By: Tess K
New Jersey, Grade: 5

This terrible depression seems as if it'll never end. It is still so hard to believe that Aunt June has moved in and turned our home into a boarding house! She has basically taken over the household, and Mother and Dad can't do anything about it. Mother tried talking to Aunt June, though she just replied by saying, ''Oh, Peggy. It's for the best. Trust me, Little Sister.'' And Dad would never force her out of the house. She has no where to go. Mother says that she is trapped inside this miserable depression like all of us, and she's trying to make the best of it. Though I would never consider taking over her sister's house as making the best of it, but what can we do?

But I have met many interesting people, all boarders of our ''Lovely Home'' as Aunt June says. She does good buiseness, I must say. Though I had to sell my dear doll from France. You see, Aunt June had a husband, though he was killed in World War 1. Aunt June didn't want his body sent to America, she was convinced that it would rot on the way. So she went to France to fetch his body, and that is where she bought the doll. She bought it for Sarah, my older sister who is in collage now. Sarah then passed it down to me. I know I probably sound like a spoiled girl, (this is what Aunt June called me) but it was the only nice thing that I owned. And I won't be getting any more nice things for a long while.

Unfortunately we can't afford Sarah's collage anymore, and she's on her way home this minute.

And earlier this day, a hoboe came to our door. Aunt June answered the door. And guess what he said? ''May I have some food, Ma'am?'' She then said, there's a soup kitchen near by. Go straight then turn right. Walk down that road until you get to the fork in the road. Turn left. Good day.'' He then said, ''I've been there, Ma'am. But the line is pretty long, Ma'am. Most likely 600 people.'' And the most unbelievable part of the conversation was when Aunt June said ''Well you can join them.'' She then shut the door before he could protest further. If Mother had been home, she'd give the poor soul something to eat.

I cannot believe how it has destroyed people's lives. I felt such sorrow that I snuck a peice of bread from the kitchen and ran out the door, withought telling Aunt June where I was going. I easily cought up with the hoboe, him being so weak. I gave him the bread. When he smiled, it was a wonderful feeling.

All for now.