▁left ▁her ▁parents ' ▁home ▁and ▁found ▁work ▁in ▁a ▁shop . ▁Marie ▁and ▁Peg gy ▁lived ▁in ▁a ▁succession ▁of ▁apart ments ▁in ▁V ancouver , ▁including ▁one ▁that ▁had ▁no ▁furn iture ▁or ▁st ove , ▁and ▁period ically ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁De ▁Carlo ▁home , ▁" a ▁huge ▁white ▁frame ▁house ", ▁at ▁ 1 7 2 8 ▁Com ox ▁Street ▁in ▁V ancouver ' s ▁West ▁End ▁neighborhood . ▁Marie ' s ▁parents , ▁M iche le ▁" P apa " ▁De ▁Carlo ▁( ▁ 1 8 7 3 ▁– ▁July ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 5 4 ) ▁and ▁Margaret ▁Pur vis ▁De ▁Carlo ▁( Dec ember ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 8 7 4 ▁– ▁October ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 1 9 4 9 ), ▁were ▁religious , ▁attended ▁church ▁regularly , ▁and ▁held ▁services ▁in ▁the ▁par lor . ▁M iche le , ▁a ▁native ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Mess ina , ▁had ▁met ▁Margaret ▁in ▁Nice , ▁France . ▁They ▁married ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 7 , ▁had ▁four ▁children , ▁and ▁settled ▁in ▁Canada . ▁ ▁De ▁Carlo ▁attended ▁Lord ▁Roberts ▁Element ary ▁School , ▁located ▁a ▁block ▁away ▁from ▁her ▁grand par ents ' ▁home . ▁ ▁De ▁Carlo ▁originally ▁wanted ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁writer . ▁She ▁was ▁seven ▁when ▁a ▁school ▁assignment , ▁a ▁poem ▁she ▁wrote ▁titled ▁" A ▁Little ▁Boy ", ▁was ▁entered ▁in ▁a ▁contest ▁run ▁by ▁The ▁V ancouver ▁Sun . ▁She ▁won ▁and