Eric had left a note taped to the large tropical fish tank in the sunroom. He wrote that he was leaving to help his father, Adolph Hopf, dismantle his Watch and Clock Shop. Mr. Hopf was going out of business after being in the same location, Elston Avenue in Chicago, for twenty years. He had started his business in 1914, but could not survive the present year (1934) when the Depression peaked. He still owned the spacious Two Flat where he and Gerta lived with their little four year old, Irene, born when Gerta was in her late forties. The upstairs flat was rented and provided income for them, so Eric moved back into the heated front porch that overlooked the street. His father was tired and glad to have him back to help in the maintenance of the large building. Eric's reasons for leaving the very comfortable life at the Steward home in Sauganash were not solely the welfare of his father, but too many people were suspicious of his relationship with Mrs. Stewart! Our dear, young twenty six year old uncle Eugene Beck stepped right up and offered his services to Campbell! Like many other young men of that era, he was unemployed and needed a job desperately. He was a good driver and knew the City, and in no time he had moved into Eric's old room, and Martha and I were delighted! Florence too!
Campbell had proudly written each of his siblings in British Columbia to tell them of the birth of their new little nephew. He wrote Uncle Edward in Scotland. who was delighted. He sent a lovely pram shawl in the hunting Stewart Tartan and a silver cup with the initials DJS engraved on the side. Aunt Nan, who was in London at the time with her daughter (my cousin) Ann, responded with a telegram stating that on their way back home they would stop in Chicago to see the new member of the family! That would be in October and this was already the first of September.
I had just had my 14th birthday when we received the news of Auntie Nan's upcoming visit. For reasons I did not understand, I was feeling anxious and occasionally had acute panic attacks. I told no one about this - not even Florence. There was something in the atmosphere of our home that was not right. Mother had converted Irv's bedroom into a nursery where she put a changing table, rocking chair, crib, and a new single bed. She moved Irv into the master bedroom with Campbell, and no longer slept there, but spent all her time in the nursery with the baby - night and much of the day! She would have uncle Gene drive her to the market to get groceries and she would visit the Hopf's at least every other day! Gerta Hopf loved seeing the baby as did Mr. Hopf and of course, Eric was always there!
Martha and I had put all our fears and doubts about Eric and mother out of our minds when he moved out so abruptly, but now we could not understand why she did not share the baby more with us. She never gave him to Campbell to hold, but when she was in the living room she would have the elegant pram that Campbell had given her set up and keep little Donald in it!
Martha had started classes at North Park Academy and I was to start my first year there in High School in September. But I begged my parents to allow me to start in February, or even the following September, as I was not well and the anxiety attacks persisted. I feel, in retrospect, that we, Martha, Irv, Helen, and I were badly neglected in those months. Twelve year-old Irv began biting his nails down to the quick, and one day a police officer came to the door with nine year-old Helen, and informed Campbell, who had answered the door, that she had been caught shoplifting in Dietrich's Store. She had taken a pack of colored pencils!
I was very confused...I loved the baby and I did many little chores for mother in regard to the baby, such as hang out all the diapers on the clothesline, and warming his bottle on cold mornings. I was confused that there was not more JOY in our household! And, it was into this atmosphere that Auntie Nan arrived, fresh from her trip to Lignwood and London with her daughter, my cousin Ann!
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