Theytoldhimstoriesaboutthebreakingdownofmen,thereinthestockyardsofChicago,andofwhathadhappenedtothemafterward—storiestomakeyourfleshcreep,butJurgiswouldonlylaugh.
Whenhehadnothingtodoforthemoment,hewouldstandroundfidgeting,dancing,withtheoverflowofenergythatwasinhim.
Ifhewereworkinginalineofmen,thelinealwaysmovedtooslowlyforhim,andyoucouldpickhimoutbyhisimpatienceandrestlessness.
Thatwaswhyhehadbeenpickedoutononeimportantoccasion;forJurgishadstoodoutsideofBrownandCompany’s“CentralTimeStation”notmorethanhalfanhour,theseconddayofhisarrivalinChicago,beforehehadbeenbeckonedbyoneofthebosses.
Invainwouldtheyalltellhimthatthereweremeninthatcrowdfromwhichhehadbeenchosenwhohadstoodthereamonth—yes,manymonths—andnotbeenchosenyet.
Broken-downtrampsandgood-for-nothings,fellowswhohavespentalltheirmoneydrinking,andwanttogetmoreforit.
Doyouwantmetobelievethatwiththesearms”—andhewouldclenchhisfistsandholdthemupintheair,sothatyoumightseetherollingmuscles—thatwiththesearmspeoplewilleverletmestarve?”
Andthiswasthefact,forJurgishadneverseenacity,andscarcelyevenafair-sizedtown,untilhehadsetouttomakehisfortuneintheworldandearnhisrighttoOna.
Hisfather,andhisfather’sfatherbeforehim,andasmanyancestorsbackaslegendcouldgo,hadlivedinthatpartofLithuaniaknownasBrelovicz,theImperialForest.
Thisisagreattractofahundredthousandacres,whichfromtimeimmemorialhasbeenahuntingpreserveofthenobility.
Thereareaveryfewpeasantssettledinit,holdingtitlefromancienttimes;andoneofthesewasAntanasRudkus,whohadbeenrearedhimself,andhadrearedhischildreninturn,uponhalfadozenacresofclearedlandinthemidstofawilderness.
Theformerhadbeendraftedintothearmy;thathadbeenovertenyearsago,butsincethatdaynothinghadeverbeenheardofhim.
Jurgishadneverexpectedtogetmarried—hehadlaughedatitasafoolishtrapforamantowalkinto;buthere,withouteverhavingspokenawordtoher,withnomorethantheexchangeofhalfadozensmiles,hefoundhimself,purpleinthefacewithembarrassmentandterror,askingherparentstosellhertohimforhiswife—andofferinghisfather’stwohorseshehadbeensenttothefairtosell.
ButOna’sfatherprovedasarock—thegirlwasyetachild,andhewasarichman,andhisdaughterwasnottobehadinthatway.
Inthefall,aftertheharvestwasover,hesawthatitwouldnotdo,andtrampedthefullfortnight’sjourneythatlaybetweenhimandOna.
Hefoundanunexpectedstateofaffairs—forthegirl’sfatherhaddied,andhisestatewastiedupwithcreditors;Jurgis’heartleapedasherealizedthatnowtheprizewaswithinhisreach.
TherewasElzbietaLukoszaite,Teta,orAunt,astheycalledher,Ona’sstepmother,andtherewerehersixchildren,ofallages.
Theywerepeopleofgreatconsequence,asitseemedtoJurgis,freshoutofthewoods;Onaknewhowtoread,andknewmanyotherthingsthathedidnotknow,andnowthefarmhadbeensold,andthewholefamilywasadrift—alltheyownedintheworldbeingaboutsevenhundredrubleswhichishalfasmanydollars.
Theywouldhavehadthreetimesthat,butithadgonetocourt,andthejudgehaddecidedagainstthem,andithadcostthebalancetogethimtochangehisdecision.
Hewouldwork,forhispart,andthewomenwouldwork,andsomeofthechildren,doubtless—theywouldlivesomehow.Jurgis,too,hadheardofAmerica.
Thatwasacountrywhere,theysaid,amanmightearnthreerublesaday;andJurgisfiguredwhatthreerublesadaywouldmean,withpricesastheywerewherehelived,anddecidedforthwiththathewouldgotoAmericaandmarry,andbearichmaninthebargain.
Inthatcountry,richorpoor,amanwasfree,itwassaid;hedidnothavetogointothearmy,hedidnothavetopayouthismoneytorascallyofficials—hemightdoashepleased,andcounthimselfasgoodasanyotherman.
