English
JurgisandOnawereverymuchinlove;theyhadwaitedalongtime—itwasnowwellintothesecondyear,andJurgisjudgedeverythingbythecriterionofitshelpingorhinderingtheirunion.
Allhisthoughtswerethere;heacceptedthefamilybecauseitwasapartofOna.
AndhewasinterestedinthehousebecauseitwastobeOna’shome.
EventhetricksandcrueltieshesawatDurham’shadlittlemeaningforhimjustthen,saveastheymighthappentoaffecthisfuturewithOna.
Themarriagewouldhavebeenatonce,iftheyhadhadtheirway;butthiswouldmeanthattheywouldhavetodowithoutanyweddingfeast,andwhentheysuggestedthistheycameintoconflictwiththeoldpeople.
ToTetaElzbietaespeciallytheverysuggestionwasanaffliction.What!shewouldcry.
Tobemarriedontheroadsidelikeaparcelofbeggars!No!No!
—Elzbietahadsometraditionsbehindher;shehadbeenapersonofimportanceinhergirlhood—hadlivedonabigestateandhadservants,andmighthavemarriedwellandbeenalady,butforthefactthattherehadbeenninedaughtersandnosonsinthefamily.
Evenso,however,sheknewwhatwasdecent,andclungtohertraditionswithdesperation.
Theywerenotgoingtoloseallcaste,eveniftheyhadcometobeunskilledlaborersinPackingtown;andthatOnahadeventalkedofomittingaYeselijawasenoughtokeepherstepmotherlyingawakeallnight.
Itwasinvainforthemtosaythattheyhadsofewfriends;theywereboundtohavefriendsintime,andthenthefriendswouldtalkaboutit.
Theymustnotgiveupwhatwasrightforalittlemoney—iftheydid,themoneywouldneverdothemanygood,theycoulddependuponthat.
AndElzbietawouldcalluponDedeAntanastosupporther;therewasafearinthesoulsofthesetwo,lestthisjourneytoanewcountrymightsomehowunderminetheoldhomevirtuesoftheirchildren.
TheveryfirstSundaytheyhadallbeentakentomass;andpoorastheywere,ElzbietahadfeltitadvisabletoinvestalittleofherresourcesinarepresentationofthebabeofBethlehem,madeinplaster,andpaintedinbrilliantcolors.
Thoughitwasonlyafoothigh,therewasashrinewithfoursnow-whitesteeples,andtheVirginstandingwithherchildinherarms,andthekingsandshepherdsandwisemenbowingdownbeforehim.
Ithadcostfiftycents;butElzbietahadafeelingthatmoneyspentforsuchthingswasnottobecountedtooclosely,itwouldcomebackinhiddenways.
Thepiecewasbeautifulontheparlormantel,andonecouldnothaveahomewithoutsomesortofornament.
Thecostoftheweddingfeastwould,ofcourse,bereturnedtothem;buttheproblemwastoraiseiteventemporarily.
Theyhadbeenintheneighborhoodsoshortatimethattheycouldnotgetmuchcredit,andtherewasnooneexceptSzedvilasfromwhomtheycouldborrowevenalittle.
EveningaftereveningJurgisandOnawouldsitandfiguretheexpenses,calculatingthetermoftheirseparation.
Theycouldnotpossiblymanageitdecentlyforlessthantwohundreddollars,andeventhoughtheywerewelcometocountinthewholeoftheearningsofMarijaandJonas,asaloan,theycouldnothopetoraisethissuminlessthanfourorfivemonths.
SoOnabeganthinkingofseekingemploymentherself,sayingthatifshehadevenordinarilygoodluck,shemightbeabletotaketwomonthsoffthetime.
Theywerejustbeginningtoadjustthemselvestothisnecessity,whenoutoftheclearskytherefellathunderboltuponthem—acalamitythatscatteredalltheirhopestothefourwinds.
AboutablockawayfromthemtherelivedanotherLithuanianfamily,consistingofanelderlywidowandonegrownson;theirnamewasMajauszkis,andourfriendsstruckupanacquaintancewiththembeforelong.
