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- border-color: #000000; - clear: both; } - </style> -</head> -<body> -<h1 class="pg">The Project Gutenberg eBook, From the Heart of Israel, by Bernard -Drachman, Illustrated by A. Warshawsky</h1> -<p>This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States -and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no -restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it -under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this -eBook or online at <a -href="http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you are not -located in the United States, you'll have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this ebook.</p> -<p>Title: From the Heart of Israel</p> -<p> Jewish Tales and Types</p> -<p>Author: Bernard Drachman</p> -<p>Release Date: August 27, 2019 [eBook #60189]</p> -<p>Language: English</p> -<p>Character set encoding: UTF-8</p> -<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FROM THE HEART OF ISRAEL***</p> -<p> </p> -<h4>E-text prepared by<br /> - Richard Tonsing, Richard Hulse,<br /> - and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> - (<a href="http://www.pgdp.net">http://www.pgdp.net</a>)<br /> - from page images generously made available by<br /> - Internet Archive<br /> - (<a href="https://archive.org">https://archive.org</a>)<br /> - and the Google Books Library Project<br /> - (<a href="https://books.google.com">https://books.google.com</a>)<br /></h4> -<p> </p> -<table border="0" style="background-color: #ccccff;margin: 0 auto;" cellpadding="10"> - <tr> - <td valign="top"> - Note: - </td> - <td> - Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive at - <a href="https://archive.org/details/fromheartofisrae00drac"> - https://archive.org/details/fromheartofisrae00drac</a> - and the Google Books Library Project at - <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=jtlEAQAAMAAJ&hl=en"> - https://books.google.com/books?id=jtlEAQAAMAAJ&hl=en</a> - </td> - </tr> -</table> -<p> </p> -<hr class="full" /> -<p> </p> -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - - -<div id='Frontispiece' class='figcenter id001'> -<img src='images/i_a000.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>THE VILLAGE<br /><br /><span class='right'><em>Frontispiece</em></span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<div class='titlepage'> - -<div> - <h1 class='c001'>From the Heart of Israel<br /> <br /> <span class='xlarge'><em>Jewish Tales and Types</em></span></h1> -</div> - -<div class='figcenter id002'> -<img src='images/i_titlepage.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -</div> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c002'> - <div>BY</div> - <div><span class='xlarge'>Bernard Drachman</span></div> - <div class='c003'><em>Illustrated by</em></div> - <div><span class='large'>A. WARSHAWSKY</span></div> - <div class='c002'>NEW YORK</div> - <div><span class='large'>JAMES POTT & COMPANY</span></div> - <div>1905</div> - </div> -</div> - -</div> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c004'> - <div>Copyright, 1905</div> - <div class='c003'><em>By</em> BERNARD DRACHMAN</div> - </div> -</div> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_iii'>iii</span> - <h2 class='c005'>CONTENTS.</h2> -</div> - -<table class='table0' summary='CONTENTS'> - <tr> - <th class='c006'></th> - <th class='c007'><span class='small'>PAGE</span></th> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Apologia pro Libro Suo</span>,</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Page_v'>v</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>The Village Kehillah</span>,</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Page_1'>1</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='pad'>Nordheim, </span></td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Page_1'>1</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='pad'>Schnorrers, </span></td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Page_28'>28</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='pad'>Gendarmes, </span></td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Page_37'>37</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='pad'>Reb Shemayah and other Nordheim Worthies, </span></td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Page_49'>49</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>The Little Horseradish Woman</span>,</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Page_84'>84</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>The General</span>,</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Page_95'>95</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Too Late, but on Time</span>,</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Page_128'>128</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>The Proselyte of Righteousness</span>,</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Page_142'>142</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Isaac and Alice</span>,</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Page_168'>168</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>The Scissors-Grinder</span>,</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Page_186'>186</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>The Shlemihl</span>,</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Page_211'>211</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>A Victim of Prejudice</span>,</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Page_244'>244</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>The Rabbi’s Game of Cards</span>,</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Page_268'>268</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Glossary of Hebrew and other non-English Terms</span></td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Page_291'>291</a></td> - </tr> -</table> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_v'>v</span> - <h2 class='c005'>APOLOGIA PRO LIBRO SUO</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c008'>“Is Saul also among the prophets?” With -my mental ear I hear thus exclaim those in -whose view the teller of tales stands immeasurably -higher than the rabbi, minister, preacher, -scholar, or whatever else may be called he whose -vocation it is to disseminate Hebrew religion -and wisdom, when they see that one of the latter -class has dared to intrude among those who take -fiction as their exclusive and legitimate field, and -has also ventured before the public with a book -of tales. “What would the priest in the house -of graves (cemetery)?” I hear, on the other -hand, indignantly ask those who deem the wisdom -of the Torah alone worthy of attention, and -who think it degradation and sin to turn away -even for a moment from the study and the -teaching of Holy Writ and the words of the -sages to waste time with the telling of empty -tales. Both agree in their application to the -present case of the Latin and English proverb -“<i><span lang="la" xml:lang="la">Ne sutor ultra crepidam</span></i>” (“Let the shoemaker -stick to his last”); and that they are not -<span class='pageno' id='Page_vi'>vi</span>right is not for the one who is responsible for -the present effort to say, but must be left to the -decision of an impartial public, which will not -fail to tell truthfully whether it has found aught -of pleasure or profit in the stories of Jewish life -hereinafter contained. But it may be permitted -to the writer to say that, in his humble opinion, -both of the criticisms quoted above are based on -erroneous conceptions. The telling of tales is -neither independent of nor contradictory to the -Torah; that is to say, it may be a most excellent -method of inculcating pure and noble lessons, -and has always been used for such purpose by -the great teachers in Israel.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Indeed, the putting before the world of truthful -pictures of Jewish life is in itself a good and -useful work. It is extraordinary, considering -that the Jews have lived in the midst of all civilized -peoples for almost twenty centuries, what -ignorance concerning the teachings of their religion -and their characteristics as a people still -prevails. They have sojourned in the midst of -mankind and have wandered from land to land, -stamped everywhere with the seal of mystery, -looked upon by all not of their creed and kin -as a “peculiar,” enigmatical, incomprehensible -people. The fact that their Book, which most -thoroughly reveals their innermost spirit, has -<span class='pageno' id='Page_vii'>vii</span>become the cherished property of the world, -should have made such misconception impossible; -but it has not done so. Whatever, therefore, -helps to show Jewish life in its true -aspect, to reveal the poetry and the romance, -the sorrow and the wretchedness, but also the -joy and the beauty, the glory and the heroism -of Jewish existence even in the unheroic present, -performs a most useful, truly religious -work. Nothing can do this more effectively -than fiction, which appeals to multitudes to -whom works of formal learning, of profound and -scholarly research, could never find access. -This is the excuse of the writer for departing -for a time from those domains of Jewish learning -which should, perhaps, more properly employ -his energies, and becoming, in a measure, -a rival of those who have in recent years tilled -the field of Jewish fiction. In a ministry now -of many years’ duration he has naturally had -the opportunity of becoming acquainted with -many interesting types of Jewish character, and -with many incidents which speak eloquently of -the trials and tribulations which still form a part -of Jewish experience, of the evils and good -which result therefrom, and of the influence of -Jewish teachings working under such conditions. -It has seemed to him desirable to present -<span class='pageno' id='Page_viii'>viii</span>some of these to the world in this easily -grasped and popular form in order to assist in -the attainment of that comprehension of the -Jews and their life which is so necessary, if they -are ever to cease from their present abnormal -state of mystery and be recognized in their natural -relation to the general life and religion of -mankind. Whether he has performed his task -properly his readers shall judge.</p> - -<div class='lg-container-r'> - <div class='linegroup'> - <div class='group'> - <div class='line'><span class='sc'>The Author.</span></div> - </div> - </div> -</div> - -<div class='lg-container-l'> - <div class='linegroup'> - <div class='group'> - <div class='line'><span class='small'><span class='sc'>New York</span>, Ellul, 5665—September, 1905.</span></div> - </div> - </div> -</div> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_ix'>ix</span> - <h2 class='c005'>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> -</div> - -<table class='table0' summary='LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS'> - <tr> - <th class='c006'></th> - <th class='c007'><span class='small'>PAGE</span></th> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>The Village</span>,</td> - <td class='c007'><em><a href='#Frontispiece'>Frontispiece</a></em></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>The Very Spirit of Sabbath Pervaded the Noiseless Air</span>,</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Spirit'>20</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>There They Sat and Stood, in Various Attitudes, While the Deepening Shadows Made Their Figures Ever Vaguer and More Indistinct</span>,</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Sat'>21</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>They Honored the Community Frequently with Their Visits</span>,</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Community'>28</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Reb. Shemayah and Perla</span>,</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Shemayah'>49</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>The Little Horseradish Woman</span>,</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Horseradish'>84</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>There Is Something Commanding, Something Indefinitely Military and Authoritative About Him</span>,</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Commanding'>96</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>As the Cavalcade Passed a Corner the General Heard a Cry</span>,</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Cavalcade'>111</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>He Was Nothing but a Commonplace, Every-Day Peddler</span>,</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Commonplace'>131</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>A Group of Street-Idlers Were Amusing Themselves at the Plight of a Short, Dark-Complexioned Man Who Stood in Their Midst</span>,</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Idlers'>142</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Nothing Pleased Them Better Than a “Horsey-Back” Ride</span>,</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Horsey'>172</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>The Scissors-Grinder</span>,</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Scissors'>186</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>I Was Left Behind, Gazing Out of the Window at the Funeral Procession</span>,</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Funeral'>196</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>The Man Was a Woe-Begone Specimen of Humanity, with Hungry Eyes Gazing at You Out of a Care-Worn, Furrowed Countenance</span>,</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Specimen'>212</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>It’s Only Because You’re a Jew That You Have Any Trouble</span>,</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Jew'>252</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>The Game Which Ensued Was Highly Interesting</span>,</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#Game'>287</a></td> - </tr> -</table> - -<div class='section ph1'> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c004'> - <div>FROM THE HEART OF ISRAEL.</div> - </div> -</div> - -</div> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_1'>1</span> - <h2 class='c005'>THE VILLAGE KEHILLAH.</h2> -</div> - -<h3 class='c010'><span class='sc'>Nordheim.</span></h3> - -<p class='c011'>Many persons, perhaps the majority of the -readers of a certain kind of Jewish literature at -present in vogue, led astray by the revival and -improper application of the term Ghetto, have -an idea that the great mass of the Jewish people -on the continent of Europe have their habitations -in filthy, noisome slums of the great -cities, and that it is only in such secluded reservations, -away from the contact or observation -of the Gentile, that Judaism in its ancient, traditional -form and pristine vigor, is or can be, -maintained. In the imagination of such persons, -deceived by prejudiced or sensation-seeking -writers, Judaism is a feeble, pale, cellar plant -which leads its anæmic existence in darkness -and slime, but which withers and fades when -exposed to the fresh, strong breeze and the -bright, warm sun of heaven. These notions, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_2'>2</span>however well they may suit the requirements of -ambitious story-tellers, are incorrect both as regards -the alleged facts and the inferences drawn -therefrom. In the greatest part of the civilized -world the Jews are not confined, whether by -compulsion or choice, to particular sections of -the cities, but dwell freely among their Gentile -fellow-citizens everywhere; nor is the law of -Moses forced to flee for refuge to darksome -purlieus, where the humblest and lowliest of -Judah’s strain drag out a wretched existence as -unwilling neighbors of the vicious and the criminal, -but finds multitudes of sincere upholders -and adherents in the high places of the lands -among the happy possessors of what mankind -esteems highest, culture and wealth. In fact, it -is not to the great cities at all that we should -look for the best examples of a living, earnest -Judaism. Scattered broadcast through the Old -World, particularly through the lands of central -and southeastern Europe, may be found to this -day thousands of Jewish communities in villages -and rural towns which are in very truth “wells -of purest Judaism undefiled,” and living refutations -of all the pet theories of the modern -Jewish (?) novelist. Our brethren in those little -rural communities breathe the purest, health-giving -air that nature gives forth over mountain, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_3'>3</span>field, and forest, and have never found in -the keen ozone any faith-destroying, heretical -qualities. They dwell side by side with the -Gentile and meet him continually in all the commercial -and social relations of life, but they have -never found in the free intercourse any dread -influence subversive of Judaic beliefs and practices. -Indeed, few of them are aware, except in -a hazy and indirect manner, that Judaism is in -danger in this modern age of ours. They live -as their ancestors did before them, honest, simple, -earnest, sincere Jewish lives; happy in their -state of moderate wealth or endurable, light-pressing -poverty; keeping their Sabbaths and -their holidays, fasting and feasting in the prescribed -seasons, laying Tephillin on week-days -and eating only permitted food at all times, -giving freely of their means to assist the poor -and afflicted, and accepting misfortune with -resignation as the will of God, and not doubting -but that this Judaism will continue to exist for -all time to come.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Of such a little <em>Kehillah</em> in a German village, -Nordheim, in the Rhön Mountains of Bavaria, -and of some of the quaint and interesting persons -that composed it, my tale shall be.</p> - -<p class='c009'>When, as a child, I made my first studies of -the world around me, one of the objects which -<span class='pageno' id='Page_4'>4</span>chiefly attracted my childish gaze was a picture -which hung on the wall of the parlor of my -home. It was a crude and inartistic picture, -awkward in delineation and barbarous in color; -but it was full of interest to me, for it spoke to -me of a place far across the sea, a place which -oft-told but never wearisome tales had surrounded -with a bright halo of romance, and -which my eager imagination had glorified into -a veritable fairyland; it was a picture of a village -in that Germany which seemed so far away -and so unreal, my mother’s native place, Nordheim -<i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">vor der</span></i> Rhön. These sentiments were -not entirely, nor even mainly, due to the picture -itself, but to the descriptions with which mother -<span lang="iw" xml:lang="iw">ע״ה</span> used to accompany it; for mother dear, God -rest her soul, among her other good qualities, -had a most vivid and emphatic way of impressing -her ideas upon her auditors. She was not -only in loving tenderness and devotion the ideal -of a Jewish parent, but a most charming and -entertaining <i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">raconteuse</span></i>, full to the brim of reminiscences -of her youth, an animated chronicle -of persons and events, and capable of describing -both the humorous and the pathetic in -an inimitably touching and taking manner. In -addition to all this she was a living refutation of -the favorite anti-Semitic calumny, that Jews have -<span class='pageno' id='Page_5'>5</span>no sentiment of patriotism. She cherished in -her heart the warmest and most unquenchable -love for her native land, while her attachment -to the memory of her birthplace, its ties and its -traditions, approached the dignity and sincerity -of a religion. No wonder that from such a stirring -and enthusiastic source I imbibed the liveliest -interest in all that concerned Nordheim -before the Rhön, its inhabitants and its welfare. -I would stand for hours at a time before that -crude little picture on our parlor wall, gazing at -the array of houses with startlingly red roofs -and dazzlingly white walls, at the fields of brilliant -green and the trees with trunks as straight -as ramrods and mathematically elliptical foliage, -and at the tin-soldier-like <em>gendarme</em> whom -the rustic artist, who must have inclined either -to realism or militarism (I could never determine -which) had depicted marching, with -martial air and projecting bayonet, along the -country highway.</p> - -<p class='c009'>But I saw none of these things. My imagination -gazed beyond these externals and saw -the quaint and touching figures of those who -had their abode in this secluded retreat, and I -found myself wondering whether it would ever -be my privilege to see the spot where mother’s -cradle had stood, and to sojourn there where life -<span class='pageno' id='Page_6'>6</span>flowed on in such pure and peaceful and virtuous -channels, far away from the crush and the turmoil, -the evil and the anguish of the great world, -where the peasants were simple, honest folk and -the Jews all faithful to their ancestral religion, -where old age was venerated and childhood -obedient and respectful, where such things as -violating the Sabbath and eating <em>Trefoth</em> were -unknown.