Chapter XXVI

After the elections Jurgis stayed on in Packingtown
and kept his job. The agitation to break up the police
protection of criminals was continuing, and it seemed to
him best to "lay low" for the present. He had nearly three
hundred dollars in the bank, and might have considered
himself entitled to a vacation; but he had an easy job,
and force of habit kept him at it. Besides, Mike Scully,
whom he consulted, advised him that something might
"turn up" before long.

Jurgis got himself a place in a boarding-house with
some congenial friends. He had already inquired of
Aniele, and learned that Elzbieta and her family had gone
down-town, and so he gave no further thought to them.
He went with a new set, now, young unmarried fellows
who were "sporty." Jurgis had long ago cast off his
fertilizer clothing, and since going into politics he had
donned a linen collar and a greasy red necktie. He had
some reason for thinking of his dress, for he was making
about eleven dollars a week, and two-thirds of it he might
spend upon his pleasures without ever touching his
savings.

Sometimes he would ride down-town with a party of
friends to the cheap theaters and the music halls and
other haunts with which they were familiar. Many of
the saloons in Packingtown had pool-tables, and some
of them bowling-alleys, by means of which he could spend
his evenings in petty gambling. Also, there were cards
and dice. One time Jurgis got into a game on a Saturday
night and won prodigiously, and because he was a man of
spirit he stayed in with the rest and the game continued
until late Sunday afternoon, and by that time he was "out"

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v?