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When Joan was four years old, Alphy had decided to sell the dairy cattle, and go in the business of making windows, sashes and door frames. He had been in this business in earlier years, but now he wanted to improve the quality of the product by glazing the windows and painting them.

Initially, Margurita did not want to sell the cattle, as she had enjoyed farming, but Alphy’s mind was made up, and Margurita knew there was no changing it. Alphy would convert the barn into a carpenter’s workshop for making windows and door frames. With the money they had acquired from selling the cattle, Alphy and Margurita had their house wired.

Margurita secured part-time work at the parish house, cleaning and cooking for Father Walsh. With their extra income, the couple had installed indoor plumbing, and had made plans to put in a bathroom.

One day, when Joan and Eileen were playing outside, they saw a truck drive in the gateway. It had a large box in the back of it. Alphy came and helped the men carry it into the house. It looked very heavy. Joan and Eileen went in to see what it was. They watched their father take the thing out of the package. Joan and Eileen looked at each other.

“My!” exclaimed Joan, “That’s an awful big sink.”

It wasn’t really. It was a bathtub. There was excitement in the household that day.

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