CHAPTER V 



FACING THE NEW WORLD 



you imagine all the hopes and dreams that 

 were fluttering in our hearts on our arrival? 



Yet the first encouraging words of our friend Kap- 

 lan were: 



"For God's sake, why did you come here? I sent 

 two letters imploring you to remain at home!" 



We had left, however, before his letters reached us. 

 Not that it would have made any difference if we had 

 received them. We had no choice but to emigrate. 



A cousin of mine, a photographer named Solomon 

 Kaufman, was among those who waited for us on 

 arrival. He took us to his home on Eldridge Street, 

 where he, his wife, their baby and a boarder were living 

 in a two-room flat. 



I must mention here a singular incident in which a 

 fellow-passenger of ours played a chief part. With 

 us on the steamer was a Pole who my husband had 

 befriended on the trip. As he had not a soul to go to, 

 my cousin very kindly offered him hospitality for a 

 few days, until he should find himself. On the follow- 

 ing day the young Pole left the house, saying that 

 he was going out for a stroll. That was the very last 

 we ever saw or heard of him. His valise and his few 



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