"The thing is," Grandpa summed it up, "when we get out of this
house we've got to pay rent, and I'm not making enough for rent
and food, too. No place to live, or else nothing to eat."

Finally it was decided that they should go.

Now there was much to do. They set aside a few of their most
precious belongings to be stored, like Grandma's grandma's
painted dower chest, full of treasures, and Grandpa's tall desk
and Rose-Ellen's dearest doll. Next they chose the things they
must use during their stay in Jersey. Finally they called in the
second-hand man around the corner to buy the things that were
left.

Poor Grandma! She clenched her hands under her patched apron when
the man shoved her beloved furniture around and glanced
contemptuously at the clean old sewing machine that had made them
so many nice clothes. "One dollar for the machine, lady."

Rose-Ellen tucked her hand into Grandma's as they looked at the
few boxes and pieces of furniture they were leaving behind,
standing on stilts in Mrs. Albi's basement to keep dry.

"It's so funny," Rose-Ellen stammered; "almost as if that was all
that was left of our home."

"Funny as a tombstone," said Grandma. Then she went and grabbed
the old Seth Thomas clock and hugged it to her. "This seems the
livingest thing. It goes where I go."