Chapter 19 Summary

The chapter opens with a description of Mary eating at a table. Jimmie enters the room and announces that Maggie is dead. Mary does not believe it at first but then begins to cry. Soon all the tenement neighbor's begin to arrive. One woman leads the rest of them in an attempt to comfort Mary. She begs that Mary will forgive Maggie for all of her sinful ways. Mary remembers the sweet child Maggie had been once. Mary starts talking about the worsted boots she used to wear, and then she finds the baby shoes. Mary demands that Jimmie get his sister and bring her home. All the women are crying and trying to comfort the grieving mother. The chapter and story end with Mary exclaiming, "Oh, yes, I'll fergive her! I'll fergive her!"

Chapter 19 Analysis

Grieving family members and friends often place...