With the coming of spring, the neighbors help the Shimerdas to build a new log house on their property, and they eventually acquire a new windmill and some livestock. One day, after giving an English lesson to Yulka, Jimmy asks Antonia if she would like to attend the upcoming term at the schoolhouse. Antionia proudly refuses, saying that she is kept too busy by farm work. But you can tell she really wants to go. Her tears of sorrow reveal her true feelings about it. Jimmy stays at the Shimerdas' for supper, but he is offended by their ingratitude over neighborly charity and by Antonia's coarse manners.
Once school starts, Jim sees less and less of Antonia, and soon tension erupts between them. When Jake and Jimmy ride over to the Shimerdas' to collect a loaned horse collar, Ambrosch first denies borrowing it, then returns with a badly damaged collar he rudely gives over to them. After a heated exchange, Jake grabs Ambrosch, who kicks him in the stomach. Jake then pounds Ambrosch on the head. Jake and Jimmy quickly pull away from the Shimerdas', as Mrs. Shimerda yells after them about sending for the authorities.
When Mr. Burden learns of the incident, he sends Jake into town with a ten-dollar bill to pay the assault fine. For the next few weeks, the Shimerdas are proud and aloof when meeting the Burdens in passing, although they maintain their respect for Mr. Burden. Finally Mr. Burden arranges a reconciliation by hiring Ambrosch to help with his wheat threshing and offering Antonia a job to help Mrs. Burden in the kitchen. In addition, he forgives Mrs. Shimerda her debt on the milk cow she bought from him. In an effort to show her own forgiveness, Mrs. Shimerda knits Jake a pair of socks.
In high summer, Antonia and Jim spend more time together, walking to the garden each morning to collect vegetables for dinner. One night, during a lightening in a light rain, Antonia and Jimmy climb onto the roof of the chicken house to stare at the sky until they are called down for supper. Antonia tells Jim that things will be easy for him but hard for her family

I was kinda upset when the familys were fighting all because of a collor. i thought it was stupid.


"If I live here, like you, that is different. Things will be easy for you. But they will be hard for us."