Itwasarrangedthattheyshouldleavethefollowingspring,andmeantimeJurgissoldhimselftoacontractorforacertaintime,andtrampednearlyfourhundredmilesfromhomewithagangofmentoworkuponarailroadinSmolensk.
Thiswasafearfulexperience,withfilthandbadfoodandcrueltyandoverwork;butJurgisstooditandcameoutinfinetrim,andwitheightyrublessewedupinhiscoat.
Hedidnotdrinkorfight,becausehewasthinkingallthetimeofOna;andfortherest,hewasaquiet,steadyman,whodidwhathewastoldto,didnotlosehistemperoften,andwhenhedidloseitmadetheoffenderanxiousthatheshouldnotloseitagain.
Whentheypaidhimoffhedodgedthecompanygamblersanddramshops,andsotheytriedtokillhim;butheescaped,andtrampedithome,workingatoddjobs,andsleepingalwayswithoneeyeopen.
ItwasonlyattheageoftwentythatithadoccurredtoMarijatotryherstrength,whenshehadrisenupandnearlymurderedtheman,andthencomeaway.
Theyhadahardtimeonthepassage;therewasanagentwhohelpedthem,butheprovedascoundrel,andgotthemintoatrapwithsomeofficials,andcostthemagooddealoftheirpreciousmoney,whichtheyclungtowithsuchhorriblefear.
ThishappenedtothemagaininNewYork—for,ofcourse,theyknewnothingaboutthecountry,andhadnoonetotellthem,anditwaseasyforamaninablueuniformtoleadthemaway,andtotakethemtoahotelandkeepthemthere,andmakethempayenormouschargestogetaway.
Then,tumbledoutofthecarswithoutceremony,theywerenobetteroffthanbefore;theystoodstaringdownthevistaofDearbornStreet,withitsbigblackbuildingstoweringinthedistance,unabletorealizethattheyhadarrived,andwhy,whentheysaid“Chicago,”peoplenolongerpointedinsomedirection,butinsteadlookedperplexed,orlaughed,orwentonwithoutpayinganyattention.
Theywerepitiableintheirhelplessness;aboveallthingstheystoodindeadlyterrorofanysortofpersoninofficialuniform,andsowhenevertheysawapolicemantheywouldcrossthestreetandhurryby.
Forthewholeofthefirstdaytheywanderedaboutinthemidstofdeafeningconfusion,utterlylost;anditwasonlyatnightthat,coweringinthedoorwayofahouse,theywerefinallydiscoveredandtakenbyapolicemantothestation.
Theirdelightatdiscoveringthattheyweretogetoutofthisadventurewithoutlosinganothershareoftheirpossessionsitwouldnotbepossibletodescribe.
Theysatandstaredoutofthewindow.Theywereonastreetwhichseemedtorunonforever,mileaftermile—thirty-fourofthem,iftheyhadknownit—andeachsideofitoneuninterruptedrowofwretchedlittletwo-storyframebuildings.
Downeverysidestreettheycouldsee,itwasthesame—neverahillandneverahollow,butalwaysthesameendlessvistaofuglyanddirtylittlewoodenbuildings.
Hereandtherewouldbeabridgecrossingafilthycreek,withhard-bakedmudshoresanddingyshedsanddocksalongit;hereandtherewouldbearailroadcrossing,withatangleofswitches,andlocomotivespuffing,andrattlingfreightcarsfilingby;hereandtherewouldbeagreatfactory,adingybuildingwithinnumerablewindowsinit,andimmensevolumesofsmokepouringfromthechimneys,darkeningtheairaboveandmakingfilthytheearthbeneath.
Butaftereachoftheseinterruptions,thedesolateprocessionwouldbeginagain—theprocessionofdrearylittlebuildings.
Everyminute,asthetrainspedon,thecolorsofthingsbecamedingier;thefieldsweregrownparchedandyellow,thelandscapehideousandbare.
Theywerenotsurethatitwasunpleasant,thisodor;somemighthavecalleditsickening,buttheirtasteinodorswasnotdeveloped,andtheywereonlysurethatitwascurious.
Now,sittinginthetrolleycar,theyrealizedthattheywereontheirwaytothehomeofit—thattheyhadtraveledallthewayfromLithuaniatoit.
Itwasnownolongersomethingfaroffandfaint,thatyoucaughtinwhiffs;youcouldliterallytasteit,aswellassmellit—youcouldtakeholdofit,almost,andexamineitatyourleisure.
Thereweresomewhodrankitinasifitwereanintoxicant;therewereotherswhoputtheirhandkerchiefstotheirfaces.
Thenewemigrantswerestilltastingit,lostinwonder,whensuddenlythecarcametoahalt,andthedoorwasflungopen,andavoiceshouted—”Stockyards!”