Oneeveningtheycameoverforavisit,andnaturallythefirstsubjectuponwhichtheconversationturnedwastheneighborhoodanditshistory;andthenGrandmotherMajauszkiene,astheoldladywascalled,proceededtorecitetothemastringofhorrorsthatfairlyfrozetheirblood.
Shewasawrinkled-upandwizenedpersonage—shemusthavebeeneighty—andasshemumbledthegrimstorythroughhertoothlessgums,sheseemedaveryoldwitchtothem.
GrandmotherMajauszkienehadlivedinthemidstofmisfortunesolongthatithadcometobeherelement,andshetalkedaboutstarvation,sickness,anddeathasotherpeoplemightaboutweddingsandholidays.
Thethingcamegradually.Inthefirstplaceastothehousetheyhadbought,itwasnotnewatall,astheyhadsupposed;itwasaboutfifteenyearsold,andtherewasnothingnewuponitbutthepaint,whichwassobadthatitneededtobeputonneweveryyearortwo.
Thehousewasoneofawholerowthatwasbuiltbyacompanywhichexistedtomakemoneybyswindlingpoorpeople.
Thefamilyhadpaidfifteenhundreddollarsforit,andithadnotcostthebuildersfivehundred,whenitwasnew.
GrandmotherMajauszkieneknewthatbecausehersonbelongedtoapoliticalorganizationwithacontractorwhoputupexactlysuchhouses.
Theyusedtheveryflimsiestandcheapestmaterial;theybuiltthehousesadozenatatime,andtheycaredaboutnothingatallexcepttheoutsideshine.
Thefamilycouldtakeherwordastothetroubletheywouldhave,forshehadbeenthroughitall—sheandhersonhadboughttheirhouseinexactlythesameway.
Theyhadfooledthecompany,however,forhersonwasaskilledman,whomadeashighasahundreddollarsamonth,andashehadhadsenseenoughnottomarry,theyhadbeenabletopayforthehouse.
GrandmotherMajauszkienesawthatherfriendswerepuzzledatthisremark;theydidnotquiteseehowpayingforthehousewas“foolingthecompany.”Evidentlytheywereveryinexperienced.
Cheapasthehouseswere,theyweresoldwiththeideathatthepeoplewhoboughtthemwouldnotbeabletopayforthem.
Whentheyfailed—ifitwereonlybyasinglemonth—theywouldlosethehouseandallthattheyhadpaidonit,andthenthecompanywouldsellitoveragain.
Anddidtheyoftengetachancetodothat?Dieve!
(GrandmotherMajauszkieneraisedherhands.)
Theydidit—howoftennoonecouldsay,butcertainlymorethanhalfofthetime.
TheymightaskanyonewhoknewanythingatallaboutPackingtownastothat;shehadbeenlivinghereeversincethishousewasbuilt,andshecouldtellthemallaboutit.Andhaditeverbeensoldbefore?Susimilkie!
Why,sinceithadbeenbuilt,nolessthanfourfamiliesthattheirinformantcouldnamehadtriedtobuyitandfailed.Shewouldtellthemalittleaboutit.
ThefirstfamilyhadbeenGermans.Thefamilieshadallbeenofdifferentnationalities—therehadbeenarepresentativeofseveralracesthathaddisplacedeachotherinthestockyards.
GrandmotherMajauszkienehadcometoAmericawithhersonatatimewhensofarassheknewtherewasonlyoneotherLithuanianfamilyinthedistrict;theworkershadallbeenGermansthen—skilledcattlebutchersthatthepackershadbroughtfromabroadtostartthebusiness.
Afterward,ascheaperlaborhadcome,theseGermanshadmovedaway.
ThenextweretheIrish—therehadbeensixoreightyearswhenPackingtownhadbeenaregularIrishcity.
Therewereafewcoloniesofthemstillhere,enoughtorunalltheunionsandthepoliceforceandgetallthegraft;butmostofthosewhowereworkinginthepackinghouseshadgoneawayatthenextdropinwages—afterthebigstrike.
