This is a story of an Italian American family. Giovanni was the son of a tenant farmer who would always be a tenant farmer like his father and his grandfather until he fell in love with the owner's daughter of the estate where he and his family worked. Chaos resulted when she became pregnant. He had to run for his life. In time the relationship was accepted and they married but had to go to another region to live. They had two children and evevtually immagrated to the US where his wife died from a botched abortion while Giovanni was away in italy looking for another wife (he was tired of the one he had.) The children, who spoke no English were brought up in an Orphanage at the turn of the century in New York City.