“How did you know that, Jakey; you could not see them?”

“No, I not see zem, but my moder ce tell me; and ven ze leetle boat have come close up in ze America, mit ze baby in von arm and mit me in von arm, my moder come out ze leetle boat, and ven ce have valk some ze vay, ce go down on ze ground and ce pray and ce cry.  Not ce feel bad dot ce come in ze America, but ce bees too glad dot ce have not go vay down in ze deep mit ze fishes, and ze baby and me mit her dare, vare von big fish be, vot eat ze peoples.”

“Were you not afraid.  Jakey?”

“No, I not cry.  My moder ce be dare, and ce hold me tight, and I tink Gott hear my moder vot ce pray.”

V.

“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.