TheBohemianshadcomethen,andafterthemthePoles.
PeoplesaidthatoldmanDurhamhimselfwasresponsiblefortheseimmigrations;hehadswornthathewouldfixthepeopleofPackingtownsothattheywouldneveragaincallastrikeonhim,andsohehadsenthisagentsintoeverycityandvillageinEuropetospreadthetaleofthechancesofworkandhighwagesatthestockyards.
Thepeoplehadcomeinhordes;andoldDurhamhadsqueezedthemtighterandtighter,speedingthemupandgrindingthemtopiecesandsendingfornewones.
ThePoles,whohadcomebytensofthousands,hadbeendriventothewallbytheLithuanians,andnowtheLithuaniansweregivingwaytotheSlovaks.
WhotherewaspoorerandmoremiserablethantheSlovaks,GrandmotherMajauszkienehadnoidea,butthepackerswouldfindthem,neverfear.
Itwaseasytobringthem,forwageswerereallymuchhigher,anditwasonlywhenitwastoolatethatthepoorpeoplefoundoutthateverythingelsewashighertoo.
Theywerelikeratsinatrap,thatwasthetruth;andmoreofthemwerepilingineveryday.
Byandbytheywouldhavetheirrevenge,though,forthethingwasgettingbeyondhumanendurance,andthepeoplewouldriseandmurderthepackers.
GrandmotherMajauszkienewasasocialist,orsomesuchstrangething;anothersonofherswasworkingintheminesofSiberia,andtheoldladyherselfhadmadespeechesinhertime—whichmadeherseemallthemoreterribletoherpresentauditors.
Theycalledherbacktothestoryofthehouse.TheGermanfamilyhadbeenagoodsort.
Tobesuretherehadbeenagreatmanyofthem,whichwasacommonfailinginPackingtown;buttheyhadworkedhard,andthefatherhadbeenasteadyman,andtheyhadagooddealmorethanhalfpaidforthehouse.
ButhehadbeenkilledinanelevatoraccidentinDurham’s.
ThentherehadcometheIrish,andtherehadbeenlotsofthem,too;thehusbanddrankandbeatthechildren—theneighborscouldhearthemshriekinganynight.
Theywerebehindwiththeirrentallthetime,butthecompanywasgoodtothem;therewassomepoliticsbackofthat,GrandmotherMajauszkienecouldnotsayjustwhat,buttheLaffertyshadbelongedtothe“WarWhoopLeague,”whichwasasortofpoliticalclubofallthethugsandrowdiesinthedistrict;andifyoubelongedtothat,youcouldneverbearrestedforanything.
OnceuponatimeoldLaffertyhadbeencaughtwithagangthathadstolencowsfromseveralofthepoorpeopleoftheneighborhoodandbutcheredtheminanoldshantybackoftheyardsandsoldthem.
Hehadbeeninjailonlythreedaysforit,andhadcomeoutlaughing,andhadnotevenlosthisplaceinthepackinghouse.
Hehadgonealltoruinwiththedrink,however,andlosthispower;oneofhissons,whowasagoodman,hadkepthimandthefamilyupforayearortwo,butthenhehadgotsickwithconsumption.
Thatwasanotherthing,GrandmotherMajauszkieneinterruptedherself—thishousewasunlucky.
Everyfamilythatlivedinit,someonewassuretogetconsumption.
Nobodycouldtellwhythatwas;theremustbesomethingaboutthehouse,orthewayitwasbuilt—somefolkssaiditwasbecausethebuildinghadbeenbeguninthedarkofthemoon.
ThereweredozensofhousesthatwayinPackingtown.
Sometimestherewouldbeaparticularroomthatyoucouldpointout—ifanybodysleptinthatroomhewasjustasgoodasdead.
WiththishouseithadbeentheIrishfirst;andthenaBohemianfamilyhadlostachildofit—though,tobesure,thatwasuncertain,sinceitwashardtotellwhatwasthematterwithchildrenwhoworkedintheyards.