</p> - -<p class='c009'>My opportunity came in my twenty-first year. -Circumstances, the nature of which need not be -dilated upon here, made it my privilege to spend -several years in Europe in study. But while I -awaited, in joyous anticipation, the day when I -should enter upon my course at the North German -University and Seminary, at which I was -to prepare for my life’s vocation, it was with an -absorbing interest, I might almost say with a -passionate longing, that I looked forward to -actually seeing Nordheim, and actually knowing -the persons and conditions of which I had heard -and dreamt so much. Never shall I forget the -day when, having crossed the stormy Atlantic -and travelled by train a day and a night southward -from Hamburg, I alighted at Mellrichstadt, -the railroad station nearest to Nordheim—four -English miles—and saw upon the platform, -waiting for me, a pleasant-faced, dark-complexioned -<span class='pageno' id='Page_7'>7</span>youth, whom I had never seen before, and -yet whom I at once recognized, for his features -appeared in more than one counterfeit presentment -in a well-worn family album, over which -I had often pored more than three thousand -miles away. It was Cousin Solomon, and he -had come to the station, having been notified by -letter of my prospective arrival, to meet his -American relative, and to conduct him to Nordheim -and the bosom of his family. Then and -there I recognized the reality and the value of -sentiment. Here were two persons, born in -different and widely separated lands, speaking -different mother tongues and citizens of different -nations, who had never seen each other before; -and yet so powerful were the ties of kinship -and the remembrance of common blood -and a common origin, that they sufficed to -bridge over all that yawning gap of separation -and to bring heart to heart and lip to lip in a -union of truest love and affection. Our recognition -was mutual and instantaneous. We pronounced -each other’s names, fell upon each -other’s necks, and a moment later were chatting -as intimately as though we had met daily during -all our previous lives. Three years long I spent -my summer vacations at Nordheim, and I came -to know and to love it and the surrounding region -<span class='pageno' id='Page_8'>8</span>so well that when the hour of final parting -came, it cost my heart more than one pang and -drew more tears from my eyes than I should -like to confess. What a charming ideal life of -sentiment and pleasure we led there, Cousin -Solomon and I. We seemed to be hovering in -a dream world, far too sweet and beautiful to -be real. We were at once students on a holiday, -friends of nature, children without a shade -of care or anxiety, and sincere, devout worshippers -at the shrine of Israel’s God. We climbed -together the steep and lofty mountains which -abound in that region, and when we had reached -the summit we gazed with delight at the dazzling -panorama spread out before us and inhaled -deep draughts of the pure, cool, health-giving -air. We wandered for hours through the dense -pine forests or undertook long trips on foot to -distant villages or spots that were interesting for -some historical or other reason. Once we made -a long trip, in company with Aunt Caroline, to -the village of Burghauen, on the other side of -the Rhön Mountains, to visit some relatives -there. We travelled in a carriage belonging to -the Duke of Weimar. We had hired it from -the duke’s manager, who was not above turning -an honest penny with his master’s property -when occasion offered. The carriage bore the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_9'>9</span>ducal escutcheon, and our coachman and footman -wore the duke’s livery; and as we rolled -through the various villages in grand style, the -peasants and their wives and children all came -out and made deep and reverent obeisance. I -was quite astounded, but Aunt Caroline and -Cousin Solomon were so amused that they could -hardly keep straight faces. Both they and I -bowed to the right and to the left and answered -the salutations right royally, at which the people -seemed highly gratified.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“What is the reason of all this,” said I (to -whom this unexpected enthusiasm was extremely -puzzling) to Solomon. “Do they make -so much fuss about everybody?” “Why, no!” -said Solomon, laughing heartily. “They recognize -the carriage and the lackeys, and they take -us for members of the ducal family. They -think mamma is the duchess, and you and me -they take for the young dukes.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>But, altogether, everybody was extremely -friendly in Nordheim and vicinity, Jew or Gentile, -peasant, merchant or teacher, acquaintance -or stranger, without exception. It was “<i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">gruesse -Gott</span></i>,” and “<i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">guten Morgen</span></i>,” and “<i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">guten Tag</span></i>,” -and “<i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">lebe wohl</span></i>,” and “<i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">auf Wiedersehen</span></i>,” and -“<i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">schlafe wohl</span></i>,” and “<i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">angenehme Ruhe</span></i>,” and any -number of other kindly and sympathetic -<span class='pageno' id='Page_10'>10</span>phrases, and all said with such evident sincerity -and good intentions as went quite through one -and left one feeling warm and charitable and -kindly disposed toward humanity in general. -And then the eating, so abundant in quantity, -so excellent, and more than satisfying in quality. -At first Aunt Caroline wanted to feed me all -the time. Six or seven times a day she would -spread the table and invite me to partake until -I protested, and by dint of hard pleading induced -her to reduce the number of meals to -four, with an occasional extra bite in between. It -makes my mouth water yet to think of the -“<i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">gefüllte Flanken</span></i>,” and the “<em>gruenkern Suppe</em>,” -and the “<i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">eingelegte Gänsebrüst</span></i>,” and the “<em>Zwiebeltätcher</em>,” -and the “<i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">gesetzte Bohnen</span></i>,” and the -“<i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Shabboskugel</span></i>,” and the thousand and one -other delicacies with which dear Aunt Caroline -used to regale us, and to which healthy appetites -and youth gave a zest compared with which -ambrosia must have been poor. And, oh, the -beer! Such magnificent stuff! So different -from the wretched pretence which we call by -that name in America. I quite lost all my temperance -principles in Nordheim and have never -recovered them since.</p> - -<p class='c009'>But along with this joyous physical life there -went a spiritual life no less joyous and satisfying. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_11'>11</span>We were Jews there in Nordheim. The -Sabbath was a guest whose arrival was looked -forward to with the most eager anticipation, -and which seemed to cast a magic, sacred -glamour over all the Jewish houses in the village, -transforming the prosaic, work-a-day appearance -of persons and things into an aspect -of dignity and holiness. All day long on -Fridays until about an hour before nightfall, a -tremendous bustle of preparation was going on. -Such cleaning and scrubbing and polishing, -such baking and boiling and brewing! It -seemed as though every house was being turned -topsy-turvy. On that day, too, the men folks -came home several hours sooner than usual, and -then there was added the turmoil of the taking of -baths and the polishing of shoes, and the taking -out of clean shirts and Sabbath suits, and dressing -and getting ready. But about an hour -before nightfall all the noise and clamor and -turmoil ceased and Sabbath stillness began to -settle over the village. The quaint old seven-cornered -Sabbath lamps were taken out and the -Jewish housewives lit them, pronouncing at the -same time the prescribed benediction. How -charming and yet impressive Aunt Caroline -looked as she stood with uplifted hands and reverential -mien before the sacred lamp, the Sabbath -<span class='pageno' id='Page_12'>12</span>cap of dainty lace and ribbons surmounting -her refined and regular features of purest -Hebrew type, while from her lips issued in the -holy tongue the words of the benediction, -“Blessed art Thou, O Lord, our God, King of -the universe, who hast sanctified us with Thy -commandments and bidden us light the Sabbath -lamp.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>A half-hour later all were assembled in the -little synagogue, which was filled to the very -last seat, for the Nordheim synagogue was -not built on the American plan. In our progressive -country we build great and imposing -synagogues and temples for the benefit, not -of the people who regularly attend—for them a -very small edifice would suffice—but of those -who pay the Almighty the honor of a visit only -once or twice a year. But the Nordheim synagogue -had accommodations only for its regular -members and attendants, and these were expected -to be in their places on every occasion -of public services. Sometimes somebody would -be missing at service, and then it used to amuse -me to notice with what anxious solicitude inquiry -would be made of his family as to the -cause of his absence. It appeared to be taken -for granted that only illness or some other -equally grave reason could induce any one to be -<span class='pageno' id='Page_13'>13</span>absent from synagogue at time of worship. I -could not refrain from smiling when I thought -how pointless such solicitude would be in -America, where, on the contrary, the question -addressed to any average Jew, should he present -himself in the synagogue on any but two or -three days of the year, would be, “What brings -<em>you</em> to <em>Shool</em> to-day?”</p> - -<p class='c009'>The services in the synagogue at Nordheim -were intensely interesting to me, not, indeed, because -of the artistic rendition of the ritual or the -technical excellence of the singing, but because -of the spirit of devotion and earnestness by which -they were pervaded. I have listened to numbers -of cantors who certainly rank higher in their -profession than the humble individual who acted -in the capacity of village teacher, <em>Chazan</em>, and -<em>Shochet</em> in Nordheim, and the musical performances -of trained and paid choirs are undeniably -superior to the untutored though vociferous -efforts of a rustic congregation. But all these -have something perfunctory and mechanical -about their efforts which deprive them of real -charm and of power to touch and move the -spirit. One remains coldly critical in listening -to them, and judges them solely from the standpoint -of professional ability and artistic merit. -Not so in Nordheim. There was an all-pervading -<span class='pageno' id='Page_14'>14</span>sense of earnestness and reality in the worship -which made one forget the <em>how</em> of the -prayers and hymns and think only of the <em>what</em>. -Faith, deep and firm as the rocks, ingrained -into the very tissue and life of the spirit, looked -forth from those simple, earnest faces, shone -forth from those sincere and expressive eyes. -This spirit gave the familiar ritual an entirely -new vividness and impressiveness. The worshippers -seemed to be speaking directly to their -heavenly Father, and when, at the close of the -<em>Lecho Dodi</em>, the hymn of welcome to the Sabbath, -all rose and faced the entrance, I half expected -to see Queen Sabbath herself, clad in -bridal robes of celestial purity, enter through -the portals of that humble house of God.</p> - -<p class='c009'>The prayers concluded, the worshippers -greeted each other with hearty “Good Shabbos” -salutation and wended their homeward -way. The scenes in the homes were in some -respects even more impressive than in the synagogue. -Uncle Koppel’s house particularly was -resplendent with a blaze of glory. The dining-room, -which also served as parlor and best room, -was brilliantly lighted, and in the midst of the -effulgence shone, with especial radiance, the -Sabbath lamp. The table was covered with a -linen cloth of snowy whiteness and laden with -<span class='pageno' id='Page_15'>15</span>the finest porcelain, glass, and silver that the -household could boast, while at the head of the -table, opposite the seat sacred to the master of -the house, stood the two Sabbath loaves covered -with a beautifully embroidered satin cover; and -at their side the silver <em>Kiddush</em>-beaker and the -decanter, from which the wine of blessing was -to be drawn. Before <em>Kiddush</em> Uncle Koppel -“marched” with the youngest of the children, -and presented a picturesque sight indeed as he -paraded up and down the room, carrying the infant -of the family upon his right arm and leading -the next youngest by his left hand, chanting -meanwhile the hymn of welcome to the Sabbath -angels. Then came the solemn benediction -when the children all presented themselves with -bowed heads before their parents, and were -blessed by them in the words pronounced by -Aaron of old over the tribes of Israel, with an -added invocation in the case of sons that the -Lord might make them like Ephraim and Manasseh, -and of daughters that they might become -like Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah. -Then came Kiddush, and the formal washing of -hands and breaking of bread, and then the Sabbath -meal.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Oh, the pleasure of that Sabbath meal! -Everybody had a magnificent appetite on Friday -<span class='pageno' id='Page_16'>16</span>evening; which was really no wonder, seeing -that every one had worked and hurried all -day in preparation for the holy evening; and -that, in accordance with the religious precept, -no one had eaten any substantial meal all day in -order that he should be able to do justice to the -first meal of the Sabbath. The dishes were various -and all excellent, for they were seasoned -with that finest of spices—the Sabbath—which -gave them a flavor all their own, and which the -most famous <i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">chefs</span></i> of European or American -hotels would strive in vain to rival; but the -<i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">pièce de resistance</span></i> was undoubtedly the fish. -Trout of the finest quality, speckled beauties, -which had only been drawn a few hours before -from the icy waters of some one of the mountain -streams of the Rhön <i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">gebirge</span></i>, they made their -appearance at the table cold, from a sojourn of -several hours in the rock-hewn cellar, which -served the purpose of our modern refrigerators, -and with a sweet-and-sour sauce of the consistency -of jelly. They were consumed with an -avidity which boded ill for their speckled <i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">confrères</span></i> -of the mountain streams and shady pools. -After the meal and the formal pronouncing of -grace, in which all joined with a volume of -sound which attracted the attention of the village -boys in the street outside, each one followed -<span class='pageno' id='Page_17'>17</span>his or her own sweet will. Some conversed, -some read devotional books, some dozed until -the flickering of the lights betokened their approaching -extinction and warned all that the -hour of retiring had arrived. Then with pleasant -“good-night” wishes, each sought the shelter -of his or her couch.</p> - -<p class='c009'>On the morrow the observance of the Sabbath -was continued in a manner worthy of its -inauguration. The morning service, which began -at eight and was over at half-past ten, was -followed by <em>Kiddush</em> and the second of the -three prescribed Sabbath meals. Here the chief -feature was the “<i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">gesetztes Essen</span></i>,” or dishes which -had been cooked on Friday and kept warm in a -special kind of oven known as “<em>Setzöfen</em>,” in -which they were surrounded by a gentle heat -which neither burned nor dried them, until they -were served at the Sabbath meal. Some persons -assert that food cooked a day previous to -being consumed is injurious to the health, but -to judge by the favor in which it was held in -Nordheim, such can hardly be the case. Of -course not all food is capable of being treated in -this manner; but that which is, acquires a special -taste and a mellowness which makes it peculiarly -palatable.</p> - -<p class='c009'>On our Sabbath menu we had “<i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">gesetze Bohnen</span></i>,” -<span class='pageno' id='Page_18'>18</span>the dish of whose glories Heine has sung, -and “<i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Shabbos-Kugel</span></i>,” to whose merits even a -poet could hardly do justice. After dinner -visits were in order. The younger members of -the <em>Mishpochoh</em> went to pay their respects to -their seniors, and the children of the community -called at the various houses without distinction -of relationship and were treated to fruits and -sweetmeats. What impressed me on the part -of the children was their extremely respectful -and bashful behavior, amounting almost to -timidity. They would knock timidly at the -outside door; and on being bidden to enter would -step in on their tip-toes, timidly utter the Sabbath -greeting, and then stand in a row without -opening their mouths until they were told to be -seated. They would not touch anything or do -anything without permission, and when given -fruit or sweetmeats would modestly utter words -of thanks and eat them in silence. Their -actions were typical of the German-Jewish -standard of child behavior. The children who -were old enough to receive tuition were also examined -on the Sabbath in the subjects in which -they had been instructed during the week. -Great was the joy of parents whose son translated -with fluency the <em>Sedrah</em> of the week, and -the capable lad always received his reward in -<span class='pageno' id='Page_19'>19</span>the shape of an extra portion of fruit or sweetmeats.</p> - -<p class='c009'>After the visits and the examinations came -the Sabbath nap. The Sabbath nap! Let -no one speak of it in tones of levity or disrespect, -for it stood in high esteem indeed in -Nordheim and other communities of the same -type. Every one deemed it an absolutely indispensable -feature of correct Sabbath observance; -and though few of the people were learned in -Hebrew lore, yet nearly all were able to quote -in defence of their practice the cabalistic interpretation -that the letters of the word <span lang="iw" xml:lang="iw">שבת</span> (Sabbath) -are equivalent in meaning to the sentence -<span lang="iw" xml:lang="iw"><span class='under'>ש</span>נה <span class='under'>ב</span>שבת <span class='under'>ת</span></span>, which may be parodied as “Sleep -on <em>SaBBath</em>, the heart delighte<em>TH</em>.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Between the hours of 1 and 4 <span class='fss'>P.M.</span>, the Nordheim -<em>Kehillah</em>, to use a heathenish illustration, -lay locked in the arms of Morpheus. On sofas -and beds or in arm-chairs, within the house or -before the doors, the worthy <em>Baale Batim</em>, their -spouses and children slumbered, dozed, and reposed. -The cat slept under the stove, the dog -dozed peacefully before the door, the very horses -and cattle stood motionless as statues within -their stalls and seemed to slumber. It was a -most peaceful, somnolent, soporific scene. Not a -sound disturbed the quiet of the village streets, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_20'>20</span>for the Gentile peasants were all abroad in the -fields. The very spirit of Sabbath pervaded the -noiseless air, and everywhere were rest, repose, -and tranquillity universal. I, too, who had never -been accustomed to sleep by day, could not resist -the drowsy influence of the general example, -and after the first week or two took my -Sabbath nap as regularly as any, and found it -most agreeable. At four all were awake again -and then the third Sabbath meal, which was -usually light, and consisted only of coffee, cake, -and fruit, was partaken of. The congregation -then gathered in the synagogue for afternoon -service, at the conclusion of which the Chazan -“learned <em>Shiur</em>”—that is to say, read to the -assembled auditors extracts from a Hebrew devotional -work, in German translation, accompanying -them with a running commentary of -his own. His diction was poor, his expressions -the reverse of elegant, and his train of thought -in absolute disagreement with most of the pet -theories of the age; but I doubt whether the -most eloquent and scientifically trained of modern -preachers ever had as attentive and sympathetic -a congregation as he. Now came the -charmed time known as “between <em>Minchah</em> and -<em>Maariv</em>,” the period most attractive and pleasing -to the Jewish heart of all the Sabbath day. -As the light of the sun is most beautiful and -glorious just before it sets, so the Sabbath seems -sweetest and most delightful when it is about to -depart. The afternoon prayers and the <em>Shiur</em> -were both concluded; the day was beginning to -grow dark, but almost an hour must still elapse -before the Sabbath would be over and the evening -prayer of the first day might be recited. -Some of the people went for a brief stroll in the -fields; others went into the inn where they were -furnished with beer and other light refreshments -without payment; for the Gentile innkeeper -knew well that the observant Jew bore no -money on his person on the Sabbath day, but -most remained in the synagogue or gathered in -the court-yard before the sacred edifice and -passed the time in pleasant conversation or the -relation of anecdotes. There they sat and -stood, in various attitudes, while the deepening -shadows made their figures ever vaguer and -more indistinct, and enjoyed the freest opportunity -for unrestricted conversation and interchange -of thoughts that all the week afforded.</p> - -<div id='Spirit' class='figcenter id003'> -<img src='images/i_b020x1.