Theywereleftstandinguponthecorner,staring;downasidestreetthereweretworowsofbrickhouses,andbetweenthemavista:halfadozenchimneys,tallasthetallestofbuildings,touchingtheverysky—andleapingfromthemhalfadozencolumnsofsmoke,thick,oily,andblackasnight.
Theyspreadinvastcloudsoverhead,writhing,curling;then,unitinginonegiantriver,theystreamedawaydownthesky,stretchingablackpallasfarastheeyecouldreach.
Itwaslikethemurmuringofthebeesinthespring,thewhisperingsoftheforest;itsuggestedendlessactivity,therumblingsofaworldinmotion.
Itwasonlybyaneffortthatonecouldrealizethatitwasmadebyanimals,thatitwasthedistantlowingoftenthousandcattle,thedistantgruntingoftenthousandswine.
Scarcelyhadtheygoneablock,however,beforeJonaswasheardtogiveacry,andbeganpointingexcitedlyacrossthestreet.
Beforetheycouldgatherthemeaningofhisbreathlessejaculationshehadboundedaway,andtheysawhimenterashop,overwhichwasasign:“J.Szedvilas,Delicatessen.”
Whenhecameoutagainitwasincompanywithaverystoutgentlemaninshirtsleevesandanapron,claspingJonasbybothhandsandlaughinghilariously.
ThenTetaElzbietarecollectedsuddenlythatSzedvilashadbeenthenameofthemythicalfriendwhohadmadehisfortuneinAmerica.
Tofindthathehadbeenmakingitinthedelicatessenbusinesswasanextraordinarypieceofgoodfortuneatthisjuncture;thoughitwaswelloninthemorning,theyhadnotbreakfasted,andthechildrenwerebeginningtowhimper.
Thetwofamiliesliterallyfelluponeachother’snecks—forithadbeenyearssinceJokubasSzedvilashadmetamanfromhispartofLithuania.
Jokubasunderstoodallthepitfallsofthisnewworld,andcouldexplainallofitsmysteries;hecouldtellthemthethingstheyoughttohavedoneinthedifferentemergencies—andwhatwasstillmoretothepoint,hecouldtellthemwhattodonow.
HewouldtakethemtoponiAniele,whokeptaboardinghousetheothersideoftheyards;oldMrs.Jukniene,heexplained,hadnotwhatonewouldcallchoiceaccommodations,buttheymightdoforthemoment.
TothisTetaElzbietahastenedtorespondthatnothingcouldbetoocheaptosuitthemjustthen;fortheywerequiteterrifiedoverthesumstheyhadhadtoexpend.
Averyfewdaysofpracticalexperienceinthislandofhighwageshadbeensufficienttomakecleartothemthecruelfactthatitwasalsoalandofhighprices,andthatinitthepoormanwasalmostaspoorasinanyothercorneroftheearth;andsotherevanishedinanightallthewonderfuldreamsofwealththathadbeenhauntingJurgis.
Whathadmadethediscoveryallthemorepainfulwasthattheywerespending,atAmericanprices,moneywhichtheyhadearnedathomeratesofwages—andsowerereallybeingcheatedbytheworld!
Thelasttwodaystheyhadallbutstarvedthemselves—itmadethemquitesicktopaythepricesthattherailroadpeopleaskedthemforfood.
Therewerefoursuchflatsineachbuilding,andeachofthefourwasa“boardinghouse”fortheoccupancyofforeigners—Lithuanians,Poles,Slovaks,orBohemians.
Therewouldbeanaverageofhalfadozenboarderstoeachroom—sometimestherewerethirteenorfourteentooneroom,fiftyorsixtytoaflat.
Itwasbynomeansunusualfortwomentoownthesamemattressincommon,oneworkingbydayandusingitbynight,andtheotherworkingatnightandusingitinthedaytime.
Herhomewasunthinkablyfilthy;youcouldnotenterbythefrontdooratall,owingtothemattresses,andwhenyoutriedtogoupthebackstairsyoufoundthatshehadwalledupmostoftheporchwitholdboardstomakeaplacetokeepherchickens.
Undoubtedlythisdidkeepdownthevermin,butitseemedprobable,inviewofallthecircumstances,thattheoldladyregardeditratherasfeedingthechickensthanascleaningtherooms.
Thetruthwasthatshehaddefinitelygivenuptheideaofcleaninganything,underpressureofanattackofrheumatism,whichhadkeptherdoubledupinonecornerofherroomforoveraweek;duringwhichtimeelevenofherboarders,heavilyinherdebt,hadconcludedtotrytheirchancesofemploymentinKansasCity.