Inthosedaystherehadbeennolawabouttheageofchildren—thepackershadworkedallbutthebabies.
Atthisremarkthefamilylookedpuzzled,andGrandmotherMajauszkieneagainhadtomakeanexplanation—thatitwasagainstthelawforchildrentoworkbeforetheyweresixteen.Whatwasthesenseofthat?theyasked.
TheyhadbeenthinkingoflettinglittleStanislovasgotowork.
Well,therewasnoneedtoworry,GrandmotherMajauszkienesaid—thelawmadenodifferenceexceptthatitforcedpeopletolieabouttheagesoftheirchildren.
Onewouldliketoknowwhatthelawmakersexpectedthemtodo;therewerefamiliesthathadnopossiblemeansofsupportexceptthechildren,andthelawprovidedthemnootherwayofgettingaliving.
VeryoftenamancouldgetnoworkinPackingtownformonths,whileachildcouldgoandgetaplaceeasily;therewasalwayssomenewmachine,bywhichthepackerscouldgetasmuchworkoutofachildastheyhadbeenabletogetoutofaman,andforathirdofthepay.
Tocomebacktothehouseagain,itwasthewomanofthenextfamilythathaddied.
Thatwasaftertheyhadbeentherenearlyfouryears,andthiswomanhadhadtwinsregularlyeveryyear—andtherehadbeenmorethanyoucouldcountwhentheymovedin.
Aftershediedthemanwouldgotoworkalldayandleavethemtoshiftforthemselves—theneighborswouldhelpthemnowandthen,fortheywouldalmostfreezetodeath.
Attheendtherewerethreedaysthattheywerealone,beforeitwasfoundoutthatthefatherwasdead.
Hewasa“floorsman”atJones’s,andawoundedsteerhadbrokenlooseandmashedhimagainstapillar.
Thenthechildrenhadbeentakenaway,andthecompanyhadsoldthehousethatverysameweektoapartyofemigrants.
Sothisgrimoldwomenwentonwithhertaleofhorrors.
Howmuchofitwasexaggeration—whocouldtell?Itwasonlytooplausible.
Therewasthataboutconsumption,forinstance.
Theyknewnothingaboutconsumptionwhatever,exceptthatitmadepeoplecough;andfortwoweekstheyhadbeenworryingaboutacoughing-spellofAntanas.
Itseemedtoshakehimallover,anditneverstopped;youcouldseearedstainwhereverhehadspituponthefloor.
Andyetallthesethingswereasnothingtowhatcamealittlelater.
Theyhadbeguntoquestiontheoldladyastowhyonefamilyhadbeenunabletopay,tryingtoshowherbyfiguresthatitoughttohavebeenpossible;andGrandmotherMajauszkienehaddisputedtheirfigures—“Yousaytwelvedollarsamonth;butthatdoesnotincludetheinterest.”
Thentheystaredather.“Interest!”theycried.
“Interestonthemoneyyoustillowe,”sheanswered.
“Butwedon’thavetopayanyinterest!”theyexclaimed,threeorfouratonce.
“Weonlyhavetopaytwelvedollarseachmonth.”Andforthisshelaughedatthem.
“Youarelikealltherest,”shesaid;“theytrickyouandeatyoualive.
Theyneversellthehouseswithoutinterest.Getyourdeed,andsee.”
Then,withahorriblesinkingoftheheart,TetaElzbietaunlockedherbureauandbroughtoutthepaperthathadalreadycausedthemsomanyagonies.
Nowtheysatround,scarcelybreathing,whiletheoldlady,whocouldreadEnglish,ranoverit.
“Yes,”shesaid,finally,“hereitis,ofcourse:‘Withinterestthereonmonthly,attherateofsevenpercentperannum.’”
Andtherefollowedadeadsilence.“Whatdoesthatmean?”askedJurgisfinally,almostinawhisper.
“Thatmeans,”repliedtheother,“thatyouhavetopaythemsevendollarsnextmonth,aswellasthetwelvedollars.”
