Nana

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My name is Gina. I was born in the town of Modena, Italy a long time ago. We were a family of five children and myself, that made us a family of six children. Also two twin boys that had only lived a few days. I faintly seem to remember them. If they had been born today, I am sure they would have lived.

Our father left us to come to America to seek his fortune. He would send for us later. At this time there were only three children. The twins were born a short time after our father left. For a short time we went to stay, until the twins were born, at our grandmother’s house. We almost lost our mother, and the twin boys only lived a very short time.

I can still remember how our father looked from a large picture that hung on our kitchen wall. We were quite young when he left us. He was in full view of us. He was young and so handsome.

Dark wavy hair, a mustache and so beautiful us. When we looked at him, his eyes seemed to follow us and smile. He was so dear to us and we loved him so much. We all were living for the day that we would all be together in America.

My brother Lino was two years older than I was. Our sister Elsa Cristina was eighteen months younger than me. So small for her age. She was frail but so cute. We all kept a close and careful watch over her because she was sick a lot. The doctors said that she would outgrow all this as she got older. I do not believe now that they knew exactly what was wrong. No tests of any kind. Only their guess. Now many years later, I knew they were right. As we grew older, she grew

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stronger and taller than I was. My sweet and very dear smaller sister. We were so close. We needed no other friends. We had each other. we were each other's best friend. Such a long time ago. My sister was so much wiser than I was. I could always depend on her to listen to my problems that would be so upsetting to me. She was so calm and would just listen. She always had time for me. She was the stronger of the two of us. I could always lean on her for her opinion and comfort. She was one of God's gifts to all of us and especially to me. I shall always love her and miss her. I shall always love her and pray that the day will come when we can be together once more. Then I could tell her how much my heart aches for her. Who knows, she may already know. She may be watching all of her family and dear ones. Who knows?

When we were still in Italy we were so poor. Our mother was working in the fields with other poor women. Working hard just keeping body and soul together. This was during the first world war. All of the men except old men and very young boys had gone to war. Italy was at war with Germany. Such a poor country to be at war. This country could hardly feed its people. This we children would hear from the elders. We were too young to understand all this. So life just went on. The hard struggle to survive.

Our grandmother, whom we called Mama Vechia, meaning older mama, was well-to-do. The hardship of the war did not seem to affect her or Papa Vechio. Later on as times grew harder and harder, as we heard, they also were feeling the hardship. The

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government took just about everything that was raised on their large place. Corn, wheat or whatever was grown. They did not get paid. Everything grown was on record and had to be accounted for. If anyone hid corn or wheat, they went to jail or were fined. Also the millers would be afraid to grind the wheat into flour and the corn into corn meal. They were very closely watched so they were afraid to take any chances.

I remember men coming into Papa Vechio’s house and looking into every nook and crannies to see if anything had been stashed away in secret places. I held my breath because I knew of one hiding place where there was some corn and wheat that had been hidden, That was missed and they did not find that place. What a fright that was had by all of us. Papa Vechio could find no miller that would grind all this for him. They were all afraid to take a chance. Everything that was ground had to be accounted for. I cannot remember what Papa Vechio did with his corn and wheat. I never found out.

Our mother came from well-to-do people. I remember their big dream house. It was white. It had so many rooms. Mama was engaged to marry a doctor but she fell in love with out father. They eloped and were married, something that Mama Vechia never forgave our father for. She never seemed to tire talking about him. She would go on and on. She would say he was a drifter. a bum and so many other mean things. All this would be so hurtful to us because we loved him. He did promise he would send for us. How could Mama Vechia tell everyone how now he had left his family? At the time, our little

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sister Else was too young to understand it all. She would fall asleep. My brother Lino and I had a hard time trying to listen with respect to her. We knew she was wrong. We were sure.

Mama Vechia was one of the pillars of the town. She was very deeply respected by everyone. This I was told years later. Marrying someone so poor from such a poor family almost killed her. How could her daughter do such a thing to her? I do believe that to be so poor was a mortal sin to our Mama Vechia.

