Book Description

Mary Kate is a serious young girl who has dreams of becoming a teacher. She comes from a large family and is closest in age to her brother, Hen and her sister Lottie. Lottie is Mary Kates exact opposite. She is a boy crazy flibberty gibbert and talks about nothing except boys and Uncle Edwards coming home from the marines and the gifts he will bring them. Hen talks about nothing except joining the Navy worrying Mary Kate tremendously. It is l9l6 and war has started in Europe. Their best friend is their cousin Maria Schmidt who is the daughter of her mothers oldest brother Adam and his wife Hilda. Aunt Hilda is a little stuffy and Mary Kates father John is not too crazy about her, but he loves his brother-in-law Adam. Their father, John, drives a horse drawn hearse, for a living. He has developed a cough, and has been losing work days pretty often. Mother, Catherine, works as a cook to supplement his salary, and as a cleaning lady at the girls Catholic school, to help pay their tuition. After Johns cough worsens and he starts spitting up blood, Mother calls the doctor. He diagnoses T.B. and notifies the Board of Health since it is highly contagious. The Board of Health orders the house quarantined and tells Catherine, the girls mother, that the children must be removed and sent to foster homes. Uncle Edward comes home to find all is not well. When Catherine decides to keep her family together, she seeks Edwards aid in setting up a separate home for her children in a nearby cottage. One night after father has gone to bed, Catherine calls the older children and Uncle Edward together to discuss her plans with them. They are all heartbroken at the thought of leaving their parents, but take it well. Hen is working as an apprentice carpenter, he will help out financially, Mary Kate will have to quit school and stay home and be Mama to the little ones and Lottie will quit school and go to work in a local factory as a seamstress. Uncle Edward and Hen work on cleaning up the cottage and the girls help furnish it. Lottie gets a job at Kleinerts factory and they settle in. Mary Kate learns that taking care of a two year old and an eight year old, as well as keeping house and cooking is a full time job. Mary Kate grieves that she cannot finish high school since she is a senior and has only a few months to go. Their parish priest, and family friend, comes to call and tells Mary Kate that she can graduate with her class if she will study at night. He insists that Hen and Lottie can help with the little ones in the evenings. Time passes and Mary Kate studies and worries about her fathers illness and Uncle Edward going overseas. The time comes and Uncle Edward must leave. They have a tearful parting. Mary Kate not knowing how she will cope without her Uncles guidance. Lottie and Hen are both doing well at work. Once day a young man calls on Mary Kate to discuss Lotties future. Mary Kate offers him coffee and cake. She thinks he wants to marry her young sister because of the approach he uses and the fact that Lottie told her sister she met the man she would someday marry. Finally he explains that he wants to send Lottie to a special school in Canada. It is run by nuns who specialize in making lingerie and embroidering. Mary Kate has to decline. She says Lottie is needed at home but hopes he will ask again. As he leaves, Mary Kate gives him a slice of cake for his father because Daniel said it tasted like his mothers and his father would enjoy it. One day in May, Papa dies. Mama is heartbroken and has to tell the children. Uncle Edward comes home for the funeral, but has to leave soon after. Mama has to make some more decisions once her family comes home. Mama calls a family meeting and surprises the children by including Father Emil. She informs Lottie she is to go to Can