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>THE VERY SPIRIT OF SABBATH PERVADED THE NOISELESS AIR<br /><br /><span class='right'><em>Page <a href='#Page_20'>20</a></em></span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<div id='Sat' class='figcenter id003'> -<img src='images/i_b020x3.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>THERE THEY SAT AND STOOD, IN VARIOUS ATTITUDES, WHILE THE DEEPENING SHADOWS MADE THEIR FIGURES EVER VAGUER AND MORE INDISTINCT<br /><br /><span class='right'><em>Page <a href='#Page_21'>21</a></em></span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c009'><span class='pageno' id='Page_21'>21</span>All possible subjects came up for discussion -“between <em>Minchah</em> and <em>Maariv</em>.” The politician -of the Kehillah discoursed learnedly on -the European situation and the various problems -of statecraft involved in the relations of -<span class='pageno' id='Page_22'>22</span>the great Powers to each other, the philosopher -shed the light of his wisdom on the great scientific -movements of the day and the wondrous -inventions which are revolutionizing civilization, -while the Talmudist elucidated knotty -and interesting questions of rabbinical law or -lamented the downfall of religious sentiment in -these evil days and contrasted these with the -unyielding fidelity and loyalty of yore. They -all found attentive and eager listeners, to whom -their words were as the very revelation of the -Urim and Tummim; but they did not arouse -the same degree of enthusiasm as the story-teller. -This accomplished narrator of witty -tales and humorous anecdotes held the hearts -of his auditors in his hands; and when his turn -came and he began to draw upon his apparently -inexhaustible stock of <em>Mesholim</em>, an immense -enthusiasm took possession of the entire audience, -and there was no limit to their enjoyment -of the numberless good points he made. -They were indeed amusing, those tales of impecunious -rabbis, and still more impecunious -<em>Bachurim</em>, of awkward bridegrooms and homely -brides, of witty Poles and scheming <em>Schnorrers</em>. -But they were more. They were instructive, -for they reflected the inner life of the Jewish -people, and showed, even if from a humorous -<span class='pageno' id='Page_23'>23</span>point of view, the many trials and difficulties by -which they were encompassed.</p> - -<p class='c009'>But now the shadows had deepened into night, -and the <em>Shammas</em>, who had the privilege of reading -the service before the rest of the congregation -in order that he might be permitted to perform -the work-a-day task of lighting the lights, interrupted -the pleasant tales of the story-teller by a -brief notification that the time for prayer had -arrived. The evening service was brief, lasting -in all hardly more than a quarter of an hour. -Its chief feature was the <em>Havdoloh</em>, in which the -Chazan pronounced a number of benedictions -over wine, spices, and a peculiar braided wax -candle, and thanked the Lord that He makes -a distinction between light and darkness, between -Sabbath and week-day, and between -Israel and the nations. The service concluded, -the worshippers greeted each other with hearty -“<i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Gut Woch</span></i>” and repaired to their homes, but -not yet to resume work-a-day tasks.</p> - -<p class='c009'>It was an unwritten law in Nordheim that the -Saturday night was not to be given over to labor -or business, except in cases of emergency. The -women were particularly zealous in following -this rule. Instead sociability reigned supreme. -The men indulged in friendly card-play, the -married women sat together in groups and gossiped, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_24'>24</span>the youths and maidens played musical -instruments, sang, and danced. These pleasant -occupations were continued several hours, so -that on Saturday nights the worthy Jewish -burghers retired much later than usual.</p> - -<p class='c009'>The sincerity and thoroughgoing consistency -which marked the observance of the Sabbath -were characteristic of the religious life of the -Nordheim community throughout the year. It -would be inconsistent with the scope of this -sketch to go into all the details of religious life -and practice; but suffice it to say that Jewish -piety, as illustrated in Nordheim, was eminently -earnest, emphatic, and genuine. The very children -possessed the spirit of martyrs. They -would have endured tortures rather than eat -forbidden food or violate the Sabbath or any -other of the holy days. Some of the manifestations -of this piety were quaintly humorous or -pathetic, according to the viewpoint from which -they are regarded. The children of Nordheim, -like children the world over, were very fond of -fruit and berries. Had they been permitted to -go into the orchards and gardens and gather -their sweet products unrestrained, there can be -no doubt that as much would have disappeared -down their throats as they brought home. But -the Nordheim mothers struck upon a shrewd -<span class='pageno' id='Page_25'>25</span>scheme for circumventing the appetites of their -sweet-toothed offspring, which did equal credit -to their ingenuity and their psychological -knowledge. They would send the children to -gather fruits or pick berries upon a fast day. -The plan was as effective as it was beautifully -simple. The children brought home all that -they gathered, for no Jewish child in Nordheim -would have even thought of committing such a -heinous sin as tasting food on a <em>Taanis</em>. Think -of applying such a rule to American children! -It would be about as effective as trying to restrain -a bull with a piece of cotton thread.</p> - -<p class='c009'>It is recorded of a worthy Nordheim <em>Baal -Habbayis</em> that he once saw some flies rise from -his boots and settle upon some hay, which was -later on eaten by his cows. Now that in itself -is a trifling and insignificant incident; but it so -happened that the boots, in accordance with -German village custom, had been smeared with -tallow, which, from the viewpoint of the Jewish -religious law is <em>Trefah</em>—that is, ritually unclean, -and forbidden to be eaten. Our worthy Nordheimer -at once felt himself burdened in his -conscience and despatched a special messenger -post-haste to the rabbi at Gersfeld with an -inquiry as to whether the milk of those cows -might lawfully be drunk. This pious scrupulosity -<span class='pageno' id='Page_26'>26</span>did not, however, as might be thought, -involve any gloomy or dreary harshness of sentiment. -What we are accustomed to call the -Puritanical frame of mind was utterly unknown -in Nordheim. On the contrary, a cheerful and -pleasant disposition, which made the tone of -social intercourse extremely agreeable, was the -all prevalent mood. In individual instances -this mental tendency was emphasized into pronounced -joviality, and the happy possessors -thereof became the “<i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Spass macher</span></i>,” the jesters -and fun-makers of the community. Woe betide -the unfortunate individual who acquired a reputation -for sourness and unsociability. He was -considered a legitimate victim for the gibes and -jests of the official jokers, and small indeed was -the meed of sympathy which he received.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Another instance of the prevailing jocoseness -was the custom of attaching nicknames to persons, -which were then used instead of their -proper appellations. It was rarely that any one -was referred to in Nordheim by his given name, -the nickname being so universally used as almost -to displace the real and legal cognomen. These -nicknames were derived from some personal -characteristic or some peculiarity arising from -vocation or experience in life, which had struck -the village wags as humorous. It was “the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_27'>27</span>black Elias,” or “the long Moses,” or “the bold -Isaac,” or “the gentle Sarah,” the last two appellations -being, of course, mildly ironical. One -individual, who had an undue amount of audacity -in his psychological make-up, was known -as “der <em>Baishan</em>,” that is, “the bashful or timid -one,” while another who had failed in nearly -everything he had undertaken was universally -dubbed “der <em>Mazzeldige Shmuel</em>,” that is, -“lucky Sam.” A family, some remote ancestor -of which had once been imprisoned in a tower -and escaped therefrom by leaping from the window -of his cell, was generally known as “<i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">die -Thurm hüpfer</span></i>,” “the tower-hoppers,” while six -brothers, all of whom were over six feet tall and -stout in proportion, bore the strikingly apposite -designation of “<i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">die Kinderlich</span></i>,” that is, “the -babies.” The swineherd, who called his -charges together by means of a long tin trumpet, -from which he emitted shrill and piercing, -though hardly melodious notes, was styled by -the Jews “<em>der Baal Tokea</em>,” that is, the blower -of the Shofar or ram’s horn trumpet used in the -services of the New Year; while the village constable, -who was an extremely pious Catholic and -always walked around through the village streets -on Sundays with a prayer book in his hand, -from which he read with strait-laced mien and -<span class='pageno' id='Page_28'>28</span>ostentatious devotion, was dubbed “<em>der Baal -Tephillah</em>,” that is, the cantor or reader of the -synagogue services.</p> - -<h3 class='c010'><span class='sc'><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Schnorrers.</span></span></h3> - -<p class='c011'>The two banes of village life and at the same -time the most diverting figures therein were the -<em>Schnorrers</em> and the gendarmes or rural policemen. -The first-named gentry, wandering Jewish -mendicants, who believed in the socialistic -doctrine that the world, or at least that part of -it which professed Judaism, owed them a living, -were a most interesting set and worthy of a special -study in themselves. They honored the -community frequently with their visits. Some -were usually visible in the streets at all seasons -of the year, and the services in the synagogue -were generally graced by the presence of two or -three. In most instances they professed intense -piety and then their <em>Tephillin</em> were larger, their -<em>Talethim</em> longer, and their prayers louder and -more ecstatic than those of the rest of the congregation. -They came from anywhere and -everywhere. Most of them were of Russian or -Polish origin, but there was a goodly sprinkling -of individuals of German birth and occasionally a -Sephardi from Jerusalem or some other Eastern -region, clad in Oriental robes and with a majestic -turban upon his head, relieved the monotony -of Schnorrerdom and added interest and diversity -thereto by his strikingly alien and picturesque -appearance. They came in the most -diverse guises. Some appeared in the rôle of -venerable rabbis with flowing beards, and anxious -to display their learning in the law to -whomsoever they could induce to listen; others -professed to be merchants who had lost their all -in ill-starred commercial ventures; while others -were wandering apprentices—<i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Handwerksburschen</span></i>—temporarily -out of work. Sometimes -they were accompanied by their wives, who were -always more voluble and eloquent than their -husbands. Sometimes an entire family, grandparents, -married sons and daughters and children -of all ages, including infants in arms, made -their appearance and then the resources of -Nordheim charity were severely strained adequately -to provide for them.</p> - -<div id='Community' class='figcenter id003'> -<img src='images/i_b028x1.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>THEY HONORED THE COMMUNITY FREQUENTLY WITH THEIR VISITS<br /><br /><span class='right'><em>Page <a href='#Page_28'>28</a></em></span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c009'><span class='pageno' id='Page_29'>29</span>These Schnorrers were not beggars in the -ordinary sense. They certainly had no humble -or suppliant air. They came into the -house with the air of calling upon old personal -friends, and seemed to think it an entirely -self-understood and axiomatic matter that -their co-religionists should take upon themselves -the duty of caring for their needs. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_30'>30</span>Among them many, no doubt, were genuinely -unfortunate and deserving individuals, but there -was more than a suspicion that a large proportion -had taken up the pursuit of Schnorring as -a peculiarly pleasant and profitable vocation. -Their reliance upon the charitable disposition -of their brethren in faith was well grounded. -The Nordheim Jews were guided by the eminently -humane and noble principle that it is -better that ninety-nine undeserving persons -should be aided than that one deserving person -should be refused the assistance he required; -and, consequently, every applicant for charity, -unless it was positively known that he was -unworthy, received the help he craved. This -help usually took the form of food, lodging, and -some money or clothing. A sort of system prevailed. -The Schnorrer would first call upon -the <em>Parnass</em>, or president of the congregation, -who would then give him a ticket, called <em>Plett</em>, -a corruption of <i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">Billet</span></i>, upon some member of the -congregation, entitling the stranger to food and -lodging. These tickets were issued in rotation, -and were usually cheerfully honored. Some of -the members even had a predilection for entertaining -these destitute brethren, and would rival -each other in the numbers they accommodate. -It was amusing to hear one boast that he had -<span class='pageno' id='Page_31'>31</span>harbored, let us say twenty-seven, Schnorrers -during the year, only to be told by another, -with triumphant mien, that the number of his -non-paying guests had been thirty-five. The -most celebrated hostess of this kind was a widow -named Hannah. This warm-hearted daughter -of Israel strove to fulfil literally the precept of -the sages, “Let the poor be the children of thy -house.” The days were few when her house -did not contain some “<em>guest</em>”; and she would -give him of her best, and wait upon him as -though his presence was the most distinguished -honor. When asked once how it was that she, -although not a woman of means, was always -ready to receive needy strangers, far more so, -indeed, than persons of far greater wealth, Hannah -answered: “Why, that is a very simple -matter. All that one needs is a <em>Lef</em> and a -<em>Loeffel</em>.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Altogether, the mental attitude of the Nordheim -Jews toward their needy and mendicant -co-religionists was very different from that -which prevails to-day; at any rate, in America. -At present the unfortunates who depend -upon the aid of their supposedly sympathetic -brethren are considered a nuisance; an -unsightly excrescence upon the body social to -be abolished by all means, if possible. The -<span class='pageno' id='Page_32'>32</span>wretched applicant for relief is rigidly scrutinized -and interrogated by lynx-eyed committees -until he is made to feel as though he were a -criminal on trial for his life. A domiciliary -visit is paid to his home by some surly “investigator,” -whose efficiency is measured by the -number of unfavorable reports he makes. And -woe betide the miserable one whose habitation -shows some traces of neatness and gentility, -and where some humble ornaments, relics, perhaps, -of happier days, have been suffered to -remain, and have not found their way into the -pawnshop. Such a one is at once declared an -“undeserving case”; for does not his dwelling -show that he is still possessed of means, and his -application is at once summarily and without -mercy rejected. But Nordheim knew nothing -of such uncharitable charity, such inhuman humanity. -The disposition there was truly charitable -in the kindlier, and hence nobler, sense of -the word. Poverty was looked upon as a necessary -and inevitable feature of human existence, -as, indeed, a part of the Divine order of the -world; for had not He said in His law, “The -poor shall not cease from the midst of the land”?</p> - -<p class='c009'>The unfortunates who had been selected by -some mysterious dispensation of Providence to -bear the hard burden of poverty were the objects -<span class='pageno' id='Page_33'>33</span>of real and genuine commiseration, and -every effort was made to alleviate their sad condition. -And if some of them did occasionally -resort to deception or petty misrepresentation -in order to secure a larger benefaction than -would otherwise have fallen to his share, there -was no horror-stricken outcry, no show of virtuous -indignation, such as our high-salaried or -amateur charity experts would indulge in; but -people merely shook their heads, rather pityingly -than otherwise, and would say: “Poor fellow! -he has little enough in this world, God knows. -No wonder that he tried to get a little more.” -Indeed, if the Schnorrer was really a shrewd -fellow and his trick a well-devised one, he was -far more apt to arouse amusement than resentment, -and would actually profit by his nimble -wit. This I saw well illustrated shortly after my -arrival in Nordheim. One day a Schnorrer -presented himself with an expression of utter -woe upon his countenance before Uncle Koppel, -and in heart-breaking accents informed him -that he had just received news that he had -become an <em>Ovel</em>. “Alas, woe is me,” he wailed. -“My poor, dear wife in Poland is dead! What -shall I do without her? Who will care for my -poor, unfortunate orphans? How shall I keep -the <em>Shivah</em> for her, as is due to her memory, I -<span class='pageno' id='Page_34'>34</span>who have no home and no means?” It need -hardly be stated that the sad case of the stricken -widower aroused the most profound sympathy -among the Jews of Nordheim. Uncle Koppel -at once placed his house at the disposal of the -unfortunate man in order that he might properly -observe the seven days of mourning, and -most of the members of the congregation -offered to attend the mourning services morning -and evening. Aunt Caroline looked well -after his comfort, provided him with four or five -square meals daily and a good bed at night. At -the conclusion of the seven days a substantial -purse was made up for his benefit and he departed, -showering blessings upon the heads of -all the Nordheim <em>Kehillah</em>, and vowing that he -would never forget their kindness and their true -spirit of brotherliness.</p> - -<p class='c009'>A few weeks later Uncle Koppel had occasion -to make a trip on business to Römhild, -a somewhat distant town in the grand duchy -of Meiningen. As he never ate dinner when -away on these trips, it was customary to keep -his dinner for him, and all the household would -remain up until his return. It was rather late -before he returned, after nine in the evening. -As soon as he had strode through the door -we all noticed that something unusual had befallen -<span class='pageno' id='Page_35'>35</span>him during the day, and that that something -had been of an amusing nature. His -face was wreathed in smiles and he was silently -chuckling to himself. We all became, of course, -curious to know the cause of his amusement, -but none, except Aunt Caroline, ventured to -ask. “For goodness’ sake, husband,” said she, -“what is the matter? Let us know.” “Give -me my meal first, wife,” said Uncle Koppel. “I -need strength before I can tell you.” All during -the meal Uncle Koppel sat with sides shaking -with ill-suppressed laughter, while curiosity -and impatience consumed us all. At last, his -meal concluded and grace recited, Uncle Koppel -began his story. “I heard something in -Römhild to-day of our Schnorrer,” said he; -“the one who kept Shivah in our house.” “Indeed,” -we all vociferated, “what was it?” “I -called first on Moses Rosenbaum,” he resumed, -“in reference to some cattle that I wished to -buy of him; and after we had finished our business, -he said to me: ‘By the way, Koppel, there -is a very sad case in town at present, and it -would be a real <em>Mitzvah</em> for you to help us a -little in relieving it.’ ‘What is it,’ said I. ‘A -poor man,’ said he, ‘has suddenly received news -that his wife died, and he is so destitute that -he cannot support his orphans without help, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_36'>36</span>or even keep Shivah. We have helped him -some and he has been keeping Shivah in my -house during the week.’ ‘Aha,’ said I, beginning -to smell a rat, ‘this is strange. We had -just such a case in Nordheim a few weeks ago. -I think I shall go over and see your man.’ We -went over to Rosenbaum’s house, and, sure -enough, it was the same fellow. The Shivah-keeping -business in Nordheim had suited him -so well that he was trying it again in another -place. When I saw him I said: ‘My friend, I -believe I have met you before.’ He looked at -me, not in the least abashed, and said: ‘Oh, -yes, in Nordheim, a few weeks ago.’ ‘What do -you mean by this brazen-faced fraud,’ I asked, -‘pretending to have lost your wife and swindling -people into charitable gifts by pretending -to keep Shivah?’ ‘Oh, my good sir,’ said he, -with great pretence of earnestness, ‘it is no -deceit at all. The first time it was a false report. -My wife had not died. But this time -she is really dead, really indeed; and if you -don’t believe me you can go yourself to Pitchichow -in Poland, my native town, and convince -yourself. You can, indeed.’ We all laughed -heartily at the fellow’s impudence, and warning -him to be sure that his wife was dead before he -sat Shivah for her next time, we bade him begone. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_37'>37</span>He went off with great alacrity, evidently -glad that he had fared no worse.”