it omitted the Lithuanian of this. Perhaps the translator
found it a difficult matter to be sentimental in a language
in which a sob is known as a "gukcziojimas" and a smile
as a "nusiszypsojimas."

Over this document the family pored long, while Ona
spelled out its contents. It appeared that this house con~
tained four rooms, besides a basement, and that it might
be bought for fifteen hundred dollars, the lot and all.
Of this, only three hundred dollars had to be paid down,
the balance being paid at the rate of twelve dollars a
month. These were frightful sums, but then they were
in America, where people talked about such without fear.
They had learned that they would have to pay a rent
of nine dollars a month for a flat, and there was no way
of doing better, unless the family of twelve was to exist in
one or two rooms, as at present. If they paid rent, of
course, they might pay forever, and be no better off;
whereas, if they could only meet the extra expense in the
beginning, there would at last come a time when they
would not have any rent to pay for the rest of their lives.

They figured it up. There was a little left of the
money belonging to Teta Elzbieta, and there was a
little left to Jurgis. Marija had about fifty dollars
pinned up somewhere in her stockings, and Grandfather
Anthony had part of the money he had gotten for his
farm. If they all combined, they would have enough to
make the first payment; and if they had employment,
so that they could be sure of the future, it might really
prove the best plan. It was, of course, not a thing even
to be talked of lightly; it was a thing they would have to
sift to the bottom. And yet, on the other hand, if they
were going to make the venture, the sooner they did it the
better; for were they not paying rent all the time, and
living in a most horrible way besides? Jurgis was used
to dirt -- there was nothing could scare a man who had
been with a railroad-gang, where one could gather up
the fleas off the floor of the sleeping-room by the hand~
ful. But that sort of thing would not do for Ona. They
must have a better place of some sort very soon -- Jurgis

[[53]]

p052 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p053w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p054

v?