United States or Zambia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Was it not unhealthful? the stranger would ask, and the residents would answer, "Perhaps; but there is no telling." A little way farther on, and Jurgis and Ona, staring open-eyed and wondering, came to the place where this "made" ground was in process of making. Here was a great hole, perhaps two city blocks square, and with long files of garbage wagons creeping into it.
And so Jurgis got a glimpse of the high-class criminal world of Chicago. The city, which was owned by an oligarchy of businessmen, being nominally ruled by the people, a huge army of graft was necessary for the purpose of effecting the transfer of power.
The method of operation of the higher intelligences was Tom Finnegan's theme, and he desired to find out if Jurgis had ever considered that the representation of things in their present similarity might be altogether unintelligible upon a more elevated plane. There were assuredly wonderful mysteries about the developing of these things; and then, becoming confidential, Mr.
He always insisted on having an answer to his remarks, leaning over Jurgis and smiling into his face. Jurgis liked it. "Rummy ole place to feed in all 'lone, though," was Freddie's comment "rummy's hell! Whuzya think, hey?" Then another idea occurred to him and he went on, without waiting: "Maybe you never saw anythin hic like this 'fore? Hey, ole chappie?" "No," said Jurgis.
His pull had run up against a bigger pull, and he was down and out! "But what am I going to do?" he asked, weakly. "How should I know?" said the other. "I shouldn't even dare to get bail for you why, I might ruin myself for life!" Again there was silence. "Can't you do it for me," Jurgis asked, "and pretend that you didn't know who I'd hit?"
It was sufficiently perplexing that this tiny mite of life should have come into the world at all in the manner that it had; that it should have come with a comical imitation of its father's nose was simply uncanny. Perhaps, Jurgis thought, this was intended to signify that it was his baby; that it was his and Ona's, to care for all its life.
"How " Jurgis began, and then stopped short, clutching convulsively at the side of the door. From somewhere within the house had come a sudden cry, a wild, horrible scream of anguish. And the voice was Ona's. For a moment Jurgis stood half-paralyzed with fright; then he bounded past the old woman and into the room.
He ate as with two shovels, his fork in one hand and his knife in the other; when he once got started his wolf-hunger got the better of him, and he did not stop for breath until he had cleared every plate. "Gee whiz!" said the other, who had been watching him in wonder. Then he held Jurgis the bottle.
For a long minute she lay there, perfectly motionless, until a cold fear seized her husband, thinking that she was dying. Suddenly, however, he heard her voice, faintly: "Jurgis! Jurgis!" "What is it?" he said. He had to bend down to her, she was so weak. She was pleading with him, in broken phrases, painfully uttered: "Have faith in me! Believe me!" "Believe what?" he cried.
And just at that juncture it happened that Jurgis was introduced to a man named Harper whom he recognized as the night watchman at Brown's, who had been instrumental in making him an American citizen, the first year of his arrival at the yards. The other was interested in the coincidence, but did not remember Jurgis he had handled too many "green ones" in his time, he said.
Word Of The Day