Oneneversawthefields,noranygreenthingwhatever,inPackingtown;butonecouldgooutontheroadand“hoboit,”asthemenphrasedit,andseethecountry,andhavealongrest,andaneasytimeridingonthefreightcars.
Therewasnothingbettertobehad—theymightnotdosowellbylookingfurther,forMrs.Juknienehadatleastkeptoneroomforherselfandherthreelittlechildren,andnowofferedtosharethiswiththewomenandthegirlsoftheparty.
Theycouldgetbeddingatasecondhandstore,sheexplained;andtheywouldnotneedany,whiletheweatherwassohot—doubtlesstheywouldallsleeponthesidewalksuchnightsasthis,asdidnearlyallofherguests.
“Tomorrow,”Jurgissaid,whentheywereleftalone,“tomorrowIwillgetajob,andperhapsJonaswillgetonealso;andthenwecangetaplaceofourown.”
LaterthatafternoonheandOnawentouttotakeawalkandlookaboutthem,toseemoreofthisdistrictwhichwastobetheirhome.
Inbackoftheyardsthedrearytwo-storyframehouseswerescatteredfartherapart,andthereweregreatspacesbare—thatseeminglyhadbeenoverlookedbythegreatsoreofacityasitspreaditselfoverthesurfaceoftheprairie.
Thesebareplacesweregrownupwithdingy,yellowweeds,hidinginnumerabletomatocans;innumerablechildrenplayeduponthem,chasingoneanotherhereandthere,screamingandfighting.
Themostuncannythingaboutthisneighborhoodwasthenumberofthechildren;youthoughttheremustbeaschooljustout,anditwasonlyafterlongacquaintancethatyouwereabletorealizethattherewasnoschool,butthatthesewerethechildrenoftheneighborhood—thatthereweresomanychildrentotheblockinPackingtownthatnowhereonitsstreetscouldahorseandbuggymovefasterthanawalk!
Theroadwaywascommonlyseveralfeetlowerthanthelevelofthehouses,whichweresometimesjoinedbyhighboardwalks;therewerenopavements—thereweremountainsandvalleysandrivers,gulliesandditches,andgreathollowsfullofstinkinggreenwater.
Inthesepoolsthechildrenplayed,androlledaboutinthemudofthestreets;hereandthereonenoticedthemdigginginit,aftertrophieswhichtheyhadstumbledon.
Onewonderedaboutthis,asalsoabouttheswarmsofflieswhichhungaboutthescene,literallyblackeningtheair,andthestrange,fetidodorwhichassailedone’snostrils,aghastlyodor,ofallthedeadthingsoftheuniverse.
Itimpelledthevisitortoquestionsandthentheresidentswouldexplain,quietly,thatallthiswas“made”land,andthatithadbeen“made”byusingitasadumpinggroundforthecitygarbage.
Afterafewyearstheunpleasanteffectofthiswouldpassaway,itwassaid;butmeantime,inhotweather—andespeciallywhenitrained—theflieswereapttobeannoying.Wasitnotunhealthful?
Alittlewayfartheron,andJurgisandOna,staringopen-eyedandwondering,cametotheplacewherethis“made”groundwasinprocessofmaking.
Theplacehadanodorforwhichtherearenopolitewords;anditwassprinkledoverwithchildren,whorakedinitfromdawntilldark.
Sometimesvisitorsfromthepackinghouseswouldwanderouttoseethis“dump,”andtheywouldstandbyanddebateastowhetherthechildrenwereeatingthefoodtheygot,ormerelycollectingitforthechickensathome.
Firsttheytookoutthesoiltomakebricks,andthentheyfilleditupagainwithgarbage,whichseemedtoJurgisandOnaafelicitousarrangement,characteristicofanenterprisingcountrylikeAmerica.
Thisheldwater,andallsummeritstoodthere,withthenear-bysoildrainingintoit,festeringandstewinginthesun;andthen,whenwintercame,somebodycuttheiceonit,andsoldittothepeopleofthecity.
This,too,seemedtothenewcomersaneconomicalarrangement;fortheydidnotreadthenewspapers,andtheirheadswerenotfulloftroublesomethoughtsabout“germs.”
Theystoodtherewhilethesunwentdownuponthisscene,andtheskyinthewestturnedblood-red,andthetopsofthehousesshonelikefire.
JurgisandOnawerenotthinkingofthesunset,however—theirbackswereturnedtoit,andalltheirthoughtswereofPackingtown,whichtheycouldseesoplainlyinthedistance.
Thelineofthebuildingsstoodclear-cutandblackagainstthesky;hereandthereoutofthemassrosethegreatchimneys,withtheriverofsmokestreamingawaytotheendoftheworld.
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