A PLACE TO STAY
I told her that I would do anything. She told me, it was a big walk. The place is at 10th and Race Streets. I told her if she could make it, so could I. The next day I went up on the job. They saw right away that I am a greenhorn. ‘Well, we will start you off at $2.50 a week. You will finish sweaters from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm.’ I said, ‘Alright.’ So, Goldie took me home. She didn’t work that day. I go into her father’s friend’s store. He had a store at 3rd and Fitzwater Streets. Mr. Snyderman, who had four children and a wife named Sheeva. I told him, “I am only making $2 a week, and I wanted to know how much would he charge me to live at his house.” Mr. Snyderman- $3 a week, you will owe the difference when you earn more money. His wife had to give me 4 cents a day to buy lunch for myself. I would buy a piece of herring and some bread. Mr. Snyderman- Do not tell, my wife, that you didn’t have the $3 a week now to pay. I agreed. I used to look like a picture of health. I had very red cheeks. His children used to laugh at me because my cheeks were so red. I asked Mr. Snyderman why they laughed. I was very insulted about it. I used to go over to the sink and put cold water on my cheeks so that they wouldn’t be so red. Mr. Snyderman told me his kids were jealous of me because I was such a pretty girl. I worked at the seamstress job, about seven weeks until one day I said to another finisher, ‘Is this the only sweater factory in Philadelphia or are there some more factories?’ There was no union, nobody to put you wise to anything. He said, ‘Yes, there is one at 3rd and Arch Streets.’ He asked me if I wanted to try for another job. I said, ‘No.’ I didn’t have to tell him my business. Lunchtime was only a half-hour. At dinner time, when I finished my work, I walked over to the other factory, and the man there asked what he could do for me. I told him, ‘I am a finisher of sweaters, and I came to apply for a job.’ I told him, ‘I am still working at Grush- ner’s.’ He wanted to know how much they paid me. I told him, ‘Never mind, how much
My brother could not meet me when I arrived. He was earning a meager .85 cents a day, and could not afford a day off. A woman that he knew came to meet me instead. I could not speak English. She remarked that I talked with my hands and said, ‘In America, you don’t talk with your hands.’ I looked for a little bit of pity. I looked for a little bit of love. She brought me to a family who used to live in this town. Her name was Essie. It was on a Friday night. They had a big store. They sold everything, from groceries to meat and clothing. Essie said, ‘First thing Dora I am going to give you is underwear and everything, and you go upstairs and get a bath. As soon as you start working, you will pay me for everything.’ I hope to God I will pay you, I thought. I had wished that they would give me something to eat already. Finally, when I was dressed up a little, I came downstairs, and she had a big challah bread. She cut me two pieces of bread and a piece of fish. I wanted more bread, but I didn’t have the nerve. I already knew where I was standing, that I had to take care of myself. The next day my brother came. He didn’t have a cent and dressed like a beggar. - Dora FINDING A JOB I told my brother to take me to Philadelphia. I want to be in a big town. The next day he took me. It cost .15 cents to take the Wilson Line ferry up the Delaware River. His father-in-law was in Philadelphia, at 3rd and Catherine Streets. His father-in-law married a second time and had two children. We arrived on Sunday and stayed there. Monday, I would start looking for a job. I told my brother, to take me to my girlfriend Goldie. Her father came to America before us. Then, he had sent for his first wife and two chil- dren, including Goldie. My brother knew where they lived. We were the same age. She told me that she wasn’t a greenhorn anymore. She got a job sewing sweaters in a factory. They were all working. So, they were in pretty good shape.
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