I often wondered if she really loved us, especially me. It must have almost killed her when she looked at me.

Our grandfather, Papa Vechio, was named after the king of Italy. That year, every boy born in Italy they named after the king - Vitorio Emanuelo. His name was Sala. Our mama was named Ermelinda. Grandfather was a tall gentle man. Soft spoken with a dark mustache. He spoiled Mama Vechia. He provided his family with a large home. People working for him. He was loved by everyone. This I cannot say about our Mama Vechia. She had all the say about everything. (Our father loved him.) I shall always remember him with love. Our dear Papa Vechio. So kind and understanding.

Our Mama Vechia, as I was told, had blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes when she was young. NOw as I remember her, dark blue eyes and white hair. Her clothes all custom made, as were our mother’s and her sisters’ before our mother married. A schoole mate that had gone to schjool with our mother told me

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years later that Mama and her two sisters led the fashion in that town. They wore black ribbon bows in the back of their heads in their hair. All the young girls would pick up that fashion. If skirts were half an inch shorter, that was the style of their town. Mama had never told us that. I was surprised to hear this. I often wondered as I was growing up if she ever missed all these things. She had never mentioned any of these things to us. She never spoke of her family when we were here in America. I am getting ahead of my story.

Her life here in America, the land that seemed to be so promising to her, was a hard life. She never complained. I seem to know that she was homesick for her family. Again I am ahead of my story.

Mama Vechai and Papa Vechio’s house was a very large house. As I have already mentioned, so many rooms. One room was like the inside of a church. On one side was an alter. In the evenings prayer was said. During the day the room seemed so dark and so quiet. Sort of scary to us small children. We were not allowed in that room alone.

There was another room that had a brick oven. Twice a month the help would bake the bread. When we stayed over, we would awaken to the smell of the freshly baked bread. The bakinh would begin at four in the morning. Such a delicious smell I would never forget.

It was then the custom that when sons married, they made their homes with the parents of the son. It may be different now. I loved going there because there

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were cousins to play with. I only got a spanking twice. Once for crying too much. The other time for killing over a dozen of my Mama Vechia's chicks. Grandmother told my brother and me to take the chicks and put them into these round containers. There were quite few of these containers. Then we were to put a screen on top so they would not hop out. It was getting pretty dark. We were in a hurry. My brother caught the chicks and handed them to me. I would jam them into this one container. When it was full I just pushed down the top. They all seemed to fit then. Then I put the top on.

In the morning we were awakened by Mama Vechia. She sounded so angry. She was speaking so loudly. It sent a chill down my back when I heard her talking about the chicks. Also a good spanking that we were promised when we got up.

Mama Vechia, being an honest woman, surely kept her promise. I cried so hard and wanted to go home. This was the second spanking that she gave me. I often wondered why she was always willing to spank me. could it have been that I reminded her of someone?

Mama was a beautiful sewer. She made my sister Elsa and me each a beautiful dress. They were both alike. They were a maroon color. Buttons to match. They were so very pretty. Mama had made them for us to have our picture taken for our passport to come to America. I have a picture of us on my dresser. I often look at it and seem to go back to the day we went to have that taken. This was in 1918. So long ago. So very long ago.

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One day one o my aunts had asked me if I would lend her daughter, one of my cousins who was my size. my dress. They were going to have their picture taken. My sister Elsa was lending her dress to the other cousin who was her size. I agreed to it until I saw them driving away in their horse and buggy.

All of a sudden I changed my mind. I wanted my dress back. I am sure now they must have heard me. I was screaming. But they just kept on going. Mama Vechia took matters into her hands. Again I was spanked. Maybe a little harder than my cousins were spanked, seeing that I looked so much like my father. Again I wanted to go home.

Our house in Italy was a small place. I do not remember too much about our furniture. We were so poor. We must have had barely what we needed. I do remember our front door that had no hinges. Mama would just place the door in the doorway. This was done before we went to bed. Also a chair was placed in front of the door. We never seened ti ve afraid, Our Aunt Corona lived with us. She was our father’s youngest sister. We had never heard of anyone being murdered as they slept. We had other houses real close to us. We also prayed a lot. So I guess we felt safe. So I seemed to think.

