"Where did your mother go, Jakey, when she first came into this
country? where did she stop?"
"I not know ze place vare," he said, "but ce go mit ze peoples in von
big house, up ze steps vay high and ce stay dare. And ven ze bells
ring, and von Sunday have come, ze baby, ce be dead. I not know zen vot
dead mean. I not know ce bees cold; and too quick I take my hand avay,
and I tell my moder dot ce bring ze baby to ze fire. My moder say, No,
ze fire not varm her, ce bees dead, and ze man vill come and put her
avay in ze ground; and my moder ce cry and ce cry. And vile ce cry, ze
man come mit ze box, and he pull ze baby fon my moder, and quick he put
her in ze box; and ven he make ze nail drive, my moder cry like ce die.
"My moder ce stay dare in ze big house, and von day ce go to fine ze
peoples vot ce vill make mit ze brush, and von oder day ce go to fine
ze peoples, and von oder day ce go. Zen von day ce go to fine ze place
vare ce vill live; and ven ce come back, ce say dot ce have fine it,
and in ze morning ce vill go dare mit me. But in ze night, all ze time
ce talk, and ce not know vare ce be. Some ze time ce tink ce bees in
Germany mit my fader, and ce tink he have drunk ze beer, and he vill
kill her. Some ze time ce tink ce bees in Italy mit her moder, and ce
have not run avay mit my fader. And some ze time ce tink ce bees in ze
ship, and ze vinds blow too hard, and ze tree come crash down. Zen all
ze time ce say Vater, vater, vater! but ce have not ze vater, and ce
bees hot, too hot. Ven ce touch me, I tink ce burn me, and ce go up in
ze bed, and ce pull ze blanket and ze tings, and all ze time ce say
Vater, vater, vater! And I cry dot I not fine ze vater. I scream, I
fine ze door, but it not open. I call ze voman, but ce not come; all ze
day ce not come, all ze night ce not come; and all ze time my moder ce
burn, burn, and all ze time ce say Vater, vater, vater! I call her, but
ce not know vot I say; ce not see me; ce not know vare ce be; and ven I
cry ce not hear me. All ze time ce talk and ce talk.
"Zen dot morning ze man come dare, and ven he see my moder, he go quick
avay; and von man come mit someting vot he give my moder, and vot ce
drink, and ven ce have drink it, ce sleep. Long time ce sleep, and ven
ce vake, ce know vare ce be, and ce know vot ce say. Zen ce put her
hand on my head, and ce kiss me,--much times ce kiss me; and ce say dot
ce die, and ce go im Himmel mit ze baby. Zen I cry; and ce tell me dot
I not cry, dot Gott vill come von time, and he vill bring me im Himmel
mit her and mit ze baby. He vill, ce know he vill.
"Zen ce not talk, and I tink ce be sleep; and I sake her and I sake
her, but ce not move. I put my fing-er on her eyes, but zey not open;
and I call her and I call her, but ce not hear; and I kiss her and I
kiss her, but ce not know it. I sake her, but ce not vake; and ven I
feel dot ce bees cold, I know dot ce bees dead, like ze baby, and I
scream and I scream. I call ze voman, I call ze man, but zey not come,
zey not hear. Zen long time ze voman ce come, and ven ce open ze door
ce pull me avay quick fon my moder, and ce pull me up ze stair, von
stair and von stair. Zen ce push me in ze room, and ce lock ze door,
and ce take ze key avay mit her. Zen I push ze door and I scream, all
ze time I scream. I say dot I vill go mit my moder, I vill, I vill!"