Thenagaintherewasnotasound.Itwassickening,likeanightmare,inwhichsuddenlysomethinggiveswaybeneathyou,andyoufeelyourselfsinking,sinking,downintobottomlessabysses.
Asifinaflashoflightningtheysawthemselves—victimsofarelentlessfate,cornered,trapped,inthegripofdestruction.
Allthefairstructureoftheirhopescamecrashingabouttheirears.
—Andallthetimetheoldwomanwasgoingontalking.
Theywishedthatshewouldbestill;hervoicesoundedlikethecroakingofsomedismalraven.
Jurgissatwithhishandsclenchedandbeadsofperspirationonhisforehead,andtherewasagreatlumpinOna’sthroat,chokingher.
ThensuddenlyTetaElzbietabrokethesilencewithawail,andMarijabegantowringherhandsandsob,“Ai!Ai!Bedaman!”
Alltheiroutcrydidthemnogood,ofcourse.
TheresatGrandmotherMajauszkiene,unrelenting,typifyingfate.
No,ofcourseitwasnotfair,butthenfairnesshadnothingtodowithit.Andofcoursetheyhadnotknownit.Theyhadnotbeenintendedtoknowit.
Butitwasinthedeed,andthatwasallthatwasnecessary,astheywouldfindwhenthetimecame.
Somehoworothertheygotridoftheirguest,andthentheypassedanightoflamentation.
Thechildrenwokeupandfoundoutthatsomethingwaswrong,andtheywailedandwouldnotbecomforted.
Inthemorning,ofcourse,mostofthemhadtogotowork,thepackinghouseswouldnotstopfortheirsorrows;butbyseveno’clockOnaandherstepmotherwerestandingatthedooroftheofficeoftheagent.
Yes,hetoldthem,whenhecame,itwasquitetruethattheywouldhavetopayinterest.
AndthenTetaElzbietabrokeforthintoprotestationsandreproaches,sothatthepeopleoutsidestoppedandpeeredinatthewindow.Theagentwasasblandasever.Hewasdeeplypained,hesaid.
Hehadnottoldthem,simplybecausehehadsupposedtheywouldunderstandthattheyhadtopayinterestupontheirdebt,asamatterofcourse.
Sotheycameaway,andOnawentdowntotheyards,andatnoontimesawJurgisandtoldhim.
Jurgistookitstolidly—hehadmadeuphismindtoitbythistime.
Itwaspartoffate;theywouldmanageitsomehow—hemadehisusualanswer,“Iwillworkharder.”
Itwouldupsettheirplansforatime;anditwouldperhapsbenecessaryforOnatogetworkafterall.
ThenOnaaddedthatTetaElzbietahaddecidedthatlittleStanislovaswouldhavetoworktoo.
ItwasnotfairtoletJurgisandhersupportthefamily—thefamilywouldhavetohelpasitcould.
PreviouslyJurgishadscoutedthisidea,butnowknithisbrowsandnoddedhisheadslowly—yes,perhapsitwouldbebest;theywouldallhavetomakesomesacrificesnow.
SoOnasetoutthatdaytohuntforwork;andatnightMarijacamehomesayingthatshehadmetagirlnamedJasaitytewhohadafriendthatworkedinoneofthewrappingroomsinBrown’s,andmightgetaplaceforOnathere;onlytheforeladywasthekindthattakespresents—itwasnouseforanyonetoaskherforaplaceunlessatthesametimetheyslippedaten-dollarbillintoherhand.
Jurgiswasnotintheleastsurprisedatthisnow—hemerelyaskedwhatthewagesoftheplacewouldbe.
Sonegotiationswereopened,andafteraninterviewOnacamehomeandreportedthattheforeladyseemedtolikeher,andhadsaidthat,whileshewasnotsure,shethoughtshemightbeabletoputheratworksewingcoversonhams,ajobatwhichshewouldearnasmuchaseightortendollarsaweek.
Thatwasabid,soMarijareported,afterconsultingherfriend;andthentherewasananxiousconferenceathome.
