Chapter IV

Promptly at seven the next morning Jurgis reported
for work. He came to the door that had been pointed
out to him, and there he waited for nearly two hours.
The boss had meant for him to enter, but had not said
this, and so it was only when on his way out to hire
another man that he came upon Jurgis. He gave him a
good cursing, but as Jurgis did not understand a word of
it he did not object. He followed the boss, who showed
him where to put his street clothes, and waited while he
donned the working clothes he had bought in a second~
hand shop and brought with him in a bundle; then he
led him to the "killing-beds." The work which Jurgis
was to do here was very simple, and it took him but a
few minutes to learn it. He was provided with a stiff
besom, such as is used by street sweepers, and it was his
place to follow down the line the man who drew out the
smoking entrails from the carcass of the steer; this mass
was to be swept into a trap, which was then closed, so
that no one might slip into it. As Jurgis came in, the
first cattle of the morning were just making their appear~
ance; and so, with scarcely time to look about him, and
none to speak to any one, he fell to work. It was a
sweltering day in July, and the place ran with steaming
hot blood -- one waded in it on the floor. The stench
was almost overpowering, but to Jurgis it was nothing.
His whole soul was dancing with joy -- he was at work
at last! He was at work and earning money! All day
long he was figuring to himself. He was paid the fabu~
lous sum of seventeen and a half cents an hour; and as
it proved a rush day and he worked until nearly seven
o'clock in the evening, he went home to the family with

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v?