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FEB 2 1934
N.H.F.W.PM.801 JULIA Y.SAMPLE Sublect: Living Lore
Chapter 2
"4-61-044a-41-44-‘1'
The next day on the way to the Kendall's Katherine stops to buy
needed groceries. M. Kendall had given her some money and instructed
her to "See that there is plenty of food in the house: She knew what
he ate for breakfast and what he liked for supper. "He want all time
in the house lorangespgrapefruit, tomato juice in canveggs,that foony
bacon like ham,crackers for milk, soup in canscoffee and doughnuts."
At this last item she wrinkles her face in distaste. "So fat,so heavy,"
she thinks. Katherine is a careful buyer, the fruit will have to be
fresh and tree -ripened. "So much money, must be right. No pay miney
for no good food." She feels pleasantly wicked in buying food stuffs
prohibitive to her purse. With an air of dignity and satisfaction
she buys the supplies. Handing her the bag the clerk Inquires, "Have
you one of our calendars?" "No," she replied. "Would you like one?"
"Please." He places the rolled calendar in the bag and Katherine
starts happily along.
Taking the key from its hiding place she lets herself into the
apartment. She notices the usual disorder of papers and ashes. Socks,
shirt,underwear and towels are just where they have dropped. The sink
Is piled piled with dishes all neatly stacked. "His mother,she make heem.
Always she say -'If you help,do it right.' He good man but man." Dart-
ing about with her quick motions she soon has the place in order. She
opens the refrigerator door and stands admiring the neat arrangement
of the food. Nodding her head at the plentiful supply,she closes the
doog but before removing her hand opens it once more. She hopes some
tiny
day to catch theAlight in tie act of going on.
Now for the ironing. SKIL Arranging the ironing board and clothes
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to her satisfaction and connecting the iron ,she remembers she hasn't
looked as yet at her calendar. Relaxing in a chair, it is soon un-
rolled and there she sees a picture of a beautiful shilitn,achoppy sea
with a cloud flecked sky above. Immediately she thinks of her trip
from Polannenitranigarlisagi seen a ship nor the ocean since. Moe
more she is on board ship, once more she feels the breeze blowing the
clothes about her body and leaving its dampness on her face. She liked
it way up top. Again and again she had managed to sneak to the hurri-
cane deck. She looked up --sky, she looked down--waterteverywhere noth-
ing but sky and water. She had not quite expected to see so much water
while there
and sky for such a long time, eight4hails. If lucky'she would have
timeA.to take her pillow from her bundle,get out her big loaf of Polish
bread and hunk of hard,very hard cheese. How good it tasted! Once
hd
she had taime to unwrap the tUrtequarts of whiskey she was bringing.
A
Never would she dare do this below where everyone watched XII all the
time. Not for her was this whiskey. Hadn't she promised in church
not to drink until sheNtwenty-one? No, this is a present to her
cousin in America, in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Katherine starts to iron. Never for long could she resas never
for long could she stay on top the ship. She remembers,"Ship-man come
along,scare me away,say'i'Go homelgo down,go where you belong' Then
she would go dow+nd hear the Jewish women go 'I-aye,I-aye'
all the time make noisetall time spew all over the place, no carat."
Then too she would UNECIAD4o down to that black-eyed Lithuanian who
was always asking her to dance. She remembers him well,"Come dance
little onelY184.VAIftyllittle one'.00-4104Wto make foolishness.
Me no understand Lithuanian, me no dance, me no make foolishness. He
all time buy beer. Me no buy beer, me afraid/allot too much money.
Me buy ship-card,me buy everything to Manchester. At Liverpool say,
"Five dollars". Me no understand, me Weverything to Manchester.
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Yes, me geeve,me.geeve five dollars. No, no buy beer, me 'fraid, me
Ifraid no Manchester. After long time,brudder get back. Everything
alright." Katherine rubs her chest and an expression of pain crosses
her face. How hard she had worked to get the money for her ticket to
America!
Well she re -calls the day of her decision. They had just received
a letter from Thaddeus ,her cousin in America. He had married, he
had a good job,plenty to eat, he and his wife were living together in
a room alone and all their own, they could be glad. Then Katherine
exclaimed to her mother,"I am going to America!" Her mother retorted,
"Find the money!" There was no work for Katherine tn Poland, but she
heard there was work in Germany. She again rubs her chest and arms
in remembrance. "All day long me work in garden. Everywhere beets
and cabbages, beets and cabbages. Me carry stones to road, beeg stones.
All stones carry to road, make good road. Me pitch wheat, high ver'
high, man stand above me, me pitch beeg bundles of wheat. Too much,
too young, just fifteen year. Me lay in bed one week. Man say,'Too
young, come back next year.' Me no go back, me work for woman in house
scrub,clean, wash olothes. Me come to America!"
But first she lane in Liverpool. For four long days they waited
in Liverpool. It was hard staying there,she was lonesome. Just walk
around a little bit and wait;eat a littletwalk a little,wait. One day
she met the Lithuanian, he pestered her and fiercely she slapped his
face and ran into the house. At last they sail and the day comes when
she lands in Boston. She feels il and confused. So different this
walking on the earth. So many people ,all dressed alikesall look alike
and all saying the same talk. No mixture of languages here, she the
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only one different. Whenever spoken to she says,"Manchester." Now
comes the last of her long journey, she is on the train to Manchester,
Nw Hampshire! Katherine clutches her big bundle, she feels the hard
bottles of whiskey against her leg and thinkg4Thaddeus will be pleased
Her heart skips a beat. Suppose Thaddeus is no longer in Manchester?
Suppose ke is dead? Only for a momeht is she dismayed. She shrugs,
"No matter." She is strong, she will find work, plenty of work in
America.
The train pulls into the station and she looks about for a Pole.
No Polish costume does she see. In a minute she is being hugged and
kissed by people speaking Polish but somehow not looking Polish at
all! They laugh and tease her about her old country clothes. Next
day nothing would do,but she discard her clothes, her full skirts and
petticoats, her brightly colored kerchiefs and embroidered jackets and don
American clothes. She feels undressed and naked in so few clothes.
They laugh when she hides from her cousin Thaddeus and say she must
be American. With some misgivings but with great bravado and faith
she packs her old country things and the cousins send them back to
her sister in Poland. Only her yellow stockings and high black shoes
do they allow hwr to keep. Katherine once more knows how good it is
to eat and is glad not to hear the big noises of the ocean and the
Jewish women. In a few days Thaddeus takes her to the mill and she
is given a job at a loom. She watches for broken threads in the warp
and woof. She is glad she can see so well and ready to burst with
pride. "Me, me have job in America. Me anart,me alright,me glad!"
"Long time ago, ver' long timIti," Katherine smiles tolerantly at
that girl and expertly continues her ironing.