Theworkwasdoneinoneofthecellars,andJurgisdidnotwantOnatoworkinsuchaplace;butthenitwaseasywork,andonecouldnothaveeverything.
SointheendOna,withaten-dollarbillburningaholeinherpalm,hadanotherinterviewwiththeforelady.
MeantimeTetaElzbietahadtakenStanislovastothepriestandgottenacertificatetotheeffectthathewastwoyearsolderthanhewas;andwithitthelittleboynowsalliedforthtomakehisfortuneintheworld.
ItchancedthatDurhamhadjustputinawonderfulnewlardmachine,andwhenthespecialpolicemaninfrontofthetimestationsawStanislovasandhisdocument,hesmiledtohimselfandtoldhimtogo—”Czia!Czia!”pointing.
AndsoStanislovaswentdownalongstonecorridor,andupaflightofstairs,whichtookhimintoaroomlightedbyelectricity,withthenewmachinesforfillinglardcansatworkinit.
Thelardwasfinishedonthefloorabove,anditcameinlittlejets,likebeautiful,wriggling,snow-whitesnakesofunpleasantodor.
Therewereseveralkindsandsizesofjets,andafteracertainprecisequantityhadcomeout,eachstoppedautomatically,andthewonderfulmachinemadeaturn,andtookthecanunderanotherjet,andsoon,untilitwasfilledneatlytothebrim,andpressedtightly,andsmoothedoff.
Toattendtoallthisandfillseveralhundredcansoflardperhour,therewerenecessarytwohumancreatures,oneofwhomknewhowtoplaceanemptylardcanonacertainspoteveryfewseconds,andtheotherofwhomknewhowtotakeafulllardcanoffacertainspoteveryfewsecondsandsetituponatray.
Andso,afterlittleStanislovashadstoodgazingtimidlyabouthimforafewminutes,amanapproachedhim,andaskedwhathewanted,towhichStanislovassaid,“Job.”Thenthemansaid“Howold?”andStanislovasanswered,“Sixtin.”
Onceortwiceeveryyearastateinspectorwouldcomewanderingthroughthepackingplants,askingachildhereandtherehowoldhewas;andsothepackerswereverycarefultocomplywiththelaw,whichcostthemasmuchtroubleaswasnowinvolvedintheboss’stakingthedocumentfromthelittleboy,andglancingatit,andthensendingittotheofficetobefiledaway.
Thenhesetsomeoneelseatadifferentjob,andshowedtheladhowtoplacealardcaneverytimetheemptyarmoftheremorselessmachinecametohim;andsowasdecidedtheplaceintheuniverseoflittleStanislovas,andhisdestinytilltheendofhisdays.
Hourafterhour,dayafterday,yearafteryear,itwasfatedthatheshouldstanduponacertainsquarefootoffloorfromseveninthemorninguntilnoon,andagainfromhalf-pasttwelvetillhalf-pastfive,makingneveramotionandthinkingneverathought,saveforthesettingoflardcans.
Insummerthestenchofthewarmlardwouldbenauseating,andinwinterthecanswouldallbutfreezetohisnakedlittlefingersintheunheatedcellar.
Halftheyearitwouldbedarkasnightwhenhewentintowork,anddarkasnightagainwhenhecameout,andsohewouldneverknowwhatthesunlookedlikeonweekdays.
Andforthis,attheendoftheweek,hewouldcarryhomethreedollarstohisfamily,beinghispayattherateoffivecentsperhour—justabouthispropershareofthetotalearningsofthemillionandthree-quartersofchildrenwhoarenowengagedinearningtheirlivingsintheUnitedStates.
Andmeantime,becausetheywereyoung,andhopeisnottobestifledbeforeitstime,JurgisandOnawereagaincalculating;fortheyhaddiscoveredthatthewagesofStanislovaswouldalittlemorethanpaytheinterest,whichleftthemjustaboutastheyhadbeenbefore!
Itwouldbebutfairtothemtosaythatthelittleboywasdelightedwithhiswork,andattheideaofearningalotofmoney;andalsothatthetwowereverymuchinlovewitheachother.
Share this article to
FINISH