Cornell University Press

This is the story of Nick Romano, a young immigrant, and his struggle to survive on the streets of Chicago. A series of events including a period in reform school, family conflicts, and a brief tragic marriage, culminate in Nick's arrest for the murder of a police officer.

The notion of retrieving a bit of the past-by owning a material piece of it-has always appealed to humans. Often our most prized possessions are those that have had a long history before they came into our hands. Part of the pleasure we gain from the...