</p> - -<h3 class='c010'><span class='sc'>Gendarmes.</span></h3> - -<p class='c011'>The gendarmes or rural policemen were the -second bane of village life; but while the -Schnorrer was looked on with charitable eye, -for these latter gentry no one had a good word. -They were detested, thoroughly and intensely. -As a rule they well deserved the detestation in -which they were held, for they were pompous, -insufferable individuals, egregiously proud and -conceited because of the little authority they -possessed, and over-eager to display their power; -in a word, petty tyrants of the worst kind. -They were equally hated by Jew and Gentile, -and were not popular even with the judges and -magistrates, who were often liberal-minded gentlemen, -and who knew well the tyrannical disposition -of their rustic retainers. The multiplicity -of laws and regulations in the German -statute book, particularly those referring to -trade and commerce, gave the gendarmes the -much-desired opportunity for the display of -their power; and as the Jews were the chief element -engaged in commercial pursuits, they were -also the chief victims of these rustic arbiters of -weal and woe. To defeat or discomfit a gendarme -<span class='pageno' id='Page_38'>38</span>was a highly meritorious deed, and all -the community rejoiced in concert when one of -these potentates had been made the victim of -some particularly ingenious trick.</p> - -<p class='c009'>An incident which had happened some time -previous to my arrival in Nordheim, and which -all the community were highly enjoying at the -time of my arrival, will illustrate this disposition. -There lived in Nordheim a poor, half-witted Jew -named Meyer, an unfortunate fellow without relatives -or home or means of subsistence, who depended -for his support on the charitable gifts of -the kind-hearted villagers. Despite his mental -infirmity, Meyer possessed, as is not seldom the -case with the weak-minded, quite a stock of -humor; and as he was always cheerful and -pleasant, and was continually doing odd and -amusing things, “Shoteh Meyerle,” or “Little -Meyer the fool,” as he was called, enjoyed considerable -popularity. Everybody, rich and poor, -high and low, Jew and Gentile, knew him well. -Everybody had a friendly greeting for him when -met on the road; nobody, not even the most -unruly boys, would harm him in any way or -permit him to be harmed by others. He had -free access to every house, and enjoyed altogether -liberties and privileges not possessed by -any other member of the community. One day -<span class='pageno' id='Page_39'>39</span>it chanced that Shoteh Meyerle determined, in -accordance with his wont, to visit the adjoining -village of Willmars to obtain some gifts. The -day was hot, the road was long and dusty, and -Meyer soon felt that rest and recuperation -would be agreeable. These could not be had -on the dusty road, and he, therefore, stepped -aside into a field where there was a fine tree, in -whose cool shade he sat him down and reposed. -This act, it is true, was illegal, for the agrarian -regulations of the Bavarian state strictly prohibit -the stepping upon cultivated fields on the -part of others than the proprietors, or those to -whom they give permission. But what recked -Meyer for that; he was, in a measure, above -the law. He could violate the solemn enactments -of the code with impunity, for the light in -which he was viewed by the community enabled -him to say, like a celebrated American politician -of later date, “What’s the Constitution between -friends?” Meyer, therefore, sat him down on -the cultivated field of Farmer Dietrich without -having obtained his formal permission, but without -the least fear of consequences. This time, -however, he was in error. A new gendarme -had recently come to Nordheim, a stranger -from a different region, unacquainted with the -people and their ways, but with a soul longing -<span class='pageno' id='Page_40'>40</span>to acquire distinction by making some brilliant -arrests. His reputation as a surly and churlish -fellow had preceded him, and every one had -scrupulously avoided him and taken particular -care not to come into conflict with any of the -numerous statutes and police regulations; so -that hitherto no one had fallen into his clutches, -and his ambition for distinction had as yet had -no opportunity to be gratified. This particular -morning he was walking along the road, meditating -upon his ill luck (as he considered it), and -cursing the people of Nordheim and vicinity for -an absurdly law-abiding crowd. What especially -grieved him was that no Jew had yet fallen into -his hands, for he was a true anti-Semite; and to -haul up one of the accursed Semites on some -good and heavy charge was incense to his soul. -While thus marching along the highway and -meditating, he beheld a man sitting upon a -stone in a field, whose appearance clearly indicated -that he was not a peasant nor a field -laborer, and who, therefore, had probably no -right to be there. It was, of course, our friend -Meyer; but our doughty gendarme knew him -not, and was not aware of the peculiar status -of immunity which he possessed. “Aha!” -thought the gendarme, his soul filled with joy -at the idea of at last making an arrest. “A -<span class='pageno' id='Page_41'>41</span>law-breaker! Probably a wandering apprentice -(<em>Wandersbursch</em>) or itinerant merchant (<em>Handelsman</em>) -who does not know that I, the zealous -and faithful watchman of the law, am in the -neighborhood, and who has therefore dared to -invade the sacred precincts of the fields! I -must approach cautiously lest he see me while -still afar, and escape.” Thus thinking, he began -cautiously to draw near to the neighborhood -of the suspected violator of the law, slinking -behind bushes and walls so as not to reveal -his presence until he should be in the immediate -vicinity of his intended victim, when he -would pounce upon him as the tiger springs -upon his prey.</p> - -<p class='c009'>But, cunning as the gendarme was, Shoteh -Meyerle was still more cunning. He had seen -the bright uniform and shining musket of the -pompous champion of the law when they first -appeared at the distant turning of the Ostheim -<i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">chaussée</span></i>. He at once understood his intention -when he saw him first pause and afterward -slowly advance, seeking cover behind bushes -and walls and, with the instinctive cunning -of the half-witted, he at once resolved to -baffle his elaborate plan and to have some -sport with his would-be captor. He remained -quietly sitting upon his stone, apparently in -<span class='pageno' id='Page_42'>42</span>entire ignorance of the gendarme’s approach -until just before the latter came into too uncomfortable -proximity, when he arose and -began to move leisurely across the fields in -the direction of the Sommerberg, a forest-crowned -hill situated somewhat to the northeast -of the village. At this the gendarme was compelled -to show himself. He burst forth from -his covering of bushes, leaped upon the field -and called upon the intruder, as he considered -him to be, to stand and submit to arrest. Instead -of doing so, Meyer continued to move on -at a somewhat more rapid pace. To realize the -meaning of this action, one must remember that -in Germany a person when called upon by the -police is expected at once to stand and give -an account of himself, and invariably does so. -Only one who has the gravest of reasons for not -desiring police attention would dare to attempt -to evade them when their attention had once -been called to him.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Our worthy gendarme was now convinced -that he had a dangerous criminal to deal with, -and his soul thrilled with the hope of making -a brilliant arrest; one that would secure him -favorable notice from above, rapid promotion, -and perhaps immortality in the annals of criminalistic -achievement. He shouted to Meyer at -<span class='pageno' id='Page_43'>43</span>the top of his voice to halt, breaking at the same -time into a run and dashing toward him. But -Meyer did not halt. On the contrary, he too -began to run, and was soon speeding over hill -and dale, hotly pursued by the now thoroughly -enraged officer.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Who can fitly describe the terrors and the glories -of that extraordinary race? Meyer was thin -and light and active, possessed of splendid wind -and as fleet as a deer. He led the gendarme -a merry chase, indeed, over hills and down -into valleys, through forests and over brooks, -through corn-fields, meadows, and gardens. -But the gendarme was a strong man and game, -though rather heavy from overmuch eating and -beer-drinking; weighed down with his heavy -musket, and sadly out of condition through lack -of exercise. Filled with rage and determined to -make a prisoner of this extraordinary criminal, -he panted and toiled on in pursuit, despite -weariness and perspiration. Meyer could easily -have distanced him, but had no intention of -doing so; and therefore so controlled his pace -as to remain always in sight of his pursuer, and -not permit the latter to lose hope and give up.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Thus the chase continued until hunter and -hunted, having covered more than four miles of -country, found themselves at the gates of Mellrichstadt, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_44'>44</span>the chief town of the district and the -seat of the district court, which at that time, as -Meyer well knew, was in session. Here, Meyer -pretending to have grown weary, gradually -slackened his pace and permitted himself to be -seized by his panting and perspiration-bathed -pursuer. “Aha, accursed Jew! Aha, thou -rascal!” hoarsely exclaimed the latter, as he -seized Meyer roughly by the collar, “at last I -have thee! Now thou shalt pay bitterly for thy -villainy and thy audacity. I shall drag thee -straight to court, and the honorable judges will -know well how to deal with an audacious -wretch, such as thou art, and who undoubtedly -must have committed some great crime or else -he would not have thus fled from me.” Meyer -vouchsafed no answer and offered no resistance, -but meekly followed the gendarme to the courthouse, -which was but a short distance away; -although the triumphant officer in his wrath at -the unprecedented chase he had been forced to -make, literally dragged him thither in most ungentle -manner.</p> - -<p class='c009'>The district judge, clad in his silken robes -of office, and with his velvet cap upon his -head, was seated at his elevated desk at the -upper end of the court-room, at either side -an assessor, when this remarkable pair, the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_45'>45</span>stout, hot, perspiring gendarme, with face red -as fire, and the comical, well-known figure of -the half-witted Jewish beggar entered the -room, the former holding the latter with an -iron grasp and with an expression of intense excitement -upon his countenance; while the latter -was perfectly cool and self-possessed, and was -smiling all over with an expression of perfect -content, as though a run of four miles and apprehension -by the constabulary were every-day -and quite pleasant experiences in his life. An -interesting case was going on at the time, and -the court-room was crowded with a mixed multitude -of peasants, working-men, Jewish merchants, -and landed proprietors, among whom -the arrival of this singular pair created a lively -sensation, especially as the mischievous propensities -of Shoteh Meyerle were well known and -curiosity was rife as to what he was up to now.</p> - -<p class='c009'>When the gendarme entered the court-room, -he at first hesitated for a moment, being undecided -as to whether he had the right to appear at -once before the judges or not; but the supreme -judge, who knew Shoteh Meyer perfectly well -(as did also the assessors), and was himself consumed -by curiosity concerning the meaning of -this extraordinary arrest, at once signalled him -to advance, which he immediately did. No -<span class='pageno' id='Page_46'>46</span>sooner had the gendarme brought his prisoner -before the bar than the latter made a deep bow -to the court; and, smiling affably at the judges, -said in a voice audible all over the room: -“Good morning, <i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Herr Gerichtshof</span></i>! Good -morning, my <em>Herren Assessoren</em>! How are -you all feeling to-day? I trust you all slept -well last night!” This, in a court-room, extremely -unusual salutation was accompanied by -an extraordinary smirk and a comical flourish -of the arms, and was greeted by an outburst of -hearty laughter on the part of the audience; in -which the judges joined, a proceeding extremely -disconcerting to the gendarme, who detected in -it a note of friendliness to the prisoner, which -he could not understand, but which boded ill for -the success of his charge.</p> - -<p class='c009'>The gendarme was then ordered to tell his -story, and gave the facts with which we are already -familiar, laying particular stress on his -suspicion that the prisoner was guilty of other -grave crimes, based on the desperate manner in -which he had endeavored to avoid arrest. This -story was listened to with evident amusement, -which added greatly to the embarrassment of -the valiant captor, who began to feel very cheap, -though he knew not why.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Meyer was then called upon for his side of the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_47'>47</span>case. “Why, most honored judge and assessors,” -said Meyer, with a most engaging smile -and ingenuous air, “I do not know why I have -been arrested, or why the Herr Gendarme is so -angry with me. I am only a poor, humble man, -and I have never done any one any harm in all -my life. I was resting a little in Farmer Dietrich’s -field this morning, and afterward I took -a little lively run to Mellrichstadt and I saw -the Herr Gendarme a few times on the way. -Hardly had I reached Mellrichstadt when he -fell roughly upon me and dragged me here, and -that is all I know.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“But why were you in Farmer Dietrich’s -field?” asked the supreme judge, trying to -assume a severe air. “Do you not know that -is against the law, and that you make yourself -thereby liable to severe punishment?” “That -may be, your honor,” answered Meyer; “but -I did not think I was doing any wrong. All -the people hereabouts are very kind to me, -and willingly permit me in their fields; and I -thought it would be the same this time as -always.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“But why did you run all the long way -from Nordheim to Mellrichstadt, and in this -hot weather, too?” asked the judge, suppressing -by a great effort his amusement.</p> - -<p class='c009'><span class='pageno' id='Page_48'>48</span>“The reason I did that,” said Meyer, with a -most innocent expression of face, “was for the -benefit of my health. I have been suffering a -great deal lately from constipation, and the doctor -recommended me exercise in the open air.” -This answer was greeted with a shout of laughter -from all sides.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“But,” continued the judge, still endeavoring -to conduct the inquiry in a judicial manner, -“when you saw the gendarme running -after you, you should not have kept on without -noticing him. You should have stopped -to see what he wanted of you. Why did you -not do so?” “I should gladly have done so, -your honor,” said Meyer in a tone of perfect -frankness, “but I did not have the least idea -that he wanted anything of me. I thought that -he, too, was probably suffering from constipation, -and that the doctor had also recommended -him exercise for his health.” This -answer literally “brought down the house.” -Amidst a storm of merriment, which utterly -defied the usual restraints of court discipline, -the case was dismissed and the crestfallen -gendarme was overwhelmed with a flood of -ironical compliments on his zeal as an official -and his ability as a runner. Shoteh Meyerle -was more popular than ever after this incident, -but it was many a day before the gendarme -could muster up courage to look any one in the -face.</p> - -<div id='Shemayah' class='figleft id004'> -<img src='images/i_b048x1a.jpg' alt='Reb. Shemayah' class='ig001' /> -</div> - -<div class='figright id004'> -<img src='images/i_b048x1b.jpg' alt='Perla' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p><span class='right'><em>Page <a href='#Page_49'>49</a></em></span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<div> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_49'>49</span> - <h3 class='c010'><span class='sc'>Reb Shemayah and Other Nordheim Worthies.</span></h3> -</div> - -<p class='c011'>O sweet Nordheim! Though thy inhabitants, -particularly those who professed the -ancient faith of Israel, were but few, how numerous, -comparatively, were those whose characters -for one reason or other were interesting -and noteworthy. Let me pass a few of these in -review before the eye of the reader before I close -this insufficient though veracious chronicle. -Without a doubt the most important and significant -of these persons was Reb Shemayah. -He was my grandfather, although it was not my -privilege to behold him in the flesh, for he had -passed to the better world some years before -my visit to the village. He was a perfect type -of the old-time, sincere, loyal, and devout German -Jew. He was the son of an old family of -high repute and standing, which had been settled -in Nordheim for several centuries; and one -of his ancestors, whose picture appears in an old -village chronicle, had enjoyed the unique distinction -of being the only inhabitant who owned -a saddle horse. Like all the sons of the better -<span class='pageno' id='Page_50'>50</span>class of Jewish families in former generations -he received a thorough training in Hebrew and -Talmudic studies. At the <em>Yeshibah</em> in Fulda, to -which he had been sent to study rabbinic lore, -he attained such distinction by the keenness of -his intellect and the rapidity of his progress -that the venerable rabbi became warmly attached -to him, and declared that he alone should -be his successor and his son-in-law, the husband -of his youngest daughter.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Just as Reb Shemayah was about to attain -the loftiest pinnacle of Jewish ambition in -those days, to become a rabbi and to take as -his wife the beautiful, dark-eyed daughter of the -Fulda Rav, an event occurred which destroyed -his hopes in both these regards, but gave occasion -for the display of his noble idealism. The -Bavarian Government issued a rescript to the -effect that in order to wean Jews from the -petty forms of trading to which they had hitherto -been addicted, and to induce them to take -up agriculture, the law prohibiting Jews from -owning land, which had been in force for centuries, -was repealed, and it would henceforth be -permitted them to own and cultivate land, the -same as all other citizens.</p> - -<p class='c009'>The beneficent intentions of the new law -were evident, but the Jews hesitated to take advantage -<span class='pageno' id='Page_51'>51</span>of it; indeed, they were loath to do so. -The centuries of unfamiliarity with agriculture -were partly to blame for this reluctance; but -then, again, there was also a strong prejudice -against the farmer’s vocation, which was considered -low and rude and far inferior in social value -to that of the merchant or scholar. Reb Shemayah -did not share these views. His soul was -all aflame with enthusiasm when he heard of the -new law which, in his opinion, first put the -stamp of real citizenship upon the Jew. Not -only did he consider agriculture intrinsically -ennobling and the only vocation in consonance -with true Jewish, Biblical precepts, but he also -held that the landed class are the real foundation -of the state, while all others are but -floating parasites. When he saw that his -brethren were hesitating, and that none appeared -willing to purchase land, he determined -to give them a good example and himself became -a tiller of the soil. He invested his whole -fortune in the purchase of a farm near Nordheim, -which he himself began actively to cultivate. -Thus did Reb Shemayah renounce the -rabbinical vocation and become a peasant. It -was a tremendous sacrifice to make; but what -was worse was that he had to renounce his -sweet bride too, for the old Fulda rabbi was obstinate -<span class='pageno' id='Page_52'>52</span>and had no liking for these new things. -“A peasant shall not have my daughter,” he -said; and though Reb Shemayah loved sweet -Miriam well, he loved Israel better, and for the -sake of his ideal he sacrificed a piece of his own -heart. Encouraged by Reb Shemayah’s example, -many other Jews invested in land and endeavored -to learn the art of agriculture; and at -present Jewish tillers of the soil are no longer -rarities.</p> - -<p class='c009'>In the Nordheim community and the entire -surrounding country Reb Shemayah enjoyed -the highest possible reputation. He was universally -loved, respected, revered. And right -well did he deserve his high repute, for a character -of such singular purity, sweetness, and -nobility belongs to the rare things of earth. -He was profoundly and exceptionally devout, -even for those days when piety and religious -strictness were usual and ordinary in Israel. -The Torah, the divine law, he considered God’s -most precious gift to mankind, and Israel’s mission -he held to be to practice this law and to -show its excellence to the world; and by lives -of utmost virtue and beneficence to be <em>mekaddesh -Ha-Shem</em>, <em>i.e.