COMMUTER'S WIFE 59 



earth. Surely there is often something sad about 

 ambition. 



What if the earth that grows the wheat, the 

 bread of the world, should insist that it was a finer 

 destiny to fill the flower pots that hold the plants in 

 a conservatory ? 



Once in America, the Schmidts had at first worked 

 here and there until money enough was obtained to 

 carry them West to take up a farm hold. This 

 proved a failure, owing to the fact that Peter did 

 not understand the difference of methods, climate, 

 etc., and also lacked means to live while the land 

 was being improved and the first crop gathered. 

 After ten or twelve years of struggling, privation, 

 and chance work for others, they drifted slowly east- 

 ward, eight children having been born to them, of 

 whom, owing to hardship and the fevers of new 

 countries, only four were living. Karen had then 

 worked out by the day in the factory town, taking 

 her baby with her and putting it to sleep in a clothes- 

 basket or any convenient nook, while she washed 

 and scrubbed. At last it also died, and then she 

 broke down completely and went to the hospital, 

 where father found her, and when her weary body 

 was rested and repaired he sent the family out 

 here. 



