Book is in French 1895. One year after her husband's arrival in Montreal, Octavie Cadet joined him in the heart of the Faubourg Saint-Henri with her four children. In front of their shabby home, however, she plans to return immediately to their native Belgium. Her daughter Christine then promises to find a living to help the family make ends meet. While their father began looking for a better paying job, Christine and her brother, Guillaume, were hired at the Hudon spinning mill. The clan manages to get by and finally finds a suitable apartment. At the factory, however, the work is demanding.