</em>, to sanctify the name, and to -bring honor and glory to Him whose servants -were thus righteous and good. He lived up to -<span class='pageno' id='Page_53'>53</span>his ideal, and his life thus became one long record -of kindly words and noble deeds. Jews and -Gentiles alike had in him a sincere friend and a -trustworthy counsellor, and were equally glad to -seek his wise counsel and ready assistance in -their hour of need or distress. The Schnorrers -had in him a particularly warm sympathizer, so -that, after his death, they lamented that Nordheim, -although charitable beyond the average, -had lost its halo of glory in their eyes. He -always believed any tale of woe told him by a -suppliant stranger and never wearied of assisting, -for the thought of deceit or fraud never -entered his guileless mind. The learned wanderer -had his especial sympathy, and he would -always welcome such a one right royally to his -home and listen with kindliest interest to his -erudite comments on Biblical or Talmudic passages -or new solutions of old difficulties; and -after entertaining him with unstinted generosity, -would dismiss him laden with blessings -in substantial form.</p> - -<p class='c009'>It was not because Reb Shemayah was -wealthy that he was able to do all these things, -by merely sparing a little from his abundance. -On the contrary, he gave thus liberally as a -matter of principle, of religious duty, and his -charitable gifts often involved great sacrifices -<span class='pageno' id='Page_54'>54</span>on his part. During the greater part of his -life he lived in rather straitened circumstances, -and rigid economy was necessarily the strict -rule of his household. His entire fortune had -gone to the purchase of his <i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Bauerngut</span></i>; and -as he was neither a trained agriculturist nor -a keen business man, his finances might have -fallen into great disorder but for the iron rule -he had set up for himself, and from which he -never deviated, never to contract debts which he -could not see his way clear to pay. In addition -to his ordinary difficulties he met with several -misfortunes, which would have sufficed to break -down the courage of an ordinary man; but his -sublime faith enabled him to bear all these trials -cheerfully and resignedly, and, like Rabbi Nahum -of old, he would repeat whenever any tribulation -came upon him: “This also is for -good.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>A striking illustration of this trait was given -after he had been for quite some years actively -engaged in his chosen vocation, had found his -chosen life partner, and had already a family of -several daughters. In the middle of a bitter -winter night a fire suddenly broke out in Reb -Shemayah’s dwelling; and, quickly assuming dimensions -which rendered it impossible to check -it, the family were driven forth half-clad into the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_55'>55</span>icy night. The house was burned to the ground -and hardly anything of its contents was saved, -but the barn had escaped, and there Reb Shemayah -and his nearly frozen wife and family found -refuge. There, too, his wife, Perla by name, -who had for some time been expecting the advent -of a little stranger, gave birth to a beautiful -black-eyed boy, the first male child. It was a -heartrending conjuncture. His home a mass of -smoking ruins in the intense cold of a Bavarian -mountain winter, nothing saved but a few quilts -and articles of clothing, his family huddled together -for refuge in a barn, through the chinks -of whose wooden walls the chill blasts blew -keenly; and most heartrending of all—to see -his dear wife forced to undergo, under such -circumstances, the pains and dangers of childbirth. -It was a situation which would have -broken the courage or destroyed the faith of -another man. But Reb Shemayah lifted his -eyes to heaven, and in all sincerity and truth -uttered the words: “I thank Thee, O Master of -the universe, for Thou art good. With one -hand Thou smitest, but with the other Thou -healest. Thou hast destroyed my habitation, -but Thou hast also fulfilled the prayer of my -heart and given me a son.” And, indeed, the -terror and the suffering were soon over. Kind -<span class='pageno' id='Page_56'>56</span>Jewish neighbors hastened to open their homes -to the afflicted family. Neither mother nor -child was any the worse for the harsh exposure, -and the black-eyed boy became subsequently -the Uncle Koppel, whose hospitality I enjoyed. -If anything in the whole incident distressed -Reb Shemayah keenly, it was the necessity of -accepting, if even temporarily, the assistance of -others. Himself ever ready to assist the needy, -he entertained an intense aversion to receiving -himself such assistance.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Though Reb Shemayah was, as we have seen, -an ethically noble and exalted character, he was -by no means gloomy or austere. On the contrary, -he was natural and unaffected in his ways, -accessible to every one, dearly fond of a joke, -and a capital story-teller. Despite his readiness -to accept as true tales of distress, he was, nevertheless, -an excellent psychologist, and had no -difficulty in thoroughly reading the characters -and motives of those with whom he was thrown -into contact. This ability once enabled him to -baffle an attempt which was made to victimize -and blackmail him, and to turn it into a humorous -triumph for him.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Nordheim, as regards the majority of its -inhabitants, was an intensely Catholic village. -The feasts and fasts of the church were celebrated -<span class='pageno' id='Page_57'>57</span>there with great pomp and unction, and -the numerous religious processions were particularly -solemn and, according to rural standards, -magnificent. In these the Jewish inhabitants, -of course, took no part, and, indeed, -usually remained secluded in their houses during -their continuance. For this there were -several reasons. The Jews being, from the -Catholic standpoint, heretics and unbelievers, -were <i><span lang="la" xml:lang="la">eo ipso</span></i> excluded from participation in -these Christian solemnities; and their presence -in the streets on such occasions was apt, even -in these more tolerant times, to rouse the slumbering -embers of religious animosity and bigotry. -Besides, the Jews themselves, warm -adherents of their own monotheistic creed, -would rather have suffered martyrdom than to -have participated in practices which they looked -upon as closely akin to idolatrous.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Shortly after Reb Shemayah had become a -Nordheim peasant and citizen, the village priest -who happened at the time to be presiding over -the spiritual affairs of the community conceived -what appeared to him a most brilliant idea, by -means of which he believed he could press a -substantial contribution out of the learned and -pious new Jewish householder. A great holiday -of the church was approaching—the indulgent -<span class='pageno' id='Page_58'>58</span>reader will kindly excuse the author for his -ignorance of Catholic theology, which prevents -him from specifically stating which one it was—of -the celebration of which a particularly great -and splendid procession was the leading feature. -In this procession substantially all the Gentile -villagers took part, and at its head a splendid -effigy of the crucified one was borne. The office -of carrying the image was performed by a citizen -especially selected by the priest and burgomaster -conjointly with the council; and to be -chosen for this duty was deemed a high honor, -and was eagerly coveted by the good Christian -burghers of Nordheim. Our priest’s idea was -as follows: The honor of carrying the image -should be bestowed, with flattering words and -honeyed compliments, upon Reb Shemayah as -a prominent and universally respected citizen of -the village. Of course the cunning ecclesiastic -did not seriously mean that Reb Shemayah -should actually perform the office, for it was -entirely out of the question that any Jew, however -worthy, should actually take a leading part -in the solemn ceremonies of the church; but -our worthy theologian knew well that the aversion -of the Jews to participating in such observances -was even greater than the disinclination -of the Christians to permit them so to do, and -<span class='pageno' id='Page_59'>59</span>he had no fear that Reb Shemayah would, under -any circumstances, consent. What he -imagined would happen was that Reb Shemayah, -on being informed of his selection for -the honorable task of image-bearer, would decline -the honor on the ground that his religion -did not permit him to participate in such functions; -and when he would be further informed -that it was not possible for a citizen to refuse an -honor to which he had been duly appointed by -the constituted authorities, would beg and implore -to be let off, and would finally offer a good -round sum to be released. This sum, after various -difficulties and objections, would be graciously -accepted as a mark of special favor, and -thus the little comedy would find a pleasant and -profitable end. Filled with this splendid idea -for “spoiling the Egyptians” this time in the -form of a Hebrew, the priest hastened to the -burgomaster and confided his plan to him. -That worthy, also, not at all averse to having a -little innocent sport and gaining some filthy -lucre from the unbelieving Jew, at once gave -the plan his most hearty approval, and it was -resolved to put it forthwith into execution. -Accordingly Reb Shemayah was astounded that -evening, when sitting in his room resting after -the labors of the day, to hear first a resounding -<span class='pageno' id='Page_60'>60</span>knock with the old-fashioned knocker on his -front door and afterward from the lips of his -Perla, who had gone to answer the summons, -and who returned with an expression of amazement -not unmingled with anxiety upon her -face, the words, “The priest and the burgomaster -are here and desire to see you.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Reb Shemayah at once felt that this visit betokened -something unusual. He had often met -and conversed with the priest and the burgomaster, -singly and together; the one and the other -had also been casually within his four walls, but -neither had ever visited him formally, and this -special visit by the two leading men of the village -together he knew must have some particular -and unusual reason. He at once determined -to reflect ripely on whatever proposition they -should make him, and to act upon it in accordance -with his best judgment and wisdom. He -rose and received them with great politeness; -and after they had seated themselves, in accordance -with his request, he inquired to what he -owed the distinguished honor of their visit. -The priest, in view of the deference due to his -holy calling, acted as spokesman and explained -the mission which had brought them thither.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“We have come, dear Reb Shemayah,” he -said, “as a deputation from the church and secular -<span class='pageno' id='Page_61'>61</span>community of Nordheim, to show you how -free from prejudice or bigotry our village is, and -in particular how greatly we love and honor you. -You know, of course, that it is a fixed rule with -us never to confer any of the honors connected -with the rites and ceremonies of our holy church -upon any one but a true believer, in full communion -with and good standing in the church; -but so greatly do we love and esteem you that -we have resolved for your sake to depart from -this time-honored and otherwise invariable rule, -and to honor you as greatly as we would the -best of our true Christian burghers. We have -therefore come as a delegation to inform you -that you have been selected for the high and -solemn office of bearing the Holy Image at the -great procession of ——mas next, and at the -same time to congratulate you upon this rare -honor, which has never yet been attained by -any Jew.” Reb Shemayah listened to this -smooth speech with external calmness, but with -the most violent internal agitation. The priest -had understood well his true feelings. His very -blood ran cold at the thought of the proffered -<em>honor</em>(?). What! he, the scion of a long line -of martyrs who had died at the stake rather -than prove recreant to the command thundered -forth amid Sinai’s flames, “Thou shalt not -<span class='pageno' id='Page_62'>62</span>make unto thyself any graven image, or any likeness -of anything which is in the heaven above, -or in the earth beneath, or in the waters beneath -the earth; thou shalt not bow down to them -nor worship them”; from whose dying lips had -issued the cry, “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our -God, the Lord is One”—he should march in -the procession of an alien cult and himself bear -an image for the idolatrous adoration of the multitude! -He felt his very soul sicken at the -thought. But his keen mind and his shrewd, -intuitive perception of the fitness of things -helped him out of his difficulty. He missed the -note of sincerity in the priest’s smooth words; -he noticed that neither his demeanor nor that -of his companion, the burgomaster, was exactly -such as is characteristic of persons desiring to -confer honor upon another; besides, he knew -full well how utterly contrary to all Catholic -rule and precedent it was to permit heretics to -participate in church ceremonials, and he could -not conceive that an exception should be made -for him, and in a flash the whole devious machinations -were revealed to him, and he realized -that it was only a cunningly thought-out plot to -extort money from him as the price of exemption. -He resolved to baffle the ingenious -scheme with equal ingenuity, and to give the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_63'>63</span>plotters no opportunity to narrate later on, with -vociferous hilarity, how shrewdly they had victimized -and blackmailed the Jew. His first step -was to express his sense of unworthiness of the -proffered honor. “I feel greatly honored, indeed,” -he said, “by this proof of the esteem in -which my fellow-burghers hold me; but how -can I accept such a distinction? I am only a -young citizen. There are others, older and better -known than I; besides I am not even of -your faith. I am a Jew whom you deem an unbeliever; -and how, then, can I aspire to an -honor which should be conferred only upon a -true and undoubted co-religionist of your own?”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“We have considered these things well, Reb -Shemayah,” said the priest; “and you need not -hesitate to accept the honor on account of them. -If we esteem you so much that we are willing to -overlook them, surely you need not be troubled -on that score at all.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“But surely you know,” said Reb Shemayah, -“that my religion also forbids me to take -part in such ceremonies. Judaism teaches me -that the fundamental ideas which you solemnly -proclaim by your processions and other -such observances are not true; and I may not -lend my countenance to them by participating -personally in services held in recognition and -<span class='pageno' id='Page_64'>64</span>affirmation of them. It is not lawful for me, -as a Jew, to adore an image, or to assist in its -adoration by others. I am sorry; but, while -appreciating, indeed, the high honor you would -bestow upon me, I feel that I must decline it -as not suitable to one of my faith.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“My dear Reb Shemayah,” said the priest in a -somewhat harsher manner, while the burgomaster -sustained him with a threatening shake of -the head, “I am sorry to hear you speak thus. -Permit me to say that your words are displeasing, -not to say offensive. To decline on such -grounds the distinguished honor offered you is -to scoff at our holy faith; is, indeed, to insult -our entire Christian community here in Nordheim. -Furthermore, let me remind you that it -is a matter of civic obligation, and that it is not -feasible for a citizen to decline the honors or -refuse the functions which the community may -see fit to confer upon him. If such were permitted, -our civic honors might go begging and -all authority would fall into contempt. You -have been selected, as an honored citizen, to -take a leading part in a great public ceremony, -and it is expected that as a loyal burgher you -will overlook your religious scruples and perform -your public duty. Both as a Jew, who -needs to live in peace with the inhabitants of -<span class='pageno' id='Page_65'>65</span>other faiths, and as a true citizen of this community, -we expect, nay we insist, that you will -at once declare your willingness to perform the -duty assigned to you by the constituted authorities -of the community.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>These words made a deep and evident impression -upon Reb Shemayah. He was visibly -agitated. The choice the priest had given -him was a hard one. Either recreancy to his so -ardently loved faith, or the disfavor of his fellow-townsmen, -and perhaps punishment as a scoffer -at the established religion, or a contumacious -rejector of civic honors.</p> - -<p class='c009'>The priest and burgomaster gazed at him -with triumphant eyes, thinking in their hearts -that now they had the Jew on his knees, and -that presently he would be begging and pleading -for mercy, and offering to do anything or -give any amount if only they would release -him from the dreaded and abhorred “honor.” -The priest was already considering the amount -he should ask as the condition of release; and -the burgomaster, foreseeing that the unselfish (?) -disciple of other-worldliness would want the -lion’s share, was resolving in his mind that he -would insist on a fair and equitable division of -the spoils, share and share alike. But Reb Shemayah -had prepared a little surprise for them.</p> - -<p class='c009'><span class='pageno' id='Page_66'>66</span>“Your reverence,” he said when the priest had -concluded his remarks, “I beg your pardon for -my hasty words, uttered without a true comprehension -of the importance of the privilege bestowed -upon me. Your lucid explanation has -fully convinced me that I was in the wrong. I -see now that it is my duty as a good citizen to -accept with gratitude any duty which the community -may assign to me, even if it does not -agree with my religion. I accept, therefore, the -honor you have conferred upon me, and I desire -you to express my thanks to the worthy councilmen -for the high privilege which I have received -at their hands.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>It was the turn now of the priest and the -burgomaster to be agitated. They could hardly -believe their ears. Reb Shemayah, the Jew, the -heretic, to be the leading figure in the great——mas -procession! The thought was horrifying. -They realized that their brilliant plan -had failed, that the Jew had triumphed, that -they had gotten themselves into a pretty pickle -out of which they would have vast trouble to -extricate themselves; for, of course, Reb Shemayah -had not been really invited by the -councilmen, and the matter had never been -even broached to them by the cunning schemers. -They were beaten, disconcerted, crushed. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_67'>67</span>Worst of all, they had to dissemble, to pretend -that they were delighted.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Do I understand you, then, Reb Shemayah,” -said the priest, suppressing by a great effort his -discomfiture, and forcing his countenance to assume -a pleased expression, “you are willing to -accept the honor and will bear the image at the -procession?” “Yes, your reverence,” answered -Reb Shemayah. “Your eloquence has convinced -me and induced me to do so.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Such being the case,” answered the priest, -“we may consider the matter settled and will -now bid you good-by.” The priest and burgomaster -thereupon took their departure. When -they were gone, the members of Reb Shemayah’s -household, who had heard with amazement, -not unmixed with horror, his declaration -of willingness to bear the image, besieged him -with questions as to how it was possible for him -to think of such a thing. But Reb Shemayah -only smiled and answered not a word. In the -meanwhile the priest and the burgomaster had a -heated and angry discussion. Each blamed the -other for the extremely embarrassing position in -which they were placed; but the priest smarted -most under the reproaches of his colleague in iniquity, -for the fact was indisputable that the plot -had originated with him, and it was particularly -<span class='pageno' id='Page_68'>68</span>mortifying to him, as a man of presumably superior -wisdom, to have committed such an egregious -blunder, and to be in danger of ignominious -exposure. The upshot of their debate was that -Reb Shemayah must be induced to change his -mind and withdraw his acceptance of the impossible -honor which they had tendered him, and -that knowledge of their scheme, and the manner -in which it had been frustrated, must be kept -from the councilmen and the people in general.</p> - -<p class='c009'>But who should undertake the difficult and -unpleasant task of undeceiving Reb Shemayah, -a task which, they clearly foresaw, would involve -confession of their guilty purpose and practically -throwing themselves on the mercy of the Jew, -whom they had deliberately plotted to torture -and plunder, and who had so cleverly turned the -tables upon them? Each desired the other to -undertake the disagreeable mission; but finally -the burgomaster yielded to the urgent pleadings -of the humiliated cleric and consented to visit -Reb Shemayah and endeavor to alter his unexpected -resolution. Accordingly at a very early -hour the following morning—the burgomaster -called intentionally so early in order to forestall -any attempt of Reb Shemayah to disseminate -the news of the distinction he had received—the -burgomaster appeared again in Reb Shemayah’s -<span class='pageno' id='Page_69'>69</span>dwelling. Our friend was not in the least surprised -to see the burgomaster; in fact, he had -expected that either he or the priest would appear, -but expressed, as in duty bound, great -astonishment at his early visit.