Page:The land of many names (1926).pdf/23

 tremble as if it was the end of the world. The children and my husband knelt down in front of me, and they all stretched out their hands to me and said: “Ma, please don’t die.” I tell you, I was quite overcome with pity for those poor orphans.



Well, so I should think. But, my dear, I can’t make out what really happened. It must have been something to give me such a fright. But anyhow, we’re alive to tell the tale, that’s something.



But it’ll be a long time before I get over this.



Me, too. What goings on there are in this wretched world! Everyone complains, everyone’s dissatisfied



What can you expect? Everything’s so dear, there’s no work, it’s impossible to earn a living; people are going about without a rag on their backs, and can’t find a home.



Everyone’s grumbling about the hard times, that it’s more than flesh and blood can stand. And the people who’ve already gone away from here! Everybody wants to clear off, to escape; they can’t live here.



What do you expect? My husband says the same: “I can’t stop here; this is just downright misery; we must get out of it, never mind where, as long as it’s away from here.”