uck her：
〃But y're man； how does he stand it？ Tell me that。〃
The two Galician women gazed at each other in silence。 At length Anka replied with manifest reluctance：
〃She got no man here。 Her man in Russia。〃
〃What！〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Fitzpatrick in a terrible voice。 〃An' do ye mane to say！ An' that Rosenblattis he not her husband？ Howly Mother of God；〃 she continued in an awed tone of voice； 〃an' is this the woman I've been havin' to do wid！〃
The wrath； the scorn； the repulsion in her eyes； her face； her whole attitude； revealed to the unhappy Paulina what no words could have conveyed。 Under her sallow skin the red blood of shame slowly mounted。 At that moment she saw herself and her life as never before。 The wrathful scorn of this indignant woman pierced like a lightning bolt to the depths of her sluggish moral sense and awakened it to new vitality。 For a few moments she stood silent and with face aflame； and then； turning slowly； passed into her house。 It was the beginning of Paulina's redemption。
CHAPTER III
THE MARRIAGE OF ANKA
The withdrawing of Mrs。 Fitzpatrick from Paulina's life meant a serious diminution in interest for the unhappy Paulina； but with the characteristic uncomplaining patience of her race she plodded on with the daily routine at washing； baking； cleaning； mending； that filled up her days。 There was no break in the unvarying monotony of her existence。 She gave what care she could to the two children that had been entrusted to her keeping； and to her baby。 It was well for her that Irma； whose devotion to the infant became an absorbing passion； developed a rare skill in the care of the child； and it was well for them all that the ban placed by Mrs。 Fitzpatrick upon Paulina's house was withdrawn as far as Irma and the baby were concerned； for every day the little maid presented her charge to the wise and watchful scrutiny of Mrs。 Fitzpatrick。
The last days of 1884； however； brought an event that cast a glow of colour over the life of Paulina and the whole foreign colony。 This event was none other than the marriage of Anka Kusmuk and Jacob Wassyl； Paulina's most popular lodger。 A wedding is a great human event。 To the principals the event becomes the pivot of existence； to the relatives and friends it is at once the consummation of a series of happenings that have absorbed their anxious and amused attention； and the point of departure for a new phase of existence offering infinite possibilities in the way of speculation。 But even for the casual onlooker a wedding furnishes a pleasant arrest of the ordinary course of life； and lets in upon the dull grey of the commonplace certain gleams of glory from the golden days of glowing youth； or from beyond the mysterious planes of experience yet to be。
All this and more Anka's wedding was to Paulina and her people。 It added greatly to Paulina's joy and to her sense of importance that her house was selected to be the scene of the momentous event。 For long weeks Paulina's house became the life centre of the colony； and as the day drew nigh every boarder was conscious of a certain reflected glory。 It is no wonder that the selecting of Paulina's house for the wedding feast gave offence to Anka's tried friend and patron； Mrs。 Fitzpatrick。 To that lady it seemed that in selecting Paulina's house for her wedding Anka was accepting Paulina's standard of morals and condoning her offences； and it only added to her grief that Anka took the matter so lightly。
〃I'm just affronted at ye； Anka；〃 she complained； 〃that ye can step inside the woman's dure。〃
〃Ah； cut it out！〃 cried Anka； rejoicing in her command of the vernacular。 〃Sure； Paulina is no good； you bet； but see； look at her housedere is no Rutenian house like dat； so beeg。 Ah！〃 she continued rapturously； 〃you come an' see me and Jacob dance de 'czardas；' wit Arnud on de cymbal。 Dat Arnud he's come from de old country； an' he's de whole show； de whole brass band on de park。〃
To Anka it seemed an unnecessary and foolish sacrifice to the demands of decency that she should forego the joy of a real czardas to the music of Arnud accompanying the usual violins。
〃Ye can have it；〃 sniffed Mrs。 Fitzpatrick with emphatic disdain； all the more emphatic that she was conscious； distinctly conscious； of a strong desire to witness this special feature of the festivities。 〃I've nothing agin you； Anka； for it's a good gurrl ye are； but me and me family is respectable； an' that father Mulligan can tell ye； for his own mother's cousin was married till the brother of me father's uncle； an' niver a fut of me will go beyant the dure of that scut； Paulina。〃 And Mrs。 Fitzpatrick； resting her hands upon her hips； stood the living embodiment of hostility to any suggested compromise with sin。
But while determined to maintain at all costs this attitude toward Paulina and her doings； her warmhearted interest in Anka's wedding made her very ready with offers of assistance in preparing for the feast。
〃It's not much I know about y're Polak atin'；〃 she said； 〃but I can make a batch of pork pies that wud tempt the heart of the lowly Moses himsilf； an' I can give ye a bilin' of pitaties that Timothy can fetch to the house for ye。〃