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“To what do I owe the honor of this very -early call, good friend burgomaster?” he said, -with voice and countenance expressive of surprise. -“Is there any other service, perhaps, -which the community requires of me?”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“No, good friend Shemayah,” said the burgomaster, -with halting voice and embarrassed manner; -for, in good truth, he felt very cheap indeed. -“In fact, I have come to tell you that his reverence, -the priest, and I discussed the matter of -your acting as image-bearer on our way back -from your house last evening, and we came to -the conclusion that we had not given enough -consideration to your Jewish prejudices; and -that we really ought not to insist on your performing -an act which is against your conscience. -I have, therefore, come to tell you that you are -released from the function for which we had selected -you, and that you need not act as image-bearer.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Aha,” thought Reb Shemayah, “so this is -the direction from which the wind blows! Well, -you shall not get off so easy. You and your -<span class='pageno' id='Page_70'>70</span>reverend companion must first be taught a little -lesson of consideration for the feelings of others, -and be discouraged from similar financial ventures -in the future.” Then he spoke aloud and -in a tone of the utmost courtesy and deference -to the burgomaster. “I thank you, most worthy -burgomaster, for the delicacy and consideration -for my conscientious scruples which your words -display, and which are no doubt felt also by his -reverence, the priest. But I have also reflected -well on the matter, and I shall ask no special -privilege as a Jew. As his reverence so well explained -last night, it is a matter of civic obligation; -and I do not wish, as a Jew, to shirk -any civic duty, or to have it said that my co-religionists -are unwilling to perform any task -which the state imposes upon them. I do not -ask, therefore, for any exemption, but shall -cheerfully perform the task assigned me, and -appreciate greatly the honor which I have received -in being selected for such a function.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>The face of our worthy burgomaster was a -sight to behold during the delivery of these -words, and his feelings would beggar description. -He was a picture of limp despair, of utter dismay -and dejection. He saw clearly that there -was no other escape from the predicament than -to make a clean breast of it, which he accordingly -<span class='pageno' id='Page_71'>71</span>resolved to do. It is unnecessary to enter here -into all the details of conversation, to repeat the -faltering words of the confused and embarrassed -burgomaster, and the indignant outbursts of -virtuous wrath on the part of Reb Shemayah. -Suffice it to say, that the burgomaster made an -abject confession of the whole despicable plot, -and begged Reb Shemayah to have consideration -with him and his companion in guilt and -not bring disgrace on them both; which Reb -Shemayah, after his first outburst of wrath had -subsided, consented to do, but only on condition -that the priest, as the instigator of the plot, -should visit him and personally ask his pardon.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Both conspirators were glad enough to settle -the affair in this way. The priest appeared -before Reb Shemayah the following evening -with an humble apology, which the latter accepted, -but not until he had read the abashed -cleric a good lesson on the moral aspects of the -priestly vocation, and on the duty of respecting -the feelings and scruples of those who do not -think as we do. Nothing ever became officially -known of the episode, but the facts leaked out -somehow, as facts of this kind have a way of doing, -and became the common talk of the village -for a considerable time. The incident caused -Reb Shemayah to be looked upon in a somewhat -<span class='pageno' id='Page_72'>72</span>different light than hitherto. He had previously -enjoyed the reputation of rectitude and -piety; after this he acquired a name for shrewdness -and wit, so that the phrases, “shrewd as -Reb Shemayah,” “sharp as Reb Shemayah” -vied in popularity in Nordheimer speech with -the other phrases, “good as Reb Shemayah” -and “pious as Reb Shemayah.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>And thus this good and noble man lived his -allotted tale of years in his rustic home, respected -and loved; yes, revered by all. As the -French king said, “<i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">L’Etat, c’est moi</span></i>,” so Reb -Shemayah could have said had he been egotistical -enough to have thought of such a thing, -“The Nordheim <em>Kehillah</em>; I am it.” He was -the one dominant, overshadowing figure in the -whole Nordheim community; so that Nordheim -became known as the place where Reb Shemayah -lived. And Nordheim people, when away -from home and stating whence they came, would -often hear in comment the words, “Oh, that is -where Reb Shemayah lives.” Some of the less -appreciative members of the congregation resented -slightly this preëminence, which was -shared by no one except Reb Shemayah’s excellent -wife, Perla. Indeed, the story-teller of -the congregation, who was also the communal -wag and humorist, suggested that as Reb Shemayah -<span class='pageno' id='Page_73'>73</span>was equivalent to the whole <em>Kehillah</em>, the -text of the <em>Yekum Purkan</em> prayer, in which the -blessings of heaven are implored on Sabbath -mornings for the congregation, should be altered -so as to restrict the benediction to Reb Shemayah -and his worthy spouse. He actually proposed -a new wording with that purpose in view, -which, as it is not devoid of a certain wit and -may be interesting to those acquainted with the -synagogue ritual, I shall not refrain from giving -in this place.</p> - -<div class='lg-container-b c012'> - <div class='linegroup'> - <div class='group'> - <div class='line'><em>Yekum purkan min Shemaya</em></div> - <div class='line'><em>Für die Perla und Reb Shemayah</em></div> - <div class='line'><em>In Nordheim vor der Rhön,</em></div> - <div class='line'><em>Ve-Nomar Omain.</em></div> - </div> - </div> -</div> - -<p class='c009'>Translated, this composition, a <i><span lang="la" xml:lang="la">mixtum compositum</span></i> -of Chaldaic and Jewish-German, runs -thus:</p> - -<div class='lg-container-b c012'> - <div class='linegroup'> - <div class='group'> - <div class='line'>My salvation arise from heaven,</div> - <div class='line'>For Perla and Reb Shemayah,</div> - <div class='line'>In Nordheim before the Rhön,</div> - <div class='line'>And let us say, Amen.</div> - </div> - </div> -</div> - -<p class='c009'>But these rebellious murmurings did not dim -even in the slightest degree the brilliant radiance -of Reb Shemayah’s reputation for learning, -piety, and benevolence. Ably seconded by -his beloved Perla, who was on her part also -a model of olden Jewish wifely virtues, God-fearing, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_74'>74</span>modest, hard working, and tenderhearted, -and who suffered from lack of recognition -solely through being eclipsed by the -incomparable and exceptional merit of her -husband, he maintained an ideal home in which -the traditional principles of patriarchal authority -and filial devotion, of strictness tempered by -gentleness and love, and of constant inculcation -of lofty ethical precepts were undeviatingly -maintained. And when this gentle and truly -pious pair were laid away to rest—as they were -within a few brief days of each other—in the little -Eternal House in Willmars on the other side -of the hill, tears flowed from the eyes of the -many hundreds who had followed them to their -last resting-place; and all felt that the words of -the rabbis in the Talmud were but too true: -“When the truly righteous are departed from a -place, gone is its glory, gone its radiance, gone -its splendor.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Yes, Reb Shemayah was the crowning glory -of Nordheim’s history, his life-time the golden -age in the pages of its annals. And therefore -we shall glance but briefly at some of the other -whimsical or touching figures that lived and -moved and had their being within its ancient -walls. There was old Eliezer, who was always -praying, because he thought it a sinful misuse -<span class='pageno' id='Page_75'>75</span>of human speech to apply it to any other use -than to the worship of the Maker. He always -restricted his worldly remarks to the briefest -possible compass, and was never known to -grow angry at any one except on one occasion. -Then it was the writer’s sainted mother, -at the time a little girl of a lively and humorous -disposition, who had the misfortune to arouse -his ire, and even to receive a slap from his holy -hand. That happened in this wise. Eliezer -had no sons, but two daughters who bore the -appellations respectively of Simchah and -Glueck, the signification whereof in the English -idiom is “joy” and “good fortune.” These -two daughters, contrary to the usual lot of the -Jewish maidens of Nordheim, remained unmarried -for a long time, so that at last they entered -into that state most hateful even to-day in our -age of “bachelor girls,” but doubly hateful then, -old maidenhood. Finally Simchah succeeded -in becoming betrothed to a very worthy man. -Eliezer was overjoyed; but Glueck, although -outwardly joyous, was, naturally enough, more -than a little jealous and displeased. At this -juncture mother, peace to her soul, chanced to -meet old Eliezer when returning from the synagogue, -where the happy event had been announced -and the young couple duly blessed and, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_76'>76</span>yielding to a momentary mischievous impulse, -accosted him thus: “<em>Mazzol tov</em>, Eliezer! I -suppose your Glueck must have a great <em>Simchah</em> -that your Simchah has such a <i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Glueck</span></i>.” -The joke was good; but Eliezer did not appreciate -humor, and a slap was the reward of this -humorous effort. Eliezer not only spoke little -at any time, but on Sabbath he eschewed the -vulgar vernacular altogether and would only -speak Hebrew, which language he alone considered -suitable, as the holy tongue for the holy -day. But as he was anything but a Hebrew -scholar, the results of his efforts at restoring -to colloquial use the idiom of ancient Canaan -I will leave to the imagination of the -reader.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Then there was Asher, the <em>Chazan</em>, who was -not really the Chazan or official precentor of the -synagogue, but a hard-working merchant in a -small way, who supported himself and his family -by untiring and unceasing labor and industry, -but who was called Chazan because of his remarkable -knowledge of the traditional melodies -of the German-Jewish ritual. These melodies -he could chant with much skill and a pleasant -voice; and his rendition of the services was so -well liked by the members of the congregation -that they did not hesitate to say that Asher -<span class='pageno' id='Page_77'>77</span>“was a better Chazan than the Chazan.” Asher -was a pleasant and friendly individual altogether; -but if one wished to gain his particular -and undying gratitude, there was no better way -of doing so than by communicating to him some -new <em>niggun</em> or Hebrew melody. It was my -good fortune to communicate to him some of -the more modern synagogue chants which I had -heard in America, and which he, in his isolated -village life, had never had occasion to hear; and -I do not doubt but he remembers me gratefully -to this day. Asher and his two brothers were -<em>Cohanim</em>—that is to say, of Aaronitic or priestly -descent. As such it was their prerogative, and -that of their sons, to pronounce the threefold -benediction over the congregation on holidays; -and it was touching, indeed, to listen to their -solemn and melodious rendition of the ancient -chant, and to notice the dignity and earnestness -with which they prepared to perform their traditional -function. To gaze at them while chanting -the benediction was not permitted.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Then there was Isaac, the <em>Schlemihl</em>, a well-meaning, -earnest struggler, but a perfect type -of the <em>Schlemihl</em> or Jewish ne’er-do-well, upon -whose undertakings no blessing ever seemed to -descend. He worked harder, probably, than any -three other members of the Kehillah; but in his -<span class='pageno' id='Page_78'>78</span>hands the fairest projects seemed to receive a -blight, and the most promising business ventures -turned to wormwood and ashes, to apples -of Sodom and grapes of bitterness. But the -Schlemihl, perfectly useless though he was to -himself and his family, had one very evident -purpose in the scheme of life, namely, to open -the hearts of his brethren to impulses of kindness -and benevolence. They certainly acted -toward him in the most sympathetic and -brotherly manner, and permitted neither him -nor his family to suffer. At the time of my -arrival in Nordheim, Isaac had just managed, -through one of his usual transactions, to lose all -he had, and to have his house, which he had -received as part of the dowry of his wife, seized -in satisfaction of his debts. But the Nordheim -Kehillah, assisted by some benevolent friends -from other places, paid off his debts, redeemed -the house, and furnished him with a certain -amount of capital with which to begin life anew. -For safety’s sake the Kehillah retained the title -in the house; for, as Uncle Koppel said to me -in confidence, “We might otherwise have to -buy the house every year.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>A peculiarly interesting character was David -the horse-dealer, a jovial, hale fellow, handsome -too, and tall and strong as a lion, a very -<span class='pageno' id='Page_79'>79</span>“mighty man in Israel.” He was a stanch -friend and reliable, and could be depended -upon to go through thick and thin for one who -had once gained his friendship. But David -had one weakness, not unnatural, perhaps, in -those of his vocation. He knew no scruples -of conscience in regard to transactions in horseflesh; -and some of his achievements in that -line had been, if report spoke truly, to say the -least, extremely venturesome. Thus he was -credited with having once sold a Prussian major -who prided himself on his expert knowledge of -the equine species, a horse with only three -hoofs. The manner in which David was said -to have done the trick was as follows: The deal -took place in midwinter, when the ground was -covered with snow to the depth of a foot or -more. The horse was a fine animal, coal black -and of handsome form, except that the left front -hoof was lacking. David led the horse out of -the stable; and as it stood in the deep snow -before the Prussian major, who was critically -examining it through his eyeglasses, the absence -of the hoof was not noticeable. He then put it -through its paces, cracking his whip furiously, -so that the horse leaped and dashed in a most -fiery manner, and the absence of the hoof was -again not noticeable. The major was charmed -<span class='pageno' id='Page_80'>80</span>with the fire and grace of the animal, bought -and paid for it at once, and ordered it to be sent -to his quarters. It is said that the major was -furious later, not so much on account of the -money loss, but because he, the expert, had -been so neatly duped, and because he had no -legal remedy against David. Had David put a -false hoof in place of the lacking member, he -would have been liable to a heavy penalty for -fraud; but he had not done so, and had made -no false representation. And therefore the -major not only had no case against him, but -could not even demand the cancellation of the -sale. Thus the story for whose veracity I will -not guarantee. But, however weak David’s -conscience may have been in matters of horsetrading, -his conduct otherwise merited no reproach -and he was well liked.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Many were the estimable and lovable characters -in Nordheim’s Kehillah, and I cannot attempt -to describe or even mention them all. -Of Uncle Koppel and Aunt Caroline I have -already spoken. Uncle Koppel was a typical -Jewish <em>Baal-Ha-Bayith</em>, or householder, a -business man of probity, whose word was as -good as his bond, a faithful worshipper at the -altar of Israel’s God, and a worthy upholder, -by character, if not by learning, of the reputation -<span class='pageno' id='Page_81'>81</span>of Reb Shemayah, his father. Aunt -Caroline was a true mother in Israel, loyal, -conscientious, and devout. Their able sons -and charming dark-eyed daughters were imbued -with their spirit, and together they formed -an ideal household. Nor must I forget Aunt -Gella, the only other child of Reb Shemayah -who had remained in the native village, a -woman of noble parts, who, had her lot been cast -somewhere else in the great world, might have -played an important part in history. Her noble -brow, which emerged so modestly from the recesses -of her <i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Scheitel</span></i> and her mild and clear -blue eyes, showed her the possessor of a strong -and well-developed intellect; and her wise and -well-considered conversation showed that the -reality corresponded to the indications. Her -heart was as warm and good and her spirit as -firm and courageous as her mind was keen and -clear; and she was, so to speak, the combined -oracle and Lady Bountiful of the village. Was -any female or, for that matter, any male villager -in trouble, in want of counsel or help, she or he -would direct her or his steps to the neat cottage -in the Long Street where dwelt Aunt Gella, and -there would find counsel or comfort, or whatever -help was required. A plague of dysentery -came once upon the village, and then it was -<span class='pageno' id='Page_82'>82</span>that Aunt Gella showed herself the veritable -angel of help. While it continued she hardly -ate or drank or slept or changed her clothes. -She worked with tireless energy at her mission -of mercy, going from house to house among the -afflicted ones, bringing the right medicine to -one, the right food to the other, and money to -the third. Dear Aunt Gella: methinks I see -her sweet, mild face now, and hear the words of -blessing with which peasant and Jew mentioned -her name. And besides those whom I have -mentioned, there were dozens of householders -in which piety, probity, and loving kindness -were the constantly practised rule of life.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Yes, Nordheim, I loved thee well, and I love -thy memory. I loved thee for thy simplicity, -for thy natural goodness, for the true and unpretentious -way in which thou didst lay stress upon -that which is pure and noble, and didst reject -that which is base and vile in human life; for -the picture which thou didst show me of the -beautifying and sanctifying effect of a simple, -sincere, and honest Judaism, simply and sincerely -lived. Thou wast one of the forces -which did lead me to love and uphold the -Torah, and to cleave to the faith which my and -thy ancestors received at Sinai from Sinai’s -God.</p> - -<p class='c009'><span class='pageno' id='Page_83'>83</span>Oh, that this tale of thee might work likewise -upon the hearts of others like me, children of -an unbelieving and irreverent age, and stir them -to love for Israel’s God and devotion to Israel’s -sacred heritage!</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_84'>84</span> - <h2 class='c005'>THE LITTLE HORSERADISH WOMAN.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c008'>How many of my readers know the little -horseradish woman? Many, I have no doubt, -are more or less acquainted with her; and those -who are not can make her acquaintance without -any difficulty. Almost any afternoon and late -into the evening, except on Sabbaths or Jewish -holidays, she may be found at her post in one of -the blocks of upper Third Avenue, New York, -standing behind her improvised little table, industriously -rubbing away at her acrid merchandise, -with only occasional pauses to wipe away -with the corner of her snow-white apron the tears -which her lachrymose occupation forces from her -eyes, or to give customers extraordinarily liberal -portions of her finished product. The size of -the portions she sells is quite astonishing to the -customer; but the little horseradish woman is -scrupulously honest in matters of weight and -measure, of mine and thine, and would not -think of giving less.</p> - -<div id='Horseradish' class='figcenter id003'> -<img src='images/i_b084x1.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>THE LITTLE HORSERADISH WOMAN<br /><br /><span class='right'><em>Page <a href='#Page_84'>84</a></em></span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c009'><span class='pageno' id='Page_85'>85</span>Her tears, too, are quite remarkable. Indeed, -I believe that horseradish tears have not been -appreciated as they should be, for they are a -species entirely <em>sui generis</em>, and not to be confused -with any other tears that are shed on -earth. Ordinary, every-day tears indicate sorrow -and produce weakness; crocodile tears indicate -hypocrisy and produce disgust; but horseradish -tears are born of industry, and their -offspring are energy and good-humor. Such, -at least, is the case with our little horseradish -woman; for, no sooner has she wiped away one -of her periodical outbursts of tears, than she -begins to rub away again with the utmost -energy and the best humor in the world. My -observation of the tears the horseradish woman -sheds has made me their confirmed admirer. -I have no liking for the lachrymose ebullitions -of love-lorn maidens, of snivelling swains, or of -wheezing or wheedling Pecksniffs. Give me -horseradish tears; they are the honestest, -cheerfullest—I had almost said—manliest tears -in the world.