Every morning we all attended church. This one evening, I thought the end of the world had come. Everyone so, so terribly frightened. We were still at war with Germany. We children were not really aware of what was going on. We were seeing many soldiers and heard loud sounds. Where we lived, we heard loud

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bombs that shook the ground. We would lay on the ground and we heard the bombing so much louder. The fighting was not in our town. The fighting was about twenty miles from where we lived. This we had heard people saying.

This one evening, as I have started to write about. We heard this terrible loud sound that seemed to light up the whole inside of the church. The church just shook. Window panes shattered to the floor. Everyone started screaming and running toward doors to get out of the church. We must have been sitting near the doors. Mama and Aunt Corona grabbed us so fast. I do believe that we were the first out of the church. I heard talk later about this little old woman who had fallen. The people trampled on her to get out. Later she had died. I was so upset and cried. How could people be so cruel. All that night we heard the bombing. The ground shaking. no one entered their homes. We all slept outdoors under trees.

The next day we heard the news that they had bombed a place called Tripoli. was twenty miles from our town. After all this, everything seemed to be back to normal again to us children. All this I shall always remember.

We children were used to rising early in the morning. This one morning I went outdoors. The sun was just coming up. Looking up toward the sky, I saw the most beautiful sight that will always stay in my mind. Across the sky over our house was this big long thing. It just seemed to just glide so slowly and so smoothly

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across the sky. It made no noise. Just so quiet. The sun shone on it and it was a copper color. So shiny and so very beautiful. It was quite low and so large. I was frightened by it even though it was so beautiful. I ran into the house to tell my mother. I wanted her to see it also. She came out and looked. She said that it was a dirigible. It was shaped like a watermelon, only so very, very big. So beautiful, but so frightening.

Our Aunt Corona cared for us while Mama went to work in the fields. When we had a thunder storm, she was so frightened. So were we. She would have us get on our knees and pray. We would be down in the cellar. It was so dark and we were afraid. She told us to pray as hard as we could. We then would be safe. She was right. We were safe. God did hear our prayers.

One afternoon we were supposed to take our daily naps. Aunt Corona was in bed with us. In Italy, most everyone took a nap right after lunch for an hour or two. Our Aunt Corona and our sister Elsa were both asleep. my brother and I sneaked downstairs and went outdoors. Aunt Corona did not hear us. It was a hot day. We just sat there wondering what to do. The house next door to us had these beautiful flowers growing in front o their house. no one was home there at this time of day. My brother Lino and I thought how nice they would look in front of our own house. We picked every one of those flowers. We then made small piles of dirt in front of our own house. We then took the flowers we had picked and planted them in the piles of dirt we had made in front o our own house. We were

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so proud and could hardly wait until Mama came home. We wanted to surprise her. We were wishing she would hurry home. The sun was so hot and the lowers were beginning to wilt.

I need not explain what did happen when the lady who owned the flowers and when mama came home. Through the years, brother and I never, never picked flowers together again.

We now were beginning to get ready to come to America. I felt so sad to be leaving my cousins and relatives. What bit of furniture we had was being taken away. Our house now was empty. Mama was dressing now. We were all ready to go. Mama’s sister, Aunt Tonia, and Mama Vechia had arrived. There were neighbors to say good-bye. The house was full of people now. Everyone was so sad. How I wish I was not going now.

Mama went to the closet to get her new shoes. She had put a ring that our father had given her in the toe of the shoe. The ring was gone. She thought that it would be safe. She was so heartbroken that she cried. How could anyone steal a ring at such a time like this? Maybe someone has that ring today. Who knows? It was bever found out who took the ring.

We were all saying our good-byes when we received a telegram saying we could all go except Elsa. She was too small and delicate and sickly. What a difference today. Everyone and everything is coming into this country. Mama would not leave without one of her children. So we stayed to try again in another year. After being

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out to sea, the ship we were supposed to have been on struck a mine. It sank with everyone on board. We were still at war. God was with us when we decided not to go. So now we should be making plans again, to still go to America in another year or so.

