when we have a church right here. I like Saint Anthony's
its a smaller church, and it seems homier. She's a nice little thing, but
her ,Iusband beats her, and beats her. qels a jealous fool with an un-
controllable temper. I don't know why he wants to plex on her. They had
the cops over tnere the other nignt. She was sick not very long ego. I
was sick laet summier. I nud waAb trouble. I went to the clinic it's
way up Hain street. It's hard to get down tnere that's why I haven't
taken tne baby down. I have to walk, and it's too far. 18ve been ailing
for years. The first doctor at the clinic said I had chronic appendix,
and the woman doctor there told me that my uterus was twisted. and 4..

Page 13. raterVIO, *maims. 16
one of my ovaries was rotted and would have to Gem* out. It's awfully
crowded in the clinic and you have to wait a long time. Tney have
Riggers and ever, thins down there." one of the interviewers made. a general
'Negroes".
comment referring to the immermasieemett mrs. B. looked a little surprieed•
"yes, I noticed a lot of ',ogre people," Mrs. B. said carefully, "lived a-
round the clinic. I was waiting for the Bus one day. I couldn't walk,"
she continued apologetically, "I had such a terrible pain. That night the
pain was so bad, was sweating bullets. M7 husband told me to go to a
private doctor. He toia me the same thing; I would have to have an opera.-
tio_. But I'lL tough it out a while. After 1110 fourth child, I almost
died. The doctor told me not to have anymore I wouldn't live through
it. out I had three more. After this last one, I had hemorrhages for
twenty-one days. I guess that was because I was so undernourished. well,
I didn't intend to have anymore she broke off."you're married, aren't
you? well you know how husbands are, they don't think of your health. I
guess Birth Control doesn't work with me because I'm weak. I get those
what do you call them?
MO M.
suppositories from the drug store they cost
seventy-five cents a box." We told Mrs. B. that this was a waste of moneys.
ars. B. said, "I wish I
maxiaggikknibrkkoaxtkit knew what to do. The Polish woman was talking to
me apout it, too. 7;kie's having such a hard time she's got six children,
and just lost one." we suggested that Ire. 6. look up the maternal Health
Center, and apply there for advice.
"Are you Catholic? And you're not married in the Catholic
w
Church? Well," she shrugged her shoulders. "you don't have to go to the
priest and tell him things." one of the interviewers mentioned that she
was married to an Italian. "I've never been in a place like Bridgeport,"
mrs. B. said. "Everybody mixes together Catholics, Jews, rDetestants,
and all. It's the first place I've/been in like that. up in mains, the
Jews stick together--- they're only a few, of course. Pie Protestants
bicker back and forth with the Catholics. Like I was gonna say, the Jewel
stick together up thrJ.rt the Jews own all the big stores an usual, ae you

Page 14. Interview with Mrs. B.
know. In a small town, tne Jew will always have the store. If a poor Joe
comes to town, they all get together and help him out. Fro poor Jew with
patched pants, he'll pretty soon rely. a store. you've got to hand it tO
them. Tney've got tne brains. Up in Nova Scotia, I remewber an old Jew
who started out as a junk dealer tnen he worked himself up till he owned
the biggest clothing store in town but he still kept on with his junk.
His wife and two daughters took care of the store. Wnen I'was a kid i reie
member when I'd find a bottle I used to run to his junk shop and Ild,get
a penny for it. one of his daughter's names was Rebecca tney were pretty
girls. There aren't many Jews up in Rumford but the place is polluted
with what we call 'Pollocks' they're really Lithuanians though and
Italians. what do we call them? wops." Mrs. B. leugned. "ell, I don't
care, they call us 'Frogs'. They have slang names for all nationalities.
what's the slang name for the Jews? I never heard any up there. The Ital..
isms and tne Pollocks mostly all work in the mills. mere was one Italian
we used to call Frank Banana ne used to go round with a banana cart
calling, na Saa haaaa
MP OM
ni.' They say that's typical of
Italians. Tney always sell fruit and vegetables. Up in Wive Scotia there
used to be an Italian who sold Ices in a little cart I forget his name."
The interviewers remarked that they didn't know that French Canadians were
called Frogs, and remarked that they had heard them called Canuks'. Urs.
B. said, "That's true they do call them that sometiles. That comes from
the Duke of 'Canukt* (We suppose ire. B. referred to the Duke of Connaught)
You see they were all old country people. There are a Lot of Scoteh and
tnglish people up there. You know what they call us from Nova Scotia
bluenoses
11•0-1•11
I don't know why. You've heard of the racing bait the Sloe
nose? Well I guess that's where they got it. Up in mains they're all LI.
Afrenchmen what a pile of them. They come from Prince el:dwara's Island
that's why they call .them p.I.s.
"Didn't your family make a fuss when you married an Italian?*
mrs. B. asked one of us. thought the Jews took it awfully hard whOR