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Our horseradish woman is known by various -names. Some call her “the old Rebecca”; -others, desiring to speak more formally or respectfully, -refer to her as “old Mrs. Levy”; -but the appellation by which she is most widely -and popularly known is <i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">das Meerrettich Weible</span></i>—the -little horseradish woman. It makes no -<span class='pageno' id='Page_86'>86</span>difference, however, by what designation she is -known, she is popular under them all; for the -little horseradish woman is liked. Some like -her for her courage in toiling so constantly and -industriously, and supporting herself at her advanced -age; others like her because of her -unfailing cheeriness and good-humor; others, -again, because of her simple, trustful faith and -earnest piety, for the little horseradish woman -is more than usually religious, and is to be found -in the synagogue, not only on Sabbaths and -holidays, but also at the early morning and -evening services on week-days, and is one of the -most attentive listeners to the rabbi when he -expounds the Sedrah on Sabbath mornings, or -“learns Shiur” on Sabbath afternoons or week-day -evenings.</p> - -<p class='c009'>It is a truly pleasing picture which the little -horseradish woman presents when she stands -at her post ready for business. Her regular -and refined features, of the familiar Jewish type, -are, it is true, worn and wrinkled, and the hair -which peeps out from under the cloth band and -the old-fashioned bonnet which surmount her -head is whitened by the seventy or more winters -which have passed over her; but the light -of intelligence, of benevolence, and of pure and -refined sentiments shines in her countenance -<span class='pageno' id='Page_87'>87</span>and makes it singularly attractive. Her clothing -is of the plainest. She wears a dress of -some simple, dark material and over it a long, -white apron; but no patch, tear, nor stain is -visible anywhere, and we feel instinctively that -we have before us a person who, though in humble, -even lowly circumstances, is naturally and -intrinsically refined.</p> - -<p class='c009'>But as yet we do not know the little horseradish -woman. It is only upon entering into conversation -with her that we really find out what -she is, and a great surprise awaits us then. For -this poor, little, old woman who stands upon -the street in all weather and seasons, and toils -so hard to earn a few cents by the sale of her -commodity, comes of excellent family, has had, -for her time, an exceptionally good training, and -is, in some respects, a remarkably well-educated -woman.</p> - -<p class='c009'>She was born as the daughter of a rabbi in a -small provincial city of Germany, and her father, -besides instilling into her soul the seeds of fervent -Hebraic piety, saw to it that she received -a thorough secular and religious training. As a -consequence her manners are those of polite -and well-bred circles, her German is pure and -correct in grammar and pronunciation, and -what is most surprising and pleasing to the Jewish -<span class='pageno' id='Page_88'>88</span>scholar, she is acquainted with the entire -Bible in the original Hebrew. The Book of -Psalms she knows by heart and quotes with -amazing fluency; and from her experience in -her father’s house she has derived a large number -of technical Talmudic phrases, which she -uses in her conversation with entire correctness -of expression and application.</p> - -<p class='c009'>And the most remarkable thing of all is the -entire lack of self-consciousness on the part of -the little horseradish woman. She is entirely -unaware that there is anything out of the ordinary -in her life, her characteristics, or her circumstances. -She never comments upon the -different conditions that prevail to-day, never -boasts nor condemns, is simple, natural, and -unaffected; a typical, humble, pious Jewish -woman. Oh, that you might come, you artificial, -affected daughters of an artificial, affected -age, and learn simple refinement and natural -dignity from this lowly sister of yours! The -lesson is needed and would prove effective.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Last Saturday night, after the “going out” of -the Sabbath, my wife and I also determined to -go out for a stroll on Third Avenue. We often -take these strolls, and enjoy them. My wife -loves the excitement of the lights and the -crowds, which make it doubly pleasant to meet -<span class='pageno' id='Page_89'>89</span>an acquaintance or make an occasional purchase; -and I am equally fond of studying human -nature where it makes its most characteristic -appearance, in the busy throngs of men. -We had not seen the little horseradish woman -for some time, for she had given up of late her -habit of coming to our house with her wares, -and her stand was not on any of the blocks we -usually traversed.</p> - -<p class='c009'>That evening we extended our walk a little -further than usual. As we neared —th Street, -suddenly Mrs. —— exclaimed: “Look, there is -the little horseradish woman!” Sure enough -it was she, and we immediately went up to -her.</p> - -<p class='c009'>While she was returning our greeting with -great cordiality and friendliness, I noticed that -she did not appear to be as well as usual. Her -movements were lacking in their customary -vivacity, and her face seemed thinner and paler -than its wont.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“How are you getting on, Mrs. Levy?” I -said, while she was filling a bag with our ordered -portion of horseradish.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“<em>Boruch Hashem</em>, quite well,” she responded -with a smile. “My friends are good and patronize -me steadily, but I feel that I am growing -older. I was quite ill the other day. I nearly -<span class='pageno' id='Page_90'>90</span>fainted here on the street; but the people in the -delicatessen store were very kind. They took -me in and gave me cold water, and kept me -there until I recovered; and I am feeling quite -well now.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>While listening to her words, I thought to -myself how hard her lot was; and I asked myself -whether it really was necessary for her to -stand on the street and earn her living in such -a trying manner.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“My good Mrs. Levy,” I said, “don’t you -think your life is too hard for you? Would you -not rather go to some institution where you -would be cared for?”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Oh, no, thank you,” she responded. “I -don’t wish to go to a home. I have a husband, -although he is old and feeble, and good children -who do what they can for me; and I am glad -that I still can earn something myself. You -know what King David says in the Psalms,” -and she quoted glibly, “<em>Yegia keppecho ki sochel, -ashrecho ve-tov-loch</em>” (“If thou eatest what thy -hands earn, thou art happy, and it is well with -thee”). “I eat what my hands earn, so I am -happy.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Why don’t you come to our house any -more?” broke in my wife.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Oh,” answered the little horseradish woman, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_91'>91</span>“I heard that another woman brings you your -horseradish, and I did not wish to be <em>massig -gevool</em>.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Our package was now ready and we departed. -But my thoughts gave me no rest. I was thinking -continually of the little horseradish woman, -and whether it was not possible to devise some -means of improving her lot.</p> - -<p class='c009'>A few blocks down the avenue we met Mr. -and Mrs. Bergheim. They are friends and -neighbors of ours, and our greetings were cordial. -I soon turned the conversation to that -which was uppermost in my thoughts.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“You know the little horseradish woman, do -you not?” I asked.</p> - -<p class='c009'>The Bergheims nodded assent.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Don’t you think something could be done -for her?” I continued. “It does seem wrong -that such a worthy old person should be forced -to stand on the street and toil so hard for a livelihood.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>The Bergheims smiled at each other peculiarly.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“What would you do for her?” asked Mr. -Bergheim. “She is much too proud to accept -charity; besides, she really does not need to -work, as her children supply her with all she -requires for herself and husband. Her horseradish -<span class='pageno' id='Page_92'>92</span>receipts are so much extra income that -she earns.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>I must confess that this reply rather staggered -me. There appeared to be a mystery about the -horseradish woman which was puzzling, to say -the least.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“But why, in the name of common sense,” -I demanded, “does such an old and not overstrong -woman toil on the streets, in rain and -shine, by day and by night, if she has all she -requires and does not need to work? It doesn’t -seem reasonable. She isn’t touched in her -upper story, I hope?”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Oh, no, not at all,” said Bergheim; “but -you see, she has rather unusual and exalted -notions about duty. Since the requirements of -herself and husband are satisfied and she has -some strength, she thinks it her duty to labor -for the poor. Every cent she earns by selling -horseradish she gives to the poor. It is quite an -amount, for she has many customers; and quite -a long list of widows and orphans and feeble old -men who are regular pensioners on her charity.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Every <em>Rosh Chodesh</em> there is quite a gathering -in her humble flat. All sorts of needy and -afflicted persons, men, women, and children, -crowd her rooms, and she divides among them, -with the most kindly sympathy but with excellent -<span class='pageno' id='Page_93'>93</span>judgment, all the money she has earned -during the month. The blessings she gets are -innumerable, and she considers herself well rewarded -thereby for all her trouble.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“I found this out by accident, as she never -says a word about it to any one. When I asked -her why she went to all this trouble, she quoted -a passage from the Pentateuch: ‘Verily, thou -shalt not harden thy heart nor close thy hand -against thy poor brother’; and in another from -the Ethics of the Fathers, ‘The poor shall be -the children of thy house,’ and said those were -her reasons.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“That, my dear ——, is why you cannot do -anything for the little horseradish woman, -except to be her customer and patronize her -liberally. She wants no charity, and will take -no gifts for ‘her poor,’ whom she wishes to assist -with her own earnings.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>So that was the explanation of the riddle. -The little horseradish woman was emulating -the work of the Master of the universe, was -toiling early and late to feed His hungry ones, -to dry the tears of His afflicted, to care for His -poor. I was lost in admiration, both of the -noble soul of this humble daughter of Israel -and the sublime glory of Israel’s law, which put -such thoughts into her soul.</p> - -<p class='c009'><span class='pageno' id='Page_94'>94</span>I have made up my mind that the next time -I see the little horseradish woman I shall pronounce -over her the benediction which the rabbis -ordain to be spoken at the sight of kings -and queens, for she is a real queen, an uncrowned -queen of mercy and love. “Blessed -art Thou, O Lord, who hast given of Thy glory -to flesh and blood.”</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_95'>95</span> - <h2 class='c005'>THE GENERAL.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c008'>I have distinguished company in my study -this morning. No less a personage than Gen. -Sergei Pavlowitz, late commander of the —th -division of the regular Russian army, has paid -your humble servant the honor of a visit, and -is now seated in the rocking-chair opposite my -desk. I must, however, ask my readers not to -strain their imaginations unduly in summoning -up before their mental vision a suitable picture -of military pomp and splendor. The general is -not in full uniform heavily braided and trimmed -with gold lace, nor radiant with glittering epaulets -and buttons. No plumed helmet surmounts -his head; no clanking sabre swings at his side; -he is neither gloved, booted, nor spurred. His -appearance would not dazzle the onlooker, nor -overawe the most timid; in fact, no one would, -at first sight, think of connecting him in any -way with marching hosts or warlike scenes. As -he sits there in my rocking-chair, gazing at me -with his mild blue eyes, upon his head a little -black skull-cap, his long, snow-white beard flowing -<span class='pageno' id='Page_96'>96</span>down upon the front of his shirt and his -black broadcloth coat; in his hand a stout cane -to assist the steps which age has made somewhat -uncertain, while he descants upon a -matter of purely synagogical interest, there is no -suggestion about him of martial glory, no hint -of the groan and agony and heroism of battle. -He seems just a plain, every-day, elderly Russian -Jew, diffident and retiring in worldly affairs, -but bright enough in matters of Jewish concern, -of Hebrew learning, and religious practice, -such a man, in a word, as may be found -in any of the orthodox synagogues throughout -New York but particularly on the lower East -Side, where the places of worship and solemn -assembly of his brethren and countrymen -most abound.</p> - -<div id='Commanding' class='figcenter id002'> -<img src='images/i_b096x1.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>THERE IS SOMETHING COMMANDING, SOMETHING INDEFINITELY MILITARY AND AUTHORITATIVE ABOUT HIM<br /><br /><span class='right'><em>Page <a href='#Page_96'>96</a></em></span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c009'><span class='pageno' id='Page_97'>97</span>But now my visitor has concluded the business -which brought him hither and rises to -depart. Immediately one can notice a vast -change in the impression he makes. He does -seem different now from the ordinary so-called -Ghetto type he appeared identical with a moment -ago. There is something commanding, -something indefinitely military and authoritative -about him. Though feeble, he stands perfectly -erect, and his figure and bearing are thoroughly -military. Military, too, is the almost painful -neatness which characterizes his attire, from his -well-brushed hat and coat down to his brightly -polished shoes, a far-off reminder, as it were, of -the days when a dull button or a frayed coat -sleeve meant disgrace and the guard-house; but -most military of all is his right sleeve, for it -hangs empty, with only a short stump filling the -upper part near the shoulder, a mute reminder -of bloody Sebastopol, where a British sabre cleft -the arm to which it belonged in twain, and its -owner hovered for many a day ’twixt life and -death.</p> - -<p class='c009'>This is the General. Perhaps, strictly speaking, -he does not deserve the title, for he long -since was stricken from the Russian army list, -and might even meet with condign punishment -were he to return to his native land; but once -he bore it with full right and authority, and -no military shortcoming, no lack of loyalty or -courage upon the battlefield was responsible for -its forfeiture. It is, therefore, only natural that -his friends and neighbors who know his history -give him the title. So “the General” he is, and -“the General” he will remain, until death calls -him to his last long bivouac. What a tremendous -change in state and fortune! Once a distinguished -military commander, whose slightest -behest thousands hastened to obey because of -<span class='pageno' id='Page_98'>98</span>his heroism; beloved by his countrymen and -honored by his emperor; the husband of a renowned -general’s daughter, and with every prospect -promising rapid advancement and eventually -loftiest rank; now the humble denizen of -an obscure street in the Jewish quarter of New -York, his life in nowise different from that of -the other long-bearded habitués of the synagogue -and the Beth Hammidrash.</p> - -<p class='c009'>How came this Jew, son of a proscribed and -pariah race, to attain to such distinguished rank -in the service of the persecutors of his people? -How came he to lose it, and to sink back again -into the lowliness from which he sprang? It is -a strange tale, showing what sombre romances, -what heartrending tragedies Jewish life is still -capable of producing in the empire of the Czars. -I shall tell it you.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Some seventy years ago there lived in one of -the western provinces of Russia a young couple. -Israel Rabbinowitz was the husband’s name, -and Malka Feige that of the spouse. They -were a pious and worthy pair. The husband -was a respected merchant, whose scrupulous -honesty and commercial rectitude were no -less esteemed than his unswerving religious -fidelity, and the accuracy and extent of the -Hebrew scholarship which he displayed in the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_99'>99</span>Talmudic debates of the circle of “learners” in -the Beth Hammidrash. Malka Feige was a -worthy mate of such a husband. Kindhearted, -unwearyingly industrious, and devout, she was -a typical Jewish housewife.</p> - -<p class='c009'>They had but one child, a blue-eyed, fair-haired -boy of eight, whom they loved with the -passionate devotion of which parental hearts are -capable when they have but one object upon -which to concentrate their affection. He was -literally the apple of their eyes. His father -cared for his intellectual welfare, and provided -the best and most highly esteemed <em>Melammedim</em> -to introduce him into the intricacies of the Jewish -education of that time; and the lad, who -had a bright and acute intellect, responded well -to these efforts, and at eight was quite a little -prodigy of Biblical and Talmudical learning. -His mother, on the other hand, looked after his -physical well-being, fed him on delicate food, -clothed him in a <em>jubitza</em> of extra fine material, -brushed and combed his little <em>peoth</em> until they -shone, and set her pride upon making him finer -and brighter in appearance than his comrades. -Like Hannah of old, she had determined to -dedicate her offspring to the Lord. Already in -imagination she saw him seated upon the rabbi’s -seat, greeted by the plaudits of admiring thousands; -<span class='pageno' id='Page_100'>100</span>and so strong was her faith in that future -for her son that she rarely called him by his -given name, which was Saul Isaac, but always -referred to him as “my little rabbi.” Thus the -love, the hopes, the ambition of these parents -were all wrapped up in this, their only son.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Troublous times were just beginning then for -the descendants of Jacob living on Muscovite -soil. Nicholas the First sat on the throne of -the Czars; and, like so many of the Russian -potentates before and after him, could find no -more pressing task to perform than to convert -his Hebrew subjects to Christianity. He had -no respect for the conscientious scruples which -kept the Jews faithful to their ancestral religion; -he could not appreciate the heroism with which -they endured every conceivable suffering and -martyrdom rather than grow recreant to the -allegiance plighted to their God. In his eyes -they were only a mass of obdurate, stubborn, -and pestiferous heretics, who refused to see the -beauties and accept the salvation of Christianity. -He thought and thought and cudgelled his -brains to devise some scheme by which to overcome -the endless resistance of Judaism to its -own dissolution, and finally evolved a plan -which for sheer deviltry and refinement of -heartless brutality would have done credit to -<span class='pageno' id='Page_101'>101</span>the blackest fiend in the legions of Satan; and -this, too, in the name of the religion which -claims love and tenderness as its own special -prerogative, and calmly assumes all the progress -of humanity and civilization as its doing.</p> - -<p class='c009'>His plan, in brief, was to separate the parents -and the children. With the old Jews, he knew -nothing could be done. They would go to the -stake or the dungeon, and would not recant; -but if, he reasoned, the young Jews could be -removed from parental influence, could be -caught, so to speak, before their characters were -formed, and be placed in charge of priests or -other Christian officials, they would be unable to -resist, but would succumb to the powerful pressure -brought to bear upon them and would become -genuine Christians.