Now things were back to normal again. We had our own furniture back again. All except Mama’s beautiful ring. Mama and Mama vechia had their idea who took the ring. They never mentioned it any more. You just cannot go up and tell a person that they had stolen the ring. So no more was said about it.

Mama had two sisters. Their names were Tedea and Tonia. Mama Vechia was named Carolina. She also had three brothers. When we left for America, they were still in the Army. I very faintly remember them. I was very young when my uncles went off to war. The war was a very long one.

Our father’s family was a small family. Papa had three sisters. He was the only son. In Italy, boys were treated like royalty. Little girls just happened to be there. Papa was so spoiled by his his three sisters and mother. They even shined his shoes, so I had heard. So he grew up to do whatever took his fancy. Papa traveled a lot when he was a young man. He went to France, Germany, and other faraway places. So going to America was no surprise to his family or those who knew him.

I faintly remember my other grandmother. Her nam was Rina. She was Papa’s mother. She was a happy person, so I had heard. We called her Nona. Our

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grandfather I never knew. He had passed away before I knew him. I do remember Nona was so proud of my brother Lino. She would take my brother around to be shown to all her friends. I was just a little girl who stayed home. Nona did not live so long. She died of a heart attack at age 53 years. mama vechia and our Nona had never met.

Papa was a happy person. he took after his mother. He never seemed to worry over anything. He was quite moody at times. Everything had to be his way. He ruled us with an iron hand. This will all be explained later.

Papa’s three sisters were named Corona, Nina, and Edere. I only seem to remember Aunt Nina and Aunt Corona. These were good people. They tried hard to survive doing their best. They were honest people. They had so little.

My brother was the joy in their life. I am glad that he brought them happiness. I know they loved Elsa and me. I just know t hat they must have. I do not remember our Nona ever spanking us.

My brother Lino and I were still getting into trouble. Mama had made a large polenta. It was supposed to be for our supper. Mama had just poured it on this flat board after it was cooked. Then it was supposed to be cut with a string into slices. My brother dared me to slap it as hard as I could right in the center. He would always dare me to do things. I wanted so badly to please him so that he would like me. Mama was so tired, I know she was not aware of what we were

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planning. I slapped that polenta real hard and screamed. It just stuck to my arm and I could not wipe my arm clean. mama almost fainted. She was so shocked. I cried all night. I had the largest blister on the whole arm. It was so, so painful. I shall never forget the terrible pain.

This being during the war, our food was rationed to just enough food to keep us alive. The soldiers did not get enough food to eat. They would risk a beating from their higher up to beg food from house to house. Some were caught and suffered terrible beatings. One soldier I had seen was tied to a tree for three days and nights with his hands tied behind him.

During this war, if you were real sick you were allowed a half pound of meat a week. Also coffee was given out only if a person was very sick. This was also strictly rationed.

I had just started school. We had to go by the soldier that had been tied to a tree. I was so afraid of him. He looked so terrible. I would walk as far away from that tree as I could. I was so sorry for him and had to cry. He was watched. No one dared helped him or go near him.

We would know when the cavalry was going to go by. All the people would line each side of the road. They watched this sad sight of these poor soldiers. Their clothes so tattered. Their feet wrapped in worn shoes or rags – whatever they could find. This I clearly remember. The people would wipe tears as they watched in silence.

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The soldiers were not allowed to ride their horses. If one soldier would hang onto his horse's tail. he was hit with a whip. These soldiers were weak from hunger. Yet, they had to march. The horses also were weak from starvation. I used to hear people talking about all this cruelty. I remember seeing this one soldier, hanging onto the tail of his horse. His eyes were closed. He was limp with his feet dragging. We all cried and were hoping he would not be beaten for this. I could not seem to forget him for a long time.

Now life went on for us as usual. My brother sitting on the sill of an upstaires window. One foot over the sill on the outside of the window. mama crying. Everyone so afraid that he would fall and land on the brick patio below. I was told to keep him talking and to keep going upstairs as I talked. Someone behind me made a grab for him and pulled him in. Whatever possessed him to do such a thing.

