. ▁ ▁The ▁family ▁often ▁strugg les ▁with ▁pover ty ▁as ▁Mal ach y ▁Sr . ▁eng ages ▁in ▁an ▁end less ▁struggle ▁to ▁find ▁work ▁and ▁alco hol . ▁The ▁family ' s ▁prospect s , ▁and ▁Ang ela ' s ▁spirits , ▁lift ▁whenever ▁he ▁finds ▁a ▁new ▁job ▁and ▁brings ▁home ▁his ▁first ▁week ' s ▁w ages , ▁but ▁eventually ▁he ▁finds ▁himself ▁sp ending ▁all ▁of ▁his ▁pay ▁in ▁pub s , ▁despite ▁Ang ela ' s ▁many ▁schemes ▁to ▁prevent ▁him ▁from ▁doing ▁so , ▁and ▁losing ▁his ▁job ▁after ▁a ▁few ▁weeks . ▁ ▁Margaret ' s ▁birth ▁seems ▁to ▁inst ill ▁new ▁life ▁into ▁the ▁family : ▁the ▁whole ▁family ▁falls ▁in ▁love ▁with ▁her , ▁Mal ach y ▁Sr ▁most ▁of ▁all . ▁He ▁gives ▁up ▁drink ing ▁and ▁finds ▁steady ▁work ▁to ▁support ▁the ▁family . ▁However , ▁due ▁to ▁her ▁parents ' ▁ignor ance ▁of ▁children ' s ▁disease , ▁Margaret ▁lives ▁for ▁only ▁seven ▁weeks . ▁With ▁her ▁death , ▁Mal ach y ▁Sr ▁ab and ons ▁his ▁family ▁for ▁days ▁to ▁indul ge ▁in ▁an ▁alco hol ic ▁b inge , ▁while ▁Ang ela ▁falls ▁into ▁a ▁severe , ▁deb il it ating ▁de pression . ▁Frank , ▁age ▁four , ▁is ▁forced ▁to ▁feed ▁and ▁care ▁for ▁his ▁younger ▁sib lings , ▁often ▁with ▁the ▁kind ▁inter vention ▁of ▁the ▁neighb ors . ▁The ▁neighb ors ▁soon ▁realize ▁the ▁family ' s ▁dire ▁stra its ▁and ▁interven e ,