Page 15. Interview with Mrs. B.
one of their ehildren married outside their religiOn. I'm not such a good
Catholic, but I wouldn't went one of my children to marry outside our roe'
ligion. But after all,"
in une God."
Mrs. B. continued about the difficulties of getting along. She
spoke of the unexpected necessities that arise. Drawing aside her hair,
she showed us a large bald spot. "I've got ringworal" she said. "I went
to the Doctors, and he gave me a prescription. It costs two dollars for
salve. I'm supposed to shampoo my hair every other day. i was afraid I
was going to be bald. The salve's almost gone; i don't know what I'll de
when I have to get more. :hen there's the operation I'm supposed to have
I just can't afford it. I have such terrible pains every month I can
we noticed that the oldest boy was wearing glasres, and
and the oldest girl
mrr. B. told us that he/had been having continuous
school had finally provided them with glasses. *he told
rn glasses, too, and needed them shOwli. "I- started
hardly stand up."
enquired about it.
headaches, and the
us that she had wo
Mrs. B. ehrugged
her shoulders. "We all believe
wearing glasses when I was nine," Mrs. 6. said, "I MIA see far away now,
but I can't see anything close, what do you call that? Farsighted?"
We asked mrs. B. about her social life. She laughed. "when
I go Jut, it's to go shopping, and then I come right back. Sometimes
once in a great while I get out to the movies; not do -n town, right
here in the .aest snd. it's not so nice inside, but you just co to see tha
movie anyhow. i'd like to go down to the warners'-- it used to be the
Cameo, but they were fixing it when 1 first came here. Nverybody's hoOsr,-
ing about it.
Just
burst into the
It must be nice."
then the two children came in from parochial School. The,
room. The little girl, about seven yearn old, came in with
great excitement, "Mummy, Mummy, I've got a surprise." She tugged at a
crumpled scarf of blue and red wool that had been stuffed into her pocket,.
"Look the gist r gave it to me." Mrs. B. said, "isn't that nice. yoU
look as though you came from fill -Town." Her brother laUghed„ "Oh, yo4

Parra 16. Interview with Mr.S.
come from RagtOwn Ragtown." ,tris. B. turned to hima,"And where do yea
come from? Right next door."
rs.B. prepared to !zive the chil6ren tneir lunch of corn.bremd.
We thank(:d her, ano left.
lne children were very well behaved. ..ith the exception of
the oldest boy and the seven year old girl, all the ottler children were
thin and pale; they all had running noses and colds. The baby was whits
faced ana thin, witn huge transporent purple shadors under tie eyes.
when we went across tne street to visit the Polish Ti7oman, later
in the afternoon, we saw mrr. II's. seven year old daughter playing with a
companion on the sidewalk. 9he hpd the new scarf tied around her neck. Aos
we approached we heard her boastinq to nor friendt,"Those two ladies were
in st house. They were in talking to a mother."