Another thing I find hard to believe is whatever possessed us to drink wine from a barrel. Also leaving the spigot wide open. This was beore Papa had left or America. I do not seem to remember this too clearly. My brother and I were both drunk. Wine flowed everywhere. The barrel was empty. Someone was not watching us? Aunt Corona, where were you?

Mama and Papa were just returning from I do not know where. They saw my brother and me falling and getting up. They said, “Look at them, they look as though they are drunk.” My brother was throwing his hat into the air. He would fall trying to catch it. They were right.

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we were drunk. My brother, I remember, got a spanking. I do not remember if I was also spanked.

Once again now, we were making plans and getting ready to leave for America. Getting rid of our furniture or whatever we had. Everyone crying and saying good-bye to us. I felt so sad and thought my heart would break. I really did not want to go now that the time had come again. Until we were to board our ship, Mama Vechia and Zia Tonia would be with us. The name of our ship would be Giussepe Verdi, an Italian liner. In its day, one of the largest of its kind. The year was 1919. This was the end of World War I. This ship carried American officers. They occupied the first class floor. We were supposed to travel first class, also. We were on the second floor level which was to be first class for passengers. I know that must have been expensive. I am sure that our Mama Vechia must have had a hand in the extra expense.

The day before we were to board our ship we all went shopping. We were in Genoa, Italy. Mama Vechia had bought my sister and me beautiful dolls. Beautiful hair and pretty china teeth. I shall never forgot how beautiful they were. Elsa’s was dressed in a beautiful pink dress. My doll was dressed in blue. They must have been the most expensive dolls that money could buy. I do not remember what she had bought our brothers Lino. I am sure that he fared well also.

That night we all slept at a hotel. We had eaten in a beautiful restaurant. I was so impressed with the ice in our water glasses. Also the lovely rolls that were

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set before us. Those dinner rolls were so, so good just eating them by themselves was still so delicious.

We children were sent to bed early. Mama Vechia and Zia Tonia talked and cried. I am sure they never went to bed that night. They must have known they were never to see each other again. And so that was to be. as that was the last time they were ever to be together again.

Early the next morning we arose. We were all so sad because it was almost time for us to part. Every rtime I started to cry I was told not to cry. Cryinf would make my eyes swollen and red. I may not pass the inspection that was given as we got on ship. It was so hard to keep from crying because my heart was breaking. To this day I hate to say good-bye. I always feel so saf. I do not remember if we had our breakfast. I am sure we had.

Mama Vechia and were gone now. Mama was so brave trying not to cry. Aunt Tonia and Mama Vechia had hugged and kissed us all. I was so happy that Mama Vechia had hugged and kissed me so hard. She may have for that moment forgotten who I resembled, for a moment only. Maybe she did love me after all. I like to believe that because I loved her very much.

Now we were alone, and on our way to America. A new country. We had left behind us our loved ones and everything dear to us. We now were on our own. We would be at sea for fourteen days. We felt sadness and also excitement. A new beginning of our lives. Knowing that we may never be returning again to the country that we would be leaving and had

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left far behind. I felt so very sad. I know that Mama must have felt that way also. We were never to return ever again. It was just as well that we did not know.

We were now boarding the ship that was to take us on a fourteen day long trip. I do not remember if we walked up a ramp or climbed stairs. There were quite a few others with us. We were stopped before entering the ship. There were people ahead of us being examined. They checked our eyes, ears, nose, hearts and lungs. We were all so nervous that it was hard to breath easily and look really healthy. Even our little sister went through it just fine. We were so happy.

Our little cabin was rather small. Two bunk beds on each side of the room. We were comfortable in that small room. We were so fascinated by the sink in the room. There was this fancy handle on the wall. When we pulled it down a small sea-shell shaped sink would be there. We had never seen anything so beautiful. We could not believe that hot and cold water came out of those fancy pretty knobs. We were always washing ourselved. We never had been so clean. In the evening before we went to bed a knock would be at our door. A waiter came in with a pitcher of ice water and ice. Also glasses to drink from. What a treat. Ice and such delivious cold water.

