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Yetevenbythisdeadlywinterthegermofhopewasnottobekeptfromsproutingintheirhearts.ItwasjustatthistimethatthegreatadventurebefellMarija.
ThevictimwasTamosziusKuszleika,whoplayedtheviolin.
Everybodylaughedatthem,forTamosziuswaspetiteandfrail,andMarijacouldhavepickedhimupandcarriedhimoffunderonearm.
Butperhapsthatwaswhyshefascinatedhim;thesheervolumeofMarija’senergywasoverwhelming.
ThatfirstnightattheweddingTamosziushadhardlytakenhiseyesoffher;andlateron,whenhecametofindthatshehadreallytheheartofababy,hervoiceandherviolenceceasedtoterrifyhim,andhegotthehabitofcomingtopayhervisitsonSundayafternoons.
Therewasnoplacetoentertaincompanyexceptinthekitchen,inthemidstofthefamily,andTamosziuswouldsittherewithhishatbetweenhisknees,neversayingmorethanhalfadozenwordsatatime,andturningredinthefacebeforehemanagedtosaythose;untilfinallyJurgiswouldclaphimupontheback,inhisheartyway,crying,“Comenow,brother,giveusatune.”
AndthenTamoszius’facewouldlightupandhewouldgetouthisfiddle,tuckitunderhischin,andplay.
Andforthwiththesoulofhimwouldflameupandbecomeeloquent—itwasalmostanimpropriety,forallthewhilehisgazewouldbefixeduponMarija’sface,untilshewouldbegintoturnredandlowerhereyes.
TherewasnoresistingthemusicofTamoszius,however;eventhechildrenwouldsitawedandwondering,andthetearswouldrundownTetaElzbieta’scheeks.
Awonderfulprivilegeitwastobethusadmittedintothesoulofamanofgenius,tobeallowedtosharetheecstasiesandtheagoniesofhisinmostlife.
ThentherewereotherbenefitsaccruingtoMarijafromthisfriendship—benefitsofamoresubstantialnature.
PeoplepaidTamosziusbigmoneytocomeandmakemusiconstateoccasions;andalsotheywouldinvitehimtopartiesandfestivals,knowingwellthathewastoogood-naturedtocomewithouthisfiddle,andthathavingbroughtit,hecouldbemadetoplaywhileothersdanced.
OncehemadeboldtoaskMarijatoaccompanyhimtosuchaparty,andMarijaaccepted,tohisgreatdelight—afterwhichheneverwentanywherewithouther,whileifthecelebrationweregivenbyfriendsofhis,hewouldinvitetherestofthefamilyalso.
InanycaseMarijawouldbringbackahugepocketfulofcakesandsandwichesforthechildren,andstoriesofallthegoodthingssheherselfhadmanagedtoconsume.
Shewascompelled,attheseparties,tospendmostofhertimeattherefreshmenttable,forshecouldnotdancewithanybodyexceptotherwomenandveryoldmen;Tamosziuswasofanexcitabletemperament,andafflictedwithafranticjealousy,andanyunmarriedmanwhoventuredtoputhisarmabouttheamplewaistofMarijawouldbecertaintothrowtheorchestraoutoftune.
ItwasagreathelptoapersonwhohadtotoilalltheweektobeabletolookforwardtosomesuchrelaxationasthisonSaturdaynights.
Thefamilywastoopoorandtoohardworkedtomakemanyacquaintances;inPackingtown,asarule,peopleknowonlytheirnearneighborsandshopmates,andsotheplaceislikeamyriadoflittlecountryvillages.
Butnowtherewasamemberofthefamilywhowaspermittedtotravelandwidenherhorizon;andsoeachweektherewouldbenewpersonalitiestotalkabout,—howso-and-sowasdressed,andwheresheworked,andwhatshegot,andwhomshewasinlovewith;andhowthismanhadjiltedhisgirl,andhowshehadquarreledwiththeothergirl,andwhathadpassedbetweenthem;andhowanothermanbeathiswife,andspentallherearningsupondrink,andpawnedherveryclothes.
Somepeoplewouldhavescornedthistalkasgossip;butthenonehastotalkaboutwhatoneknows.
ItwasoneSaturdaynight,astheywerecominghomefromawedding,thatTamosziusfoundcourage,andsetdownhisviolincaseinthestreetandspokehisheart;andthenMarijaclaspedhiminherarms.
Shetoldthemallaboutitthenextday,andfairlycriedwithhappiness,forshesaidthatTamosziuswasalovelyman.
Afterthathenolongermadelovetoherwithhisfiddle,buttheywouldsitforhoursinthekitchen,blissfullyhappyineachother’sarms;itwasthetacitconventionofthefamilytoknownothingofwhatwasgoingoninthatcorner.
