e was going to borrow every cent of the money for our
third-class passage; but he had a business in view which he could
carry on all the better for having the family with him; and, besides,
we were borrowing right and left anyway, and to no definite purpose.
With the children, he argued, every year in Russia was a year lost.
They should be spending the precious years in school, in learning
English, in becoming Americans. United in America, there were ten
chances of our getting to our feet again to one chance in our
scattered, aimless state.

So at last I was going to America! Really, really going, at last! The
boundaries burst. The arch of heaven soared. A million suns shone out
for every star. The winds rushed in from outer space, roaring in my
ears, "America! America!"

CHAPTER VIII

THE EXODUS

On the day when our steamer ticket arrived, my mother did not go out
with her basket, my brother stayed out of heder, and my sister salted
the soup three times. I do not know what I did to celebrate the
occasion. Very likely I played tricks on Deborah, and wrote a long
letter to my father.

Before sunset the news was all over Polotzk that Hannah Hayye had
received a steamer ticket for America. Then they began to come. Friends
and foes, distant relatives and new acquaintances, young and old, wise
and foolish, debtors and creditors, and mere neighbors,--from every
quarter of the city, from both sides of the Dvina, from over the
Polota, from nowhere,--a steady stream of them poured into our street,
both day and night, till the hour of our departure. And my mother gave
audience. Her faded kerchief halfway off her head, her black ringlets
straying, her apron often at her eyes, she received her guests in a
rainbow of smiles and tears. She was the heroine of Polotzk, and she
conducted herself appropriately. She gave her heart's thanks for the
congratulations and blessings that poured in on her; ready tears for
condolences; patient answers to monotonous questions; and handshakes
and kisses and hugs she gave gratis.

What did they not ask, the eager, foolish, friendly people? They
wanted to handle the ticket, and mother must read them what is written
on it. How much did it cost? Was it all paid for? Were we going to
have a foreign passport or did we intend to steal across the border?
Were we not all going to have new dresses to travel in? Was it sure
that we could get koscher food on the ship? And with the questions
po