This generous offer Anka gladly accepted； for Mrs。 Fitzpatrick's pork pies； she knew from experience； were such as might indeed have tempted so respectable a patriarch as Moses himself to mortal sin。 The 〃bilin' of pitaties；〃 which Anka knew would be prepared in no ordinary pot； but in Mrs。 Fitzpatrick's ample wash boiler； was none the less acceptable； for Anka could easily imagine how effective such a contribution would be in the early stages of the feast in dulling the keen edge of the Galician appetite。
The preparation for the wedding feast； which might be prolonged for the greater part of three days； was in itself an undertaking requiring careful planning and no small degree of executive ability； for the popularity of both bride and groom would be sufficient to insure the presence of the whole colony； but especially the reputed wealth of the bride； who； it was well known； had been saving with careful economy her wages at the New West Hotel for the past three years； would most certainly create a demand for a feast upon a scale of more than ordinary magnificence； and Anka was determined that in providing for the feast this demand should be fully satisfied。
For a long time she was torn between two conflicting desires： on the one hand she longed to appear garbed in all the glory of the Western girl's most modern bridal attire； on the other she coveted the honour of providing a feast that would live for years in the memory of all who might be privileged to be present。 Both she could not accomplish； and she wisely chose the latter； for she shrewdly reasoned that； while the Western bridal garb would certainly set forth her charms in a new and ravishing style； the glory of that triumph would be short…lived at best； and it would excite the envy of the younger members of her own sex and the criticism of the older and more conservative of her compatriots。
She was further moved to this decision by the thought that inasmuch as Jacob and she had it in mind to open a restaurant and hotel as soon as sufficient money was in hand； it was important that they should stand well with the community； and nothing would so insure popularity as abundant and good eating and drinking。 So to the preparation of a feast that would at once bring her immediate glory and future profit； Anka set her shrewd wits。 The providing of the raw materials for the feast was to her an easy matter； for her experience in the New West Hotel had taught her how to expend to the best advantage her carefully hoarded wages。 The difficulty was with the cooking。 Clearly Paulina could not be expected to attend to this； for although her skill with certain soups and stews was undoubted； for the finer achievements of the culinary art Paulina was totally unfitted。 To overcome this difficulty； Anka hit upon the simple but very effective expedient of entrusting to her neighbours； who would later be her guests； the preparing of certain dishes according to their various abilities and inclinations； keeping close account in her own shrewd mind of what each one might be supposed to produce from the materials furnished； and stimulating in her assistants the laudable ambition to achieve the very best results。 Hence； in generous quantities she distributed flour for bread and cakes in many varieties； rice and beans and barley； which were to form the staple portion of the stews； cabbage and beets and onions in smaller measurefor at this season of the year the price was highsides of pork； ropes of sausages； and roasts of beef from neck and flank。 Through the good offices of the butcher boy that supplied the New West Hotel； purchased with Anka's shyest smile and glance； were secured a considerable accumulation of shank bones and ham bones； pork ribs and ribs of beef； and other scraps too often despised by the Anglo…Saxon housekeeper； all of which would prove of the greatest value in the enrichment of the soups。 For puddings there were apples and prunes； raisins and cranberries。 The cook of the New West Hotel； catching something of Anka's generous enthusiasms offered pies by the dozen； and even the proprietor himself； learning of the preparations and progress； could think of nothing so appropriate to the occasion as a case of Irish whiskey。 This； however； Anka； after some deliberation； declined； suggesting beer instead； and giving as a reason her experience； namely； that 〃whiskey make too quick fight； you bet。〃 A fight was inevitable； but it would be a sad misfortune if this necessary part of the festivities should occur too early in the programme。
Gradually； during the days of the week immediately preceding the ceremony； there began to accumulate in the shacks about； viands of great diversity； which were stored in shelves； in cupboards；where there were any；under beds； and indeed in any and every available receptacle。 The puddings； soups and stews； which； after all； were to form the main portion of the eating； were deposited in empty beer kegs； of which every shack could readily furnish a few； and set out to freeze； in