“The Chekhov family emigrated from Taganrog in 1876, and Anton Pavlovich remained there alone until 1879 to complete his gymnasium course and receive a matriculation certificate. In those days, no one in Taganrog knew about any dachas, and everyone who did not have their own farm or estate remained to fry in the city all summer. The Chekhovs also remained. There were five brothers and one sister, and as soon as the exams were over, the Chekhov brothers, together with their classmates and neighbor boys, devoted themselves to vacation in the full sense of the word. Thanks to the terrible dry heat, all the brothers walked barefoot. There was no way to sleep in the rooms, and therefore they all set up booths in the courtyard and in the garden, in which they spent the night...”