Theywereplanningtobemarriedinthespring,andhavethegarretofthehousefixedup,andlivethere.
Tamosziusmadegoodwages;andlittlebylittlethefamilywerepayingbacktheirdebttoMarija,sosheoughtsoontohaveenoughtostartlifeupon—only,withherpreposteroussoftheartedness,shewouldinsistuponspendingagoodpartofhermoneyeveryweekforthingswhichshesawtheyneeded.
Marijawasreallythecapitalistoftheparty,forshehadbecomeanexpertcanpainterbythistime—shewasgettingfourteencentsforeveryhundredandtencans,andshecouldpaintmorethantwocanseveryminute.
Marijafelt,sotospeak,thatshehadherhandonthethrottle,andtheneighborhoodwasvocalwithherrejoicings.
Yetherfriendswouldshaketheirheadsandtellhertogoslow;onecouldnotcountuponsuchgoodfortuneforever—therewereaccidentsthatalwayshappened.
ButMarijawasnottobeprevailedupon,andwentonplanninganddreamingofallthetreasuresshewasgoingtohaveforherhome;andso,whenthecrashdidcome,hergriefwaspainfultosee.
Forhercanningfactoryshutdown!Marijawouldaboutassoonhaveexpectedtoseethesunshutdown—thehugeestablishmenthadbeentoherathingakintotheplanetsandtheseasons.Butnowitwasshut!
Andtheyhadnotgivenheranyexplanation,theyhadnotevengivenheraday’swarning;theyhadsimplypostedanoticeoneSaturdaythatallhandswouldbepaidoffthatafternoon,andwouldnotresumeworkforatleastamonth!
Andthatwasallthattherewastoit—herjobwasgone!
Itwastheholidayrushthatwasover,thegirlssaidinanswertoMarija’sinquiries;afterthattherewasalwaysaslack.
Sometimesthefactorywouldstartuponhalftimeafterawhile,buttherewasnotelling—ithadbeenknowntostaycloseduntilwayintothesummer.
Theprospectswerebadatpresent,fortruckmenwhoworkedinthestoreroomssaidthatthesewerepileduptotheceilings,sothatthefirmcouldnothavefoundroomforanotherweek’soutputofcans.
Andtheyhadturnedoffthree-quartersofthesemen,whichwasastillworsesign,sinceitmeantthattherewerenoorderstobefilled.
Itwasallaswindle,can-painting,saidthegirls—youwerecrazywithdelightbecauseyouweremakingtwelveorfourteendollarsaweek,andsavinghalfofit;butyouhadtospenditallkeepingalivewhileyouwereout,andsoyourpaywasreallyonlyhalfwhatyouthought.
Marijacamehome,andbecauseshewasapersonwhocouldnotrestwithoutdangerofexplosion,theyfirsthadagreathousecleaning,andthenshesetouttosearchPackingtownforajobtofillupthegap.
Asnearlyallthecanningestablishmentswereshutdown,andallthegirlshuntingwork,itwillbereadilyunderstoodthatMarijadidnotfindany.
Thenshetooktotryingthestoresandsaloons,andwhenthisfailedsheeventraveledoverintothefar-distantregionsnearthelakefront,wherelivedtherichpeopleingreatpalaces,andbeggedthereforsomesortofworkthatcouldbedonebyapersonwhodidnotknowEnglish.
ThemenuponthekillingbedsfeltalsotheeffectsoftheslumpwhichhadturnedMarijaout;buttheyfeltitinadifferentway,andawaywhichmadeJurgisunderstandatlastalltheirbitterness.
Thebigpackersdidnotturntheirhandsoffandclosedown,likethecanningfactories;buttheybegantorunforshorterandshorterhours.
Theyhadalwaysrequiredthementobeonthekillingbedsandreadyforworkatseveno’clock,althoughtherewasalmostneveranyworktobedonetillthebuyersoutintheyardshadgottentowork,andsomecattlehadcomeoverthechutes.
Thatwouldoftenbetenoreleveno’clock,whichwasbadenough,inallconscience;butnow,intheslackseason,theywouldperhapsnothaveathingfortheirmentodotilllateintheafternoon.
Andsotheywouldhavetoloafaround,inaplacewherethethermometermightbetwentydegreesbelowzero!
Atfirstonewouldseethemrunningabout,orskylarkingwitheachother,tryingtokeepwarm;butbeforethedaywasovertheywouldbecomequitechilledthroughandexhausted,and,whenthecattlefinallycame,sonearfrozenthattomovewasanagony.
Andthensuddenlytheplacewouldspringintoactivity,andthemerciless“speeding-up”wouldbegin!
TherewereweeksatatimewhenJurgiswenthomeaftersuchadayasthiswithnotmorethantwohours’worktohiscredit—whichmeantaboutthirty-fivecents.
