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N.H.F.W.P.#1801
Julia M.Sample Subject:Living Lore,,
Marsz,marsz,Dabrowski
Z siemi wtooskiej do polskiej
Wolnog6, dawns hasto
Jeszcze w nas nie zgadO.
Oh, it was good to hum and clean, to clean the way she liked to
do it. First one room all clean, then shut it up and start cleaning
the next one. No Mrs. Kendall to -day to say, 'Katherine, Katherine,
here's another little job for you' before she had more than started
the last little job. With each MARSZ, MARSZ the mop was pushed a
bit more vigoriously, as if she really were marching to freedom and
victory.
Now she was in the kitchen and there on the table lay the seventy-
five cents all ready for her when she had finished her day's work.
She stopped bumming. "Poor Mrs. Kendall, she seeklvers seek in hos-
pital. Me, take care of son. Good man but no can keep house. Me
make nice, scrub,clean,dust." Katherine picks up the money and puts
it down again. Thereby reassuting herself that it was real and at the
same time encourageing herself to go on and finish the cleaning. Not
unti4he had dressed for the street and XXX was ready to leave would
she put the money in her purse. She smiled,"Good man, like mother, no
forget the money. All time ,have money on table soon as come. No
wait 'till finish." Still thinking of Mrs. Kendall and her cold in
the chest Katherine shakes her head,"gIvech, ver' reech. Son say
her room all alone, nurses, doctors. She ver' reech."
She once more takes up the tune MARSZ, tilARSZ, DABROWSKI as she
opens the window to draw in the clothes. Glancing at the clock
Katherine realizes that if she hurries she can roll the clothes for
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ironing and reach home early. She manes. No Mrs. Kendall say to-
day'Katherine, Katherine here's another little job for you.'
This fine looking Polish woman steps along the street briskly,
she reminds one of spring)altho the streets are covered with snow. It
is her walk, spring5' . ike the robin's little run and hop. Also with the
As she walks.she.plans her.supper.
robin's bright ,darting glance about her./\To-nignt sne will nave time
to make pierogi, she will put apples in them not cabbage. Jan, her
husband,does not relish cabbage. He is always saying, "No cabbage.
Cabbage, cabbage, all time cabbage in Poland, not here. Me sick of
cabbage."
She sighs and hurries a bit, she hopes he will not be drunk to-
night. When having only part time work he had acquired the habit of
hanging out at the T.K. K. Each morning he had to have one beer,one
whiskey. Now he worked in Nashua. His friend Josef had a car and
took him with two others down and back every day. They always had
time to stop in the morning for their one beer and one whiskey. By
-tIte-To•
speeding Josef sometimes managed to returnA to Manchester early. Then
the evening one beersone whiskey turned into several. "Perhaps," she
thinks,"no speed to -night, plenty snow." If they did stop she would
have to listen to himisiaraMilit about the church or about how smart
she thinks she is. Ortperhaps he would slam the door and go back to
the T.K.K. There he would find a ready ear and say," My woman, don't
know what's matter with her. Has roof over head and food, but want
money,money all the time. 1 tell her get job, work, children not
little,no need money."
Katherine suffered most when he talked about the church. She
could get work she could earn money to give to the church and the
organizations to which she belonged But she could not persuade nor
threaten him into going to church. No prayer,no talk seemingly had
any effect. Jan would shout," This a free country, this America.Every-
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body do as damm please. Me? I belong to Pope My name in Pope's
book. Right here (he always pounds the table at this point), here in
Pope's book. I belong to Pope, no change, no matter --no church; me
baptised, name right there in Pope's book. Make no difference, no
church. Me? I belong to Pope."
starts
With another sigh shet,climbk the steep flight of stairs to the
top floor. In spite of her day's work at the Kendall's and her early
morning's work in her own tenement Katherine climbs without a trace
of fatigue. As always it pleased her to note how much cleaner this
top floor hall was than the others. Yes, she would be clean even though
they were living in a squalid house. It is true they once lived in a
house with plenty of room,plenty of money for food and the children's
clothes,plenty of ground for a garden. But rarely did Katherine think
of this past. Isn't she in America? Isn't she living in a free country?
Hasn't she running water and electric lights? Hasn't her older daughter
married well and her younger daughter a job? Then theres Henry her son,
a sgirt boy in school. Her face brightens. Yes this is America!
The door is unlocked so she knows Henry is home from school. Sh,fi
is greeted affectionately by this blonde boy,such a contrast to her
darkness. He has been waiting for her to come home. After a little
chatter he leaves for confession with a "Good-bye,mamol:. While Kath-
erine prepares supper,qoaring applesitmixing dough for those triangles
of deliciousness pierogi; she thinks about Henry and the time he was
born. Not for Henry had she the big fat mid -wife. No indeed,Henry
was born in the hospital. No longer did she fear the hospital. She
could now understand what they said and they could understand her. She
Last time
thinks," Now diff'rent./Beeg,fat woman take baby, lady get seek, vex°
N.H.F.W.P.
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seekoblud poisin, she die. All Polish ladies say, no more have
fat woman. Everybody go to hospital."
Supper is ready. The table is set with each plateocup, saucer,
fork and spoon carefully turned bottom side up. Henry is back. Frances
is home from work. Now she hears Jan coming up the stairs. Immedi-
ately she knows that to -night he is sober. Everything is alright, they
can be glad. Perhaps he will stay home and they will have a little
game of cards.