Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor

by CJ Puccia

blacksmith joined the group and Matheus was able to meet his expenses with a small profit.

  Ten

  The next few years passed, with boarders coming and going in Matheus' cottage, but work in the mines stayed the same. His dark hair was halfway silver now, his limp and his cough worsening. He continued to attend church on Sunday, after he cleaned the cottage and washed his clothes. He still wrote to his family at least once each month, now sending a few dollars along with each letter, hoping they would not be lost or stolen before they were received.

  Just one more year and Matheus would pledge his allegiance to his new country and become naturalized - a true American citizen. Only then could he make arrangements to send for his family. His children would be young women when they arrived, not the little girls he left behind. His wife would be older too, but those lost years between them worth it to be together in America. In her letters, his wife told of the poor conditions under the Russian dictator Alexander III, and subsequently his son Nicholas II. He sensed the changes in Europe, and hoped that war would not be declared before his family was safe in America.

  Spring of 1896 was a welcome sight. It had been a harsh winter, and many had died from pneumonia. Matheus felt thankful for the changes to come. He would take his oath of loyalty to America later in the month. He would give up all ties to Lithuania and the Russian Empire, and there would be no going back.

  He missed much about life in Lithuania. The quiet, yet strong people, the rolling green farm fields, but it was the familiar foods he missed the most. It had been years now since he had the foods he had enjoyed so much. His wife could remedy that when she arrived. He would make certain they always had bacon, onions and potatoes for kugelis, his favorite dish. If he tried hard enough when he closed his eyes he could still smell and taste the rich potato dish. He hoped they could find the ingredients for the heavy dark-crusted rye and flavorful sausage he had also enjoyed. Since he had been in America, he had eaten mostly ham and plain white bread. Although he had eaten at a restaurant a few times, he always felt remorse afterward for spending the extra money.

  Eleven

  Several dozen of the immigrant men traveled to the county seat in Princeton to stand before the judge. Each man served as witness to another's moral character in the courtroom. Every one of them had been in America five years or more as required, and now many could finally send for their loved ones.

  Tears filled Matheus' eyes as he raised his right hand and swore to support the Constitution of the United States. He was now a legal citizen, as his family would be when they arrived.

  He wrote to his wife immediately, mailing her the worn maps his cousins had sent him. He instructed her to pack modestly and begin their journey across Europe as soon as she was ready. He had sent enough money for her to acquire second-class passage. They would not have to endure the hardships of steerage as he had so many years ago. She was to write to him when she knew the date of their arrival. Matheus planned to meet them in New York and accompany them to Illinois.

  He couldn't believe in a few short weeks they would all be together! He began to prepare the cottage for the women. There was only one boarder staying with him now, so there was ample room. He had purchased extra cots and blankets and some lengths of cloth to hang as room dividers. That would have to do for a while. He was sure his wife and daughters would have things they would need, and he would do his best to provide.

  Twelve

  Matheus hardly recognized his family when they emerged from the long line of immigrants. He lifted his wife off the ground and spun her around. She was very thin and light as a feather to him. His daughters were tall and slim, their beautiful faces filled with excitement. Everyone spoke at once, trying to make up for all the years apart.

  They laughed as they walked to the train station, arm in arm, and four astride down the sidewalk. The girls asked questions about America and Illinois. His wife remarked about the silver in his hair and the limp as he walked. She was concerned about his cough. He changed the subject to Seatonville and what they would see in the small mining town. He told them of the cottage that would be their home together. He explained about the boarder, who was a nice Irish man that worked on the railroad, and was away much of the time.

  Matheus ordered sandwiches in English, for them to eat while they waited for the train to Chicago. He confidently paid and thanked the vendor as the women watched with interest. They found a bench near the train platforms, and Matheus pointed at the food and pronounced the word 'sandwich' for them. They repeated after Matheus. He smiled with a nod. He pointed to a train, and told them the name. Again they repeated it. He motioned to a few other things in the depot, and they repeated the names. When he pointed back to the sandwich, they were silent for a moment before they erupted in fits of laughter. They had forgotten the first word already! While they needed to learn English, maybe this was not the best way.

  The train ride to Chicago passed quickly, Matheus and his wife holding hands all the way. His daughters fell asleep, and he couldn't keep his eyes off them. They had grown into young women. He was so proud of them, and was so happy they were here.

  In Princeton, Matheus again hired a driver and wagon to take them to Seatonville. His wife and girls watched as they passed by the open countryside. They saw the slag mounds as they approached the town. He explained that the mountains of rock and dirt were the castoff remains that had been separated from the coal after it was brought up from the mines. The girls thought the hills were ugly, but to him they represented something important. He had contributed to those piles with his hard work over the last five years.

  Thirteen

  They settled in as a family once again, and Matheus was content. More and more families arrived in the town, a few from Lithuania. Matheus' wife befriended several of the women, and his daughters soon had friends their age.

  For extra money his wife and daughters took in laundry. They rinsed the clothing in the creek as he had, but they also used a washing powder that helped remove the coal dust. Matheus also took in another boarder, and money was more than adequate for the first time since he had come to America.

  Matheus' wife was cooking delicious meals, but Matheus found his appetite had lessened. His energy had lessened as well, and he found the walk to work left him little strength for the long workday in the mine.

  His wife soon found herself pregnant. Matheus was overjoyed. He hoped for a son, and planned to send for his parents after the baby came. He just needed to get stronger, and back to his old self.

  The following winter, Matheus' health declined further. His cough had worsened, and he missed work often. His breathing had become labored, and he was tired all of the time. They took in a third boarder to make up for the lost wages.

  Matheus' son was born in the spring, strong and healthy, but Matheus was now too ill to work. The Company sent a doctor to examine Matheus. The doctor gave him Laudanum for the cough, but there was little else that could be done. The coal dust and soot from the mine had damaged his lungs. Maybe staying out of the mine for a time would help. Maybe the warmer weather of spring would help.

  After a few months, Matheus was coughing up blood and had lost weight. It was obvious to them all that he had little chance of improving and returning to work.

  They exhausted Matheus' credit at the Company Store, but there was a little money from the boarders to pay for the bare essentials after the rent was covered. The Company had given Matheus notice that if he did not return to work, he could not live in Company housing.

  Matheus' wife reassured him that they would manage. He should concentrate on getting well. She began to cook meals for others to earn additional money. At dinnertime, several single men came to their cottage to eat. It was crowded, but the men ate in shifts. She began inquiring about houses for rent in the town, and soon found one that she believed they could afford.

  She and the girls moved their belongin
gs, little by little, down the road to the new house. Matheus was too weak to help. The small dwelling had a second floor with two bedrooms that included the beds. The downstairs had a large kitchen with a cooking stove. The dining area was furnished with a long table and chairs that would work well for the men that came to eat. The spacious front room would be sleeping quarters for the boarders. Since there were beds upstairs, they could offer their cots to boarders for an additional price. With the extra space they could take in more boarders. Things were again looking up.

  Fourteen

  Matheus died on a Tuesday, and was buried in the Lithuanian cemetery in the next town, in a pauper's grave. His wife had dressed him in his best clothes and bought him a simple wooden box, but could not afford a tombstone.

  The mining Company brought a wreath for their door, and gave Matheus' wife a small credit at the Company Store. They called it 'compensation.' She did not understand the term, but appreciated the gesture. They would need all the help they could get now that they were on their own.

  She sent word of Matheus' death to Lithuania. She considered going back to Europe, but she couldn't bear leaving after Matheus had worked so hard to get them here. Their baby son was not yet a year old, but he was