Family Woes My attachment to my father began when he would come back from his business trips. He wasn't successful in this work. He looked sad and tired. Now I wanted him to take me on his lap. I combed his hair and stroked his mustache. I began to appreciate his gentleness, his consideration for grandmother. He insisted on staying with her while the cheeses were being sorted. He was quiet, never raised his voice in anger and I began to like him more and more. We were becoming real friends!
But things were not progressing at all well on the farm -- and improvement was not foreseeable. Grandmother made a drastic decision--to go to America! She had a sister there to whom she had sent her two older sons so that they could escape military service in the czar's army. Her married life was not a happy one, so in her resolute way she decided to join up with the rest of the family. She sold her share of the tenancy, getting enough money for the shifskarten (boat tickets) for herself and her two youngest children. She invited grandfather to join her but he refused on religious grounds. It was also decided that as soon as possible she would send for my father, who was her favorite son-in-law.
Editor's Notes: See the Subject Index for a summary of Dorothy's descriptions of conscription -- and measures for avoiding it.
