no one would let me go, no one would take me there because I had a rich grandfather. When I became of age I was to receive a large sum of money. I had a rich grandfather and he was too rich to concern himself much about me. Once I wrote to him and complained of my condition. He sent a letter making some inquiries and received answer that I often misbehave and have to be punished. That was satisfactory to him. I made other complaints with similar results. Whenever word reached my grandfather as to the ill-treatment I received it was soon explained away. He was too much engrossed in his own affairs to make any investigations and I did not persist in bringing things to his notice. Indifferent as my father was to the doings of the household, I had great regard for him and was somehow very much attached to the children. While I often thought that I would like to go away, in reality I did not wish to do it, and I was afraid of a new, strange life, afraid of my grandfather because he was so rich and overpowering.
“] was the black sheep of the family. I continued to be outraged by my teachers and generally ill-treated at home, but no one of those who knew of these things cared anything about me because I had a rich grandfather and he could look out for me if he wanted to. Everything went on the same way. At length my father met with some reverses in his business, and as his brother-in-law in America was doing so well he was soon on his way to Boston. Now my stepmother was in complete charge of the store and the household and I was left without the little protection that my father
would insure me, without his loving presence. Again I wanted to leave home, but everything was put in my way because I had— you know the rest. Friends whom I appealed to to help me would not do anything for me because they were friends of my stepmother.
"My father secured a position as bookkeeper in America, and after two years he sent for the entire family. Before we left my stepmother took me to Riga to see my grandfather, to take leave of him and to take also a contribution for the expense of taking me to America. On our way to Riga she was very nice to me and told me about the wonders and beauties of America. A burning desire to see that great land overtook me. Besides, I longed to see my father and wanted to be with the children. So when my grandfather asked me whether I would not rather remain with him in Riga and be brought up as his own son than go to America, I uttered the words that my stepmother had just put into my mind. I said that I would rather be with a poor father than with a rich grandfather.
"Old Schwartzman gave my stepmother quite a sum of money for my expenses, and he promised to continue to send his remittances toward my needs. So I was taken to America because I had a rich grandfather. And then there came trouble and more trouble for me because I had a rich grandfather. My stepmother opened a grocery store and I was again put to work and made to work hard. In addition I went to school and took care of the youngest children. For some time my grandfather did not send any money and