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Show - 78 - CHAPTER XII November brought on the beginning of winter in San Francisco. The rains had started and they whipped against the house and beat at the windows and gables. The girls stayed indoors after school most of the time as nightfall came early at this time of the year. The oak trees in the garden pushed their tremendous limbs against the iron fence preparing for the onslaught of winds and rains that would inevitably lash them. The old Eucalyptus trees were shedding their leaves and looked like ghostly figures in the early dusk and the rolling hills beyond were outlined against the evening sky as they gently sloped down towards the truck gardens. The rows of vegetables were still green as in the spring for the rains irregated them abundantly. While beyond them, the endless waves of the Pacific Ocean washed against the shore. Penny and Vicky remained after school three days a week to attend Greek language classes, from 3:00 to 5:00 PM. Father Anthony, the young parish priest, instructed about twenty to twenty-five students of the grammar and high schools. Athena was determined that her two daughters would understand the language of their ancestors as this was part of their heritage. Once a week a meeting of the local Society of the Brotherhood of the Poor was held at Gaven House. This was a church oriented organization which devoted its time to worthy endeavors and raised funds to help the poor members of the church. When the girls turned eighteen years of age they would be expected to join and contribute their time to this deserving cause. Dixie did not venture out much in the stormy weather either. She was content to remain in her little basket near the kitchen stove during the long afternoons. A few moments before the old school bus rumbled down the road and dropped off the girls, she was at the door whimpering and jumping around in her excitement at their arrival. Out she raced to greet them and they never failed to give her a hug and a pat on the head. |
