Read The Great Husband Hunt for Free Online Page A

probably wouldn't be very good at it, but they were hurrying away to inspect another class, and the staring girl was still waiting with her book.
    I said, “The first thing you should learn is not to stare, especially not at your elders and betters.”
    She was pale as wax, and skinny.
    “What's your name?” she said. She spoke perfect English.
    I said, “And if you're going to read to me you had better start immediately because I have to go home very soon.”
    I sat on a stool and she stood beside me, a little too close for my liking, and read. She was pretty good.
    I said, “You can read. You don't need good works doing for you.”
    She grinned.
    I said, “Have you been to summer camp?”
    She shook her head.
    I said, “How about gymnastics?”
    “Yes,” she said. “I did do that, but now I can't be spared. I have to help make garters. We get one cent a piece. My name's Malka but I like Lily better. What do you think?”
    I didn't really know what gymnastics were. As I had never been allowed them I surmised they were something desirable.
    “How old are you?” she asked. She was one impertinent child.
    “And how were the gymnastics?” I asked, feeling my way.
    “They were fun,” she said. “Are you married? I like your coat. Want to see how I can turn a somersault?” And she just flipped over, like a toy monkey. She went over so fast, I couldn't see how she did it. This attracted the attention of the other little monkeys, who all left off their studying and gathered around me, fingering the fabric of my coat.
    I looked around for someone to rescue me, but minutes passed before a Miss Stone appeared.
    “I knew it,” she said. “You've made some friends already. They're quite fascinated by you.”
    I said, “I think I have to go home now. I think I'm needed there.”
    “But you've made such a hit,” she said. “It's because you're a younger person, I expect. Do stay a little longer.”
    I had to insist most firmly that I be home no later than four.
    The girl called Malka shouted after me as we left the room.
    “Hey, Miss No Name,” she called. “You have pretty hair.”
    It was a measure of everyone else's poor opinion of my looks that a compliment from an unwashed unfortunate went straight to my head.
    “That child reads well,” I said. “How does she come to be here?”
    “The Lelchucks?” she said. “They had to run from the Russians. Would you like to meet the rest of the family?”
    I was torn. On the one hand I felt uneasily far from home. The loudness and smell of the place exceeded anything I could have imagined. But on the other hand I had a Miss Stone on either side of me, greatly experienced in the ways of the “element,” and anyway, wasn't I always longing to escape from the monotony of the parlor? I decided I would rather like to see where Malka Lelchuck lived.
    We turned onto Stanton Street, where the buildings seemed still taller and darker, and every fire escape was cluttered with boxes and furniture. The entrance to Malka's house was unlit and dirty, and as we climbed two flights of stairs people pushed past us.
    I said, “These unfortunates seem to have a great many callers.”
    The thinner Miss Stone laughed. “No, Poppy,” she said, “these are their neighbors. The Lelchucks have only two rooms.”
    Then I began to understand why they were called unfortunates. They had to share their buildings with strangers.
    The door was open. The Misses Stone went in and beckoned me to follow, but I peered in from the threshold. Mrs. Lelchuck kept her head bowed, too shy to speak, or perhaps too tired. She and four girls were busy around a table, finishing garters. There was a smell of frying, and vinegar, and other unknown things. My head swam.
    There was something in the scene I recognized. Tedium, possibly. Finishing garters looked like very boring work. But there was something else I noticed, though I couldn't name it. I think I now know it was the simple concord of a family