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Boat Ride
Hello, my name is Bella Ricci. I was so excited to ride over to America from poverty in Italy! Unfornatually, me and my mother and brother got stuck in steerage. My poor mother got extremely sick, and my brother did as well. I am so excited to get to America, so we can finally go and live in the country and escape all of our debt. -
Ellis Island
We arrived at Ellis Island today. While we were passing through, my mother and brother had to hold their breath so they would not cough all over the inspector. My brother, Angelo, had a coughing fit just after he had passed the test, but thankfully, the inspection did not have time to check him again. -
Job Hunting
It has been a hard week. Me, Angelo, and my mother have all been denied jobs because of our Italian hertiage. The people didn't say it, but I think that part of the reason I was not getting hired was because I am a woman, and I do not want to be cooped in in a factory. After a few days, my mother has finally found a job as a part time tailor. -
Debt
After we all got jobs, we decided that we could afford to stay in a nicer hotel than the dump we had been staying in. Apparently not, because two jobs is not enoguh to pay for hotel rent. -
I got a job!... And I'm getting... Married?!?!?
I finally caved into getting a job in a factory. It is horrid, I absolutly HATE it, but it got us out of debt, so that is what matters. Also, to add to the misery list, my mother has been insisting that it is time I got married. When i refused, she went out and found me someone. He was probably about 37, AND the head of the factory I work at. Now, I am only 17, so even though I heard about 15 year olds marring 60 year olds, I still found this slightly disturbing. -
I got fired!
After many moody episodes at work, my soon-to-be husband decided that it would be a good idea if I stopped working. Actually, what he said was
"I will NOT have my wife act like that."
That was the point that I decided that I hate him. -
Don't judge me.
Trust me, I feel horrible about running away. I don't even know if
I will ever see my mother and Angelo again. But I was in great debt, and I didn't want my family to have to worry about helping me pay it off. So, I left the hotel early in the morning, and left a note for my family. After a month or so, I stumbled upon the railroad workers. I disguised myself as a man, and started to work on the railroads, slowly moving west to claim my land. -
Gold and Silver Rushs
So, as I moved west, I heard about the silver and gold rushes. I quit my job as a railroad worker, which was very labor-intensive. I swear I gained about 30 pounds in muscle. I was in California at the time, so I decided to go and stay in the town nearest to me, and ask about how I could get the gold. The man at the front desk merely laughed at mean and told me that there was no way a woman could get gold. It was mean of him, but I have no doubt that it was true. So I decided to go get land. -
Running for Land- Homestead Act
I went up to Oregon got a job as a clothes washer. You would be surpised how many people didn't knwo how to wash their clothes properly! After I had made enough money, I bought some necessites to build a new home, a wagon to put the stuff in, and a horse. I got ready for the race, and just as I get going, my stupid wagon has to go and tip over! Thankfully, a nice young man comes and helps me pick everything up, which was really sweet, considering he probably risked land to help me. -
Getting Married! For real this time.
So, that nice boy who helped me pick up my stuff when we were running for land actually proposed to me! We had both wanted a good piece of land, and he said he would share it with me. I though he was kidding, but then he said, "Bella. Look at me." I knew something was up, because I hadn't told him my name. It was then that I realized that it was actually my ex fiance! We had split up when I had come to America. He had come all the way here, just so we could get married, here in States. -
Harsh Winter
After our beautiful autumn, no one expected the winter to be so harsh. Me and my new husband were barely surviving. The only food we had was what we had left over from the wagon run. Sometimes, we would trade some of our soap or summer clothes for more food, which helped. We vowed to get farming as soon as the winter was over. -
Spring has Sprung!
After our horrid winter, we got right to farming. After about a month, we had both gotten jobs and had a steady income. I secretly tucked away half of my pay every week so we would never have to have a winter like the past one again. As we got into our routine, I knew that I would never want to leave, and I never did.