A school friend of Mama came on board when we did. She was in the third class below us. Mama never seemed to leave her bed. She was very sea sick. I do not remember her ever eating. This school mate of hers watched us children. She was

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coming to America to get married. This friend of hers was sending for her. After we all left the ship we were never to see her again. I do not know where she was to meet her future husband. Maybe Mama heard from her. This I do not know. Also being only eight, she was out of my mind when we parted.

Mama’s friend would take us to the large and beautiful dinning room for all our meals. I can not seem to remember her name. The dining room was always set up with white table cloths and napkins at every table. Where we always sat for our breakfast you could look out and see ther ocean. It made you seem to wonder if we were really safe. Everyone you looked at all seemed not to worry, so I guess we were safe. So we ate and went to see if Mama could eat if the friend ordered food. She could not eat and later I heard she had lost fourteen pounds.

This one morning we went for breakfast and our friend was complaining about how salty the coffee was. She could not drink it. The next morning she discovered she had put salt in her coffee instead of sugar. We all thought it was so funny.

We stopped at one port to have coal put on the boat. We sttayed for almost two days. I do not remember the name of the place. I do remember my brother Lino telling me to reach over the side to see how dar I ould reach. I did and then found out that I could not right myseld up again. I felt a hand grab me on the seat of my panties. I was pidcked up and set on the floor. The man shook his finger in my face. He told me never to try that again.

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He said if we wre out to sea I would have fallen over and drowned. That really scared me so much I promised I would never do that again.

In the evening at eight o’clock there would be dancing. I used to beg to say up for just a little while to watch and hear the beautiful music. Once I was allowed. Our friend took us children to watch. We stayed only a short time. The ladies wore beautiful gowns and long gloves. How much I wished I could be grown up and dancing, waring a beautiful dress with no back and long gloves. When we went back to our state room, I daydreamed that I was there dancing in a beautiful gown.

Our voyage seemed to be going smoothly all except one night. We were all in bed sleeping. We heard this loud whistle. Everyone was ordered to put on their life preserver and to go on deck. We joined the long line of people in their night clothes or whatever they could grab. Everyone looking worried and frightened. We were told to keep calm and listen to orders. I looked out at the water and it seemed to go so gihg. Some workmen lowered these canvas curtains to keep the water from splashing on deck. To me this was so frightening. Some people were crying. I thought we were all doomed. I was cold and shivering so hard. I was so sleepy and wishing I could be in my own warm bed. How long we stood there in line I do not remember. To me it seemed like forever. Then at last we were told that it was calming down and we could all return to our cabins.

Our little sister Elsa stayed in the cabin a lot with Mama. She was so small

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For her age. She was so cute and always with a smile on her face. She seemed to win everyone over.

Across rom our cabin were two officers that were on their way home from the war. I do not know what their ranks were in the service. The higher ranked officer was ocer to see us in first class. As I have already written, the first world war had ended so all of these officers were going home.

These two neighbors of ours were yound men. They were so friendly. They always seemed to have chocolate bars to give us children. We had grown to love them. They would sing and dance for us. He would hold our little sister’s hands and tell her to step on their feet. They would dance. How she loved that. She was so happy.

Now it was about time that my brother and I started acting up again. We had asked Mama’s fcriend if we could walk around the deck. We had promised her that we would just walk and not bother anyone/ So she gave her permission. So we started our walk. There were chairs and people sitting there. Some reading, other just sitting and looking at people as they walked by. We were being real good and just walking.

All of a sudden we came upon these stairs that led to the third class below. There was an iron railing we leaned on looking down below. To our surprise we saw this black man looking up at us with a

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big smile. He had such white teeth. We had never seen a black person before. We could not seem to believe our eyes. Our eyes must have seemed like they were popping out of our heads. The man looked at us and how we was laughing. He was sitting next to a barrel and a bushel basket. He was peeling potatoes. He held up a hershey bar to us telling us to come and get it. We did not understand what he was saying, but we knew what he meant.