Thereweremanydayswhenthetotalwaslessthanhalfanhour,andotherswhentherewasnoneatall.
Thegeneralaveragewassixhoursaday,whichmeantforJurgisaboutsixdollarsaweek;andthissixhoursofworkwouldbedoneafterstandingonthekillingbedtilloneo’clock,orperhapseventhreeorfouro’clock,intheafternoon.
Likeasnottherewouldcomearushofcattleattheveryendoftheday,whichthemenwouldhavetodisposeofbeforetheywenthome,oftenworkingbyelectriclighttillnineorten,oreventwelveoroneo’clock,andwithoutasingleinstantforabiteofsupper.
Themenwereatthemercyofthecattle.
Perhapsthebuyerswouldbeholdingoffforbetterprices—iftheycouldscaretheshippersintothinkingthattheymeanttobuynothingthatday,theycouldgettheirownterms.
Forsomereasonthecostoffodderforcattleintheyardswasmuchabovethemarketprice—andyouwerenotallowedtobringyourownfodder!
Then,too,anumberofcarswereapttoarrivelateintheday,nowthattheroadswereblockedwithsnow,andthepackerswouldbuytheircattlethatnight,togetthemcheaper,andthenwouldcomeintoplaytheirironcladrule,thatallcattlemustbekilledthesamedaytheywerebought.
Therewasnousekickingaboutthis—therehadbeenonedelegationafteranothertoseethepackersaboutit,onlytobetoldthatitwastherule,andthattherewasnottheslightestchanceofitseverbeingaltered.
AndsoonChristmasEveJurgisworkedtillnearlyoneo’clockinthemorning,andonChristmasDayhewasonthekillingbedatseveno’clock.
Allthiswasbad;andyetitwasnottheworst.
Forafterallthehardworkamandid,hewaspaidforonlypartofit.
Jurgishadoncebeenamongthosewhoscoffedattheideaofthesehugeconcernscheating;andsonowhecouldappreciatethebitterironyofthefactthatitwaspreciselytheirsizewhichenabledthemtodoitwithimpunity.
neoftherulesonthekillingbedswasthatamanwhowasoneminutelatewasdockedanhour;andthiswaseconomical,forhewasmadetoworkthebalanceofthehour—hewasnotallowedtostandroundandwait.
Andontheotherhandifhecameaheadoftimehegotnopayforthat—thoughoftenthebosseswouldstartupthegangtenorfifteenminutesbeforethewhistle.
Andthissamecustomtheycarriedovertotheendoftheday;theydidnotpayforanyfractionofanhour—for“brokentime.”
Amanmightworkfullfiftyminutes,butiftherewasnoworktofilloutthehour,therewasnopayforhim.
Thustheendofeverydaywasasortoflottery—astruggle,allbutbreakingintoopenwarbetweenthebossesandthemen,theformertryingtorushajobthroughandthelattertryingtostretchitout.
Jurgisblamedthebossesforthis,thoughthetruthtobetolditwasnotalwaystheirfault;forthepackerskeptthemfrightenedfortheirlives—andwhenonewasindangeroffallingbehindthestandard,whatwaseasierthantocatchupbymakingthegangworkawhile“forthechurch”?
Thiswasasavagewitticismthemenhad,whichJurgishadtohaveexplainedtohim.
OldmanJoneswasgreatonmissionsandsuchthings,andsowhenevertheyweredoingsomeparticularlydisreputablejob,themenwouldwinkateachotherandsay,“Nowwe’reworkingforthechurch!”
OneoftheconsequencesofallthesethingswasthatJurgiswasnolongerperplexedwhenheheardmentalkoffightingfortheirrights.
Hefeltlikefightingnowhimself;andwhentheIrishdelegateofthebutcher-helpers’unioncametohimasecondtime,hereceivedhiminafardifferentspirit.
AwonderfulideaitnowseemedtoJurgis,thisofthemen—thatbycombiningtheymightbeabletomakeastandandconquerthepackers!
Jurgiswonderedwhohadfirstthoughtofit;andwhenhewastoldthatitwasacommonthingformentodoinAmerica,hegotthefirstinklingofameaninginthephrase“afreecountry.”
Thedelegateexplainedtohimhowitdependedupontheirbeingabletogeteverymantojoinandstandbytheorganization,andsoJurgissignifiedthathewaswillingtodohisshare.
Beforeanothermonthwasby,alltheworkingmembersofhisfamilyhadunioncards,andworetheirunionbuttonsconspicuouslyandwithpride.
Forfullyaweektheywerequiteblissfullyhappy,thinkingthatbelongingtoaunionmeantanendtoalltheirtroubles.
