While Jurgis searches for work, another tragedy strikes the family: Kristoforas, Elzbieta's youngest child, dies. She begs from the neighbors in order to have enough money for a funeral. Unable to find work anywhere else, Jurgis applies for and accepts a job at the fertilizer factory. From the moment he begins shoveling fertilizer into carts, Jurgis is covered with dust and begins suffering from headaches and dizziness. And now he smells horribly. But at least he has a job. During the summer, Elzbieta's sons take up disturbing habits — swearing, smoking, gambling, and not coming home — and in order to break them of these habits, Elzbieta herself goes to work, enabling her sons to return to school. If they attend school, then they will not be out on the streets. She ends up finding work in a sausage house, twisting sausage links.
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