We wanted that chocolate bar so much but we were afraid of him. My brother said to me, “This is what we will do. You go down those stairs, grab the candy and run back up as fast as you can.” I said I was afraid. We were whispering in Italian. I took one more look at the man. He seemed to be enjoying watching us. He was still smiling.

Brother wanted me to go down so badly. He said, “You do not have to go down all the way. Do not go down the last three steps. I will be here and I will be watching you.” I ran down the steps my heart was beating so fast. I did not go down the three steps as my brother had told me not to do. I grabbed the candy and ran up those stairs so fast. Brother was nowhere to be seen. I was frightened. So very frightened I ran to tell Mama what I had seen. We all shared that chocolate bar. All except Mama. She was still sea sick. She had never seen a black person. I felt so important telling them about him.

There was talk about seeing a tall lady that arose from the water. She would be holding a big light in her hand. It frightened me to hear this. I noticed that some people were on deck all looking

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to see this big ladyl I also looked but did not see her. That was just fine with me because I was afraid to see her. For two or three days passengers were looking for this big lady. Then I had forgotten all about her. This was three days before we docked. Whatever the reason was, everyone on board was vaccinted. Children, adults, everyone to everyone's distress.

The woman were saying in two or three days everyone would be sick. So everyone washed their arms with soap and water. They rubbed and scrubbed. They said that this would keep us all from being sick. when we were due to get off the ship. iI guess it worked. I do not seem to remember anyone being sick when it was time to disembark.

Now we were to go through the same examinations that we had gone through when we gor on board the ship. We passed our examination just fine. Some did not pass. I sligtly remember some crying as they were told to get back on board the ship. I felt so sorry for them.

We were told to move on now. Our father was waiting for us on the other side of this fence that was separating the people that were waiting for their families or relatives who had gotten off the ship. We were so excited. Our father came forward to meet us. We were all crying with joy. We were so very happy.

As things calmed down after the hugs and kisses, I looked at my father. He looked so very different from my father that hung on the wall of our kitchen. This person was older and wore glasses.

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His hair was quite thin and he was so much heavier looking than he looked in the picture that we look at every day. Right there and then I was so sure that he was not our father. I pulled away from him when he reached out toward me. He was smiling at me and looked so glad to see all of us. I had to make sure that we had the right father! I pulled Mama to one side and told her that he was not our father. Mama gave me a stern look and told me not to speak so loudly. He would hear me. Of course he is your father.

As the day wore on, I must have made Mama so unhappy as every chance I had I would say the same thing to her. I looked at my brother Lino and sister Elsa. They seemed to accept this father of ours. They, with our mother, seemed happy. Hard as I tried, I was so unhappy. I cannot seem to remember our trip to Torrington, Conn. too well. Also where we ate that day. I do remember the hotel where we spent the night. This was the year of 1919.

Today this place would be called a flop house. I did know know this was not the best of hotels. Our room was divided by a wall, three quarters up. On the other side of the three quarter wall was Mama and Papa’s bedroom. I did not like this ugly room at all. Brother, Elsa, and myseld all slept in this room and bed. We were so tired that we slept soundly all night. The next morning we had our breakfast. I cannot seem to remember what we ate. Then it was time to leave by train for Torrington, Conn. This place was to be our new town and our new home.

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Our new home was on a street called Colt Avenue ("America").

Our new home was a two family home. The owners lived on the second floor. We were on the first floor. Also, a little old man lived in a couple of rooms in the attic. He was a sweet person and we grew to love him. Our landlady’s name was Delchissa. She had helped to furnish our home. We had just shades on the windows. There were only two bedrooms, a small dining room with only a round table and chairs and bare floors. The two bedrooms were also so bare. One room had two double size bes. Elsa and myself had one bed. The other bed, Papa and Mama slept in that bed. They were white iron beds. They were second hand and not new. But so fancy.