Butonlytendaysaftershehadjoined,Marija’scanningfactorycloseddown,andthatblowquitestaggeredthem.
Theycouldnotunderstandwhytheunionhadnotpreventedit,andtheveryfirsttimesheattendedameetingMarijagotupandmadeaspeechaboutit.
Itwasabusinessmeeting,andwastransactedinEnglish,butthatmadenodifferencetoMarija;shesaidwhatwasinher,andallthepoundingofthechairman’sgavelandalltheuproarandconfusionintheroomcouldnotprevail.
Quiteapartfromherowntroublesshewasboilingoverwithageneralsenseoftheinjusticeofit,andshetoldwhatshethoughtofthepackers,andwhatshethoughtofaworldwheresuchthingswereallowedtohappen;andthen,whiletheechoesofthehallrangwiththeshockofherterriblevoice,shesatdownagainandfannedherself,andthemeetinggathereditselftogetherandproceededtodiscusstheelectionofarecordingsecretary.
Jurgistoohadanadventurethefirsttimeheattendedaunionmeeting,butitwasnotofhisownseeking.
Jurgishadgonewiththedesiretogetintoaninconspicuouscornerandseewhatwasdone;butthisattitudeofsilentandopen-eyedattentionhadmarkedhimoutforavictim.
TommyFinneganwasalittleIrishman,withbigstaringeyesandawildaspect,a“hoister”bytrade,andbadlycracked.
Somewherebackinthefar-distantpastTommyFinneganhadhadastrangeexperience,andtheburdenofitresteduponhim.
Allthebalanceofhislifehehaddonenothingbuttrytomakeitunderstood.
Whenhetalkedhecaughthisvictimbythebuttonhole,andhisfacekeptcomingcloserandcloser—whichwastrying,becausehisteethweresobad.
Jurgisdidnotmindthat,onlyhewasfrightened.
ThemethodofoperationofthehigherintelligenceswasTomFinnegan’stheme,andhedesiredtofindoutifJurgishadeverconsideredthattherepresentationofthingsintheirpresentsimilaritymightbealtogetherunintelligibleuponamoreelevatedplane.
Therewereassuredlywonderfulmysteriesaboutthedevelopingofthesethings;andthen,becomingconfidential,Mr.Finneganproceededtotellofsomediscoveriesofhisown.
“Ifyehaveiverhadonythingtodowidshperrits,”saidhe,andlookedinquiringlyatJurgis,whokeptshakinghishead.
“Nivermind,nivermind,”continuedtheother,“buttheirinfluencesmaybeoperatin’uponye;it’sshureasI’mtellin’ye,it’sthemthathasthereferencetotheimmejitsurroundin’sthathasthemostofpower.
Itwasvouchsafedtomeinmeyouthfuldaystobeacquaintedwithshperrits”andsoTommyFinneganwenton,expoundingasystemofphilosophy,whiletheperspirationcameoutonJurgis’forehead,sogreatwashisagitationandembarrassment.
Intheendoneofthemen,seeinghisplight,cameoverandrescuedhim;butitwassometimebeforehewasabletofindanyonetoexplainthingstohim,andmeanwhilehisfearlestthestrangelittleIrishmanshouldgethimcorneredagainwasenoughtokeephimdodgingabouttheroomthewholeevening.
Henevermissedameeting,however.HehadpickedupafewwordsofEnglishbythistime,andfriendswouldhelphimtounderstand.
Theywereoftenveryturbulentmeetings,withhalfadozenmendeclaimingatonce,inasmanydialectsofEnglish;butthespeakerswerealldesperatelyinearnest,andJurgiswasinearnesttoo,forheunderstoodthatafightwason,andthatitwashisfight.
Sincethetimeofhisdisillusionment,Jurgishadsworntotrustnoman,exceptinhisownfamily;butherehediscoveredthathehadbrothersinaffliction,andallies.
Theironechanceforlifewasinunion,andsothestrugglebecameakindofcrusade.
Jurgishadalwaysbeenamemberofthechurch,becauseitwastherightthingtobe,butthechurchhadnevertouchedhim,heleftallthatforthewomen.
Here,however,wasanewreligion—onethatdidtouchhim,thattookholdofeveryfiberofhim;andwithallthezealandfuryofaconverthewentoutasamissionary.
ThereweremanynonunionmenamongtheLithuanians,andwiththesehewouldlaborandwrestleinprayer,tryingtoshowthemtheright.
Sometimestheywouldbeobstinateandrefusetoseeit,andJurgis,alas,wasnotalwayspatient!
Heforgothowhehimselfhadbeenblind,ashorttimeago—afterthefashionofallcrusaderssincetheoriginalones,whosetouttospreadthegospelofBrotherhoodbyforceofarms.
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