Lino had the small bedroom off from the dining room. I used to have such terrible nightmares at night. I would scream and I know I must have awakened everyone. I used to dream of being on the ship. I dreamt that the water was so high. Everyone was drowning. It seemed the dream would come to me almost every night. I know I must have been a problem to the family. I did not like America and wanted so much to go home again. I was so homesick.

The family that owned our house were old friends. We were like almost one family. Delchissa and her husband had five boys, no daughters. So Elsa and I were treated like china dolls. Delchissa worked in a factory. So, of course, Mama went to work with Delchissa in late afternoon of each day. I can’t seem to remember Papa working or where he worked.

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I do remember on Saturday nights, the people upstairs would come down. They had this big copper boiler on the stove. It would be boiling. They kept putting this glue made out of flour and water around the edges of the boiler where steam would escape. It seemed they stayed up all night. I was so upset about all this. So afraid that the whole thing would explode. They were making grappa, an Italian whiskey. Even the little old man that lived up in the attic would be there. I remember that he had a ring on his pinky finger. He would always point things out with that finger. Guess he was so proud of his ring he wanted everyone to notice it.

We arrived in America in the month o June, the year 1919 as I have already stated. All the children were on their summer vacation. Soon it was time for them to return to school again. We started school with the rest of the children. We had laready learned a few words in the American langauge from the children that lived near us. Also from the boys of our landlords. To everyone’s surprise, we were surprise we were learing the language very fast.

From the school yard, I could see the roof of our house. So I would ask to get a drink of water from the fountain in the hall. So instead of drinking, I would run home. That also was done during the recess. We only went to school half days. There were too many children fro that school. It was an old building. Now standing there is an apartment buillding. You can still see the roof of t he house we lived in. One of the boys that lived upstairs was appointed to watch me and run

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after me to bring me back. He also told the teacher when I was thirsty and asked if I could go to get my drink. I had permission and the boy followed me out, just in case I got the notion to run home again.

Lino and Elsa were so good. They never caused any problems. They just seemed to accept everything. They never complained or said they wished they were back home again. We heard, one late morning, Mama and this man called our father talking loudly. I heard our father saying, “What is the matter with this little girl?” I do not know what they were arguing about. Brother went to his room. Elsa and I stayed in the dining room. We hugged our dolls that our Mama Vechia had given us. We seemed to find comfort in them. We both were so upset. I hated that awful dining room. I always would daydream, when I grew up I would have a beautiful china closet like Mama Vechia. I would have so many pretty things in it. This I would promise myself.

The weather was getting cold. We were nearing winter. In Italy we onlyhad a little snow that hardly covered the ground. No one even owned a coat. The women would throw a shawl over their shoulders when they went outdoors. So we were surprised at all the snow and the ice and cold.

The man (Mantua) and our father bought this old horse. They were planning on killing him to make sausage. They killed the poor old animal. They had the poor old fellow down in the cellar. How they got him down there, I was not at home

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at the time, so I do not know. They were all working so hard, cutting up the horse. It looked like a butcher shop down there. Even the little old man from the attic was there helping. Then it was made into sausage and also salami. The horse must have been real old. The sausage was so tough. It was given to us children to chew on. The flavor was real good, I remember. We had strings of sausage around our necks. Even the children of our neighbors. Through the years we had laughed so much whenever we spoke of this. The family tried cooking the sausage, it was so tough you could not chew it.

Our father and Mantua (our landlord) had some kind of disagreement. I do not know what it was. So we were moving. We had only lived ther enot even one year. I never liked moving, to thi day. So I watched Papa moving his wine barrel and also our grappa machine. I was hoping that he would forget that and leave it to Mantua. We did not have much to move, as we barely had any furniture. Our new place we had not seen, only by our father. He found this rent. Mama had not seen it either. So we were making our second move into another home.

What disappointment when I first saw this new home of ours. It was just a short distance from Colt Avenue. It was near a running river. Later on, I used to stay awake just to hear the water running in the river. Especially when it would be raining real hard. You could hear the water rushing through so loudly and so swiftly. Elsa and I had our own bedroom. If we looked out our window we could see the river. We were so close to it. This was to be our home for almost a year and a

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