</p> - -<p class='c009'>This fiendish plan he proceeded, with icy -deliberation, to put into execution. What -cared he for the cruelty or violent dissolution of -natural relations, for the tears of terrified children, -for the immeasurable woes and heart-breakings -of bereaved parents. His tyrant’s -view of statecraft approved the plan and other -considerations had no weight. Then were -legions of brutal emissaries sent into the provinces -reserved for the habitation of the children -of Jacob. Their conduct resembled that -<span class='pageno' id='Page_102'>102</span>of brigands rather than of officers of the law. -In numbers so great as to defy resistance, they -would fall upon some unsuspecting Hebrew settlement, -generally at dead of night; would burst -into the houses, and with utter disregard of all -considerations of justice or frenzied appeals for -mercy, would tear the weeping and terror-stricken -children from the arms of their screaming -and frantically resisting parents, would -throw them into the ready standing wagons and -would carry them off, never more to return.</p> - -<p class='c009'>It would take the pen of a Dante and the -brush of their own Verestchagin fitly to depict -the awful scenes which occurred on the occasions -of these visitations, the demoniacal brutality -of the despot’s henchmen, the helpless -terror of the childish victims, and the unutterable, -paralyzed agony of the wretched fathers -and mothers who saw their beloved ones -dragged away to that which for them was worse -than death, and could do nothing to save them -from their fate.</p> - -<p class='c009'>The same fate befell our Saul Isaac. It was -a cold midwinter night. The Rabbinowitz -family were sleeping peacefully, all unsuspecting -of evil. Suddenly the sound of powerful -blows upon the door caused them to awake in -terror. Too well they knew what those sounds -<span class='pageno' id='Page_103'>103</span>meant, although there had been no report that -the “<em>chappers</em>,” as they were called, were coming -to their province. Hastily the agonized -parents sought to find some place of concealment -for their son. A second later the door -fell beneath the shower of blows rained upon -it, and several ruffianly looking men, dressed in -uniform, burst into the room. Without showing -any warrant or offering a word of explanation, -they seized the shrinking lad. Roughly -they thrust aside Israel, who would have protested, -and flung off Malka Feige, who clung to -them in a half-insane effort to rescue her boy. -The lad himself they tossed into the wagon, -into the midst of twenty or more other lads, -who already cowered there, and drove off.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Let us draw a veil over the unutterable sorrows -of that parent pair, thus foully deprived of -the beloved of their souls. Heaven alone has -power to right wrongs such as these, and to the -mercy and justice of heaven we must commend -them.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Let us follow Saul Isaac on the course which -he was obliged to pursue. His experience was -not at first different from that of thousands of -others. He was taken to the convent of St. -Sophia in the neighborhood of Moscow. There -a thorough Russian and Christian education was -<span class='pageno' id='Page_104'>104</span>given him, and every effort was made, by means -of mingled kindness and severity, to induce him -voluntarily to accept baptism, for even the perverted -and tyrannical minds of his captors perceived -that a compulsory administration of the -rite could have no binding obligation upon the -conscience. To be sure, their notions of voluntary -action were rather remarkably casuistical. -Severe beatings, periodical starvation, and -longer or shorter terms of imprisonment were -all considered legitimate forms of missionary -effort with which to persuade the cantonists, as -the abducted Hebrew children were called, of -the superiority of Christianity to Judaism, and -to induce them <em>voluntarily</em> to accept it.</p> - -<p class='c009'>It is a glorious tribute to the power of Jewish -teachings that most of these helpless victims, -despite their tender years and pitiful condition, -were by no means quick to yield to the maltreatment -or blandishments of their masters. -Most of them resisted for years; some never -yielded.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Four years were required to bring our Saul -Isaac into the frame of mind requisite for the -acceptance of Christianity. At first he wept -and wailed constantly and would touch no food -except dry bread and water; and, young as he -was, he refused to listen to the instruction of -<span class='pageno' id='Page_105'>105</span>the Russian monks. But as the weeks rolled -into months and the months into years, without -seeing other than Gentile faces and without any -word from his parents or any other Jews, gradually -his recollections grew dimmer and his -resolution weaker. Finally he no longer objected -to the Christian instructions, and in his -twelfth year he was baptized with great pomp -and parade in the chapel of the monastery, receiving -the name of Sergei Pavlowitz. From -this time on his advancement was rapid. After -three years of general education he decided to -enter upon the military career, and in his fifteenth -year he entered the Imperial Cadet -School at St. Petersburg.</p> - -<p class='c009'>The memory of his parents had quite faded -from his mind; or if the thought of them ever -came to him, they seemed like ghostly figures -of an unreal world, entirely devoid of actuality -or connection with his present existence.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Sergei Pavlowitz was one of the most popular -students at the Cadet School. His quick intellect, -which had enabled him to comprehend the -abstruse debates of the Talmud, stood him in -good stead in mastering the details of military -science, while his handsome figure in the neat -Russian uniform and his polite and obliging -ways were universally pleasing. In due course -<span class='pageno' id='Page_106'>106</span>of time he graduated as a lieutenant of artillery.</p> - -<p class='c009'>His career in the army justified the expectations -of his student years. He combined the -two most requisite military qualities, high capacity -and rigid fidelity to duty. He became -in rapid succession a captain and then a colonel -of artillery.</p> - -<p class='c009'>While holding the latter office he attracted -the attention and then aroused the love of Olga, -the beautiful daughter of General Wladimir de -Mitkiewicz. Shortly afterward the General sent -for him, and in due form and in the most flattering -terms offered to make him his son-in-law. -Such a distinguished honor could not be refused. -To be sure, a momentary pang went -through the heart of the young colonel; and -the shadowy faces of his father and mother -seemed to rise from the gloomy recesses of the -past and gaze at him reproachfully, but these -sensations were too dim and faint to have any -effect. He accepted the offer of the venerable -General, which was, indeed, a most complimentary -one, and because of which he became the -object of many congratulations and no little -envy.</p> - -<p class='c009'>In the magnificent cathedral of Kurski-Kazan -the nuptials of the dashing Colonel Pavlowitz -<span class='pageno' id='Page_107'>107</span>and the beautiful and accomplished Olga de -Mitkiewicz were consummated with all the gorgeous -ceremonial of the Greek Church, and -amidst an unprecedented display of wealth and -luxury. The vast edifice was crowded with -representatives of the noblest and finest families -of the province, while the streets surrounding -the cathedral were thronged with a vast multitude -of the baser sort; and the personal interest -and gratification which all displayed were -quite extraordinary.</p> - -<p class='c009'>It cannot be denied that the striking attentions -and adulations of which Colonel Pavlowitz -became the recipient did almost turn his -head. In no other country are honors so much -appreciated as in Russia; and those he had received -were quite exceptional, both in extent -and in cordiality.</p> - -<p class='c009'>He was happy, very happy; happy in the -possession of the radiant, beauteous creature he -could now call his own, and from whose sparkling -eyes love and devotion, ardent and sincere, -shone forth; he was happy in the evident sympathy -and admiration of all his associates, and -he was happy in the consciousness that his -future was secure and that he was destined to a -brilliant and distinguished career. Very faint -and dim, indeed, were now the images of the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_108'>108</span>ghostly past, and they did not affect his actions -in the slightest; but somehow or other they -would not forsake him, and he often found himself -wondering with a peevish sort of dissatisfaction -and impatience, why they did not leave him -to enjoy undisturbed the pleasures and honors -of his present station.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Shortly after his marriage the Crimean war -broke out. Russia was engaged in a titanic -struggle with the Western Powers, and Colonel -Pavlowitz was among those summoned to -defend the fatherland. The parting from his -young wife was marked by tears and sobs; but -still he heard the summons to war with stern -joy, for, like a true soldier, he longed to display -in actual combat the qualities he had gained -in theoretic instruction; and then he longed for -action—intense, stirring action—to drive away -the shadowy, reproachful faces which tortured -him by their constant recurrence.</p> - -<p class='c009'>He was one of the commanders in charge of -the defence of Sebastopol. He was personally -engaged, and displayed the greatest gallantry in -many of the desperate conflicts of that bloody -campaign. At Balaklava he was in command -of a part of the artillery, which received the -world-renowned charge of the Light Brigade; -and it was while fiercely beating off that attack -<span class='pageno' id='Page_109'>109</span>that an unexpected blow of a British sabre took -off his right arm near the shoulder.</p> - -<p class='c009'>For three months our hero lay in the hospital, -the object of universal sympathy and interest, -for the good-will which had been previously -entertained toward him had been greatly heightened -by the splendid bravery and skill he had -displayed in the war and the cruel wound he -had received.</p> - -<p class='c009'>The Emperor himself had sent several times -to inquire concerning his condition, and the -visits and inquiries of lesser personages were -innumerable.</p> - -<p class='c009'>As soon as he was able to resume his active -duties, the Emperor ordered a review of the -entire army. It was a glittering spectacle, a sea -of brilliant uniforms, shining bayonets, swords -and cannons, interspersed with magnificent -bands of music, an ocean of deeply interested -onlookers. Our hero rode at the head of his -regiment on a splendid black charger, his empty -sleeve hanging useless at his right side. As he -passed the grand stand where stood the Emperor -and his brilliant retinue of officers and -aides, His Majesty ordered the parade to halt. -Then in the presence of the army and the -serried throngs of spectators, the Emperor -addressed him as follows:</p> - -<p class='c009'><span class='pageno' id='Page_110'>110</span>“Gen. Sergei Pavlowitz, my good and faithful -servitor. I have noticed the courage and devotion -with which you have served in my army. -It is always my wish fitly to reward virtue and -fidelity, and I therefore appoint you to the command -of the —th division of my regular army.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Hardly had these words, which His Majesty -pronounced in a loud and clear voice, been -spoken, than the entire army, breaking for a -moment through the restraints of discipline, and -the vast throng of spectators, burst into enthusiastic -hurrahs and cheered again and again the -name of Sergei Pavlowitz. It was a glorious -and inspiring moment.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Our hero flushed with pride and gratification; -but, obedient to the rules of military etiquette, -said no word, but merely saluted with profound -reverence, and a second later the stern command -rang forth and the host marched on.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Words cannot describe the exultation which -now filled the soul of General Pavlowitz. He -was fairly intoxicated with joy. Every ambition -of his life seemed gratified, and with rapture he -thought of the delight with which the news of -his great advancement would fill the heart of his -beloved Olga, who had visited him during his -stay in the hospital, and had now returned to -their home in Kursky Kazan.</p> - -<div id='Cavalcade' class='figcenter id003'> -<img src='images/i_b110x1.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>AS THE CAVALCADE PASSED A CORNER THE GENERAL HEARD A CRY<br /><br /><span class='right'><em>Page <a href='#Page_111'>111</a></em></span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c009'><span class='pageno' id='Page_111'>111</span>Little did he reck that a tremendous change -was impending, that an event was about to occur -which would recall with irresistible force the -events of his early life and change the entire -current of his military career. But so it was, -and the climax of his military ambition was also -destined to mark its sudden and complete end.</p> - -<p class='c009'>The parade had been dismissed. The spectators -had dispersed, and the various regiments -were marching back to their several barracks.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Accompanied only by his staff and a small -escort of cavalry, General Pavlowitz was returning -to his headquarters. Their road led through -some of the old streets of the town. As the -cavalcade passed a corner the General heard a -cry. He alone of all the company noticed it, -but there was something in it that thrilled and -chilled him and filled his frame with violent -agitation. It was a wailing, sobbing cry in a -woman’s voice, and its burden was made up of -a few words, oft-repeated, in the Russo-Jewish -dialect: “Oh, woe is me, my little rabbi, my -Saul Isaac! oh, woe is me, my little rabbi, my -little rabbi!” General Pavlowitz heard the cry -and understood the words. Though for more -than twenty years he had heard and spoken -only Russian, yet those words came to him as -the far-off echoes of his own past, intelligible, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_112'>112</span>familiar, sweet, and unutterably sad. Like a -flash there rolled away the many years of Russian, -Christian, and military training, and he -saw himself again in the happy days of his -childhood, a little innocent Jewish boy, proudly -reciting his week’s lesson before a circle of -admiring neighbors, while father and mother -beamed with satisfaction. Then, again, the -memory of the awful night when he was -snatched from them, and he quivered again with -fresh horror and indignation. Turning his -head as his horse trotted on, he saw, standing at -the corner an elderly Jewish couple, gazing after -him, with tears streaming from their eyes and -an expression of intensest anguish upon their -faces, the woman wailing and sobbing as in -frenzy. He knew them at once. They were his -father and mother. His resolution was instantly -formed. His parents and he should meet. -Hastily summoning a subaltern, who like himself -was a baptized Jew, he bade him leave the -ranks unobserved, go back to the old couple -and inform them that the General would see -them that evening at a certain quiet hotel of the -town.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Faithfully the subaltern fulfilled his chief’s -commission, ignorant, of course, of the reasons -thereof, but with his soul filled with an indefinable -<span class='pageno' id='Page_113'>113</span>sympathy with its object, which instinctively -he felt was noble. Quietly he dropped -behind the troop, and in a few hastily spoken -words communicated to the aged couple the -wish of the General, whereupon he put spurs to -his horse and speedily rejoined his companions, -none of whom had observed his action.</p> - -<p class='c009'>That evening a young man in civilian attire -inquired at the office of the Narodski Hotel -whether a certain Jewish couple were not at the -hotel, and was shown to the room where his -parents (it was the General) were awaiting him. -The meeting was pathetic, almost tragic, in the -intensity of the emotions it aroused. The first -sentiment was that of great, overwhelming joy. -The reunited parents and child wept and smiled -alternately, and embraced each other with a fervor -only possible to those whose hunger for love -had remained so long unsatisfied. Especially -did Malka Feige clasp her long-lost son to her -breast in a paroxysm of maternal affection, and -very, very reluctantly did she release him from -her embrace. But finally the first mighty ebullitions -of emotion had subsided somewhat and -they began to discuss their eventful career and -the difficulties of their present position.</p> - -<p class='c009'>The parents’ story was soon told. Their -presence in Sebastopol was quite accidental, or -<span class='pageno' id='Page_114'>114</span>rather, as they devoutly believed, providential. -During all these years they had been unable to -learn anything of the fate of their boy. They -knew neither the place where he had been kept -during the first few years after his abduction, -nor anything of his subsequent experiences; -and all of their efforts to obtain some information -had remained entirely fruitless, so that -finally they had despaired of learning anything -of him any more. A few days previous to the -memorable occasion of their reunion, Israel had -received a favorable business proposition which -required his presence at Sebastopol; and as -Malka Feige did not care to remain at home in -utter solitude, she had determined to accompany -him. They had not gone to the review, -for they had no heart for pageantry or splendor, -and it was quite by chance that they happened -to be standing at the corner of the street when -the little company of cavalrymen with the general -rode by. Gazing at the company in a -casual and apathetic way, Malka Feige’s sharp -eyes had at once noticed, despite the disparity -of age and brilliant uniform, the resemblance in -the features of the leader to those of her own -Saul Isaac, and her mother’s heart told her that -this was her stolen boy. Then had she, in a -sudden and irrepressible outburst of feeling, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_115'>115</span>uttered the cry which attracted the attention of -the General and brought about the meeting.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Saul Isaac then told his parents the story of -his experience, which, as it is well known to my -readers, need not be repeated. After he had -concluded, the conversation turned upon their -future relations, and they all recognized that it -was a most difficult and dangerous one.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Ah, dear son,” said Malka Feige, “what -shall our future be? I cannot live without you, -now that my eyes have seen you alive; but how -can we come together, since we are but a humble -Jewish couple and you a great general, and -especially since you have become, alas for my -sins! a Christian? It is indeed impossible for us -to live together. The Czar would never allow it.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Yes,” chimed in Israel, “and think what a -disgrace it would be for us to have it known in -the <em>Kehillah</em> that my son, the <em>Illuy</em> and <em>Charif</em>, -was a <em>Meshummed</em>! I could never endure the -shame of it. All your glory would be no compensation.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>It was indeed a knotty and thorny problem. -But Saul Isaac had already reflected upon the -matter in all its aspects, and with customary -promptness of resolution had determined what -he would do.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Dear parents,” said he, “be at rest. Never -<span class='pageno' id='Page_116'>116</span>shall I forsake you more. Now that God, the -God of my fathers, has brought us together thus -wonderfully, we shall never be separated again. -I shall stay with you and be a Jew, a sincere, -loyal Jew. I know that I must renounce my -high rank, to which the Emperor has just appointed -me, and all my hopes for the future, and -leave this country; for, as a Jew, not only would -every avenue be closed to me, but as an apostate -I would be sure of severe punishment, and, perhaps, -even of death. But what care I for that! -I have never been sincerely a Christian. I only -became such because my power of resistance -was gone and there seemed no other prospect in -life. But now that I see you again, my resolution -is formed, and is unalterable. I love you; -I love my poor, persecuted people; I love my -God. I shall return to you and to Him with all -my heart and soul.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>The parents shed tears of joy, not unmingled -with grief and apprehension, at this heroic announcement.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“But how about your wife?” asked Malka -Feige. “You are married to one who is not of -our religion, but who accepted you in good faith -and intention. Lawfully you may not abide -with her, but honor forbids you to leave her. -What shall you do?”</p> - -<p class='c009'><span class='pageno' id='Page_117'>117</span>“Of that, too, I have thought,” answered -Saul Isaac. “I love my Olga dearly, but my -faith and my God are more precious to me than -the love of woman. I shall go to Olga, tell her -frankly of all the circumstances which surround -me and ask her to accept our faith and become -a Jewess. If she consents, we shall leave the -country together and all will be well. If she -refuses, I shall tell her that it were better that -we parted, for true, God-pleasing marriage cannot -exist between persons of different faiths. -But, under all circumstances, I am determined -henceforth to be a true Jew, to live and die as -such.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>The parents declared themselves satisfied with -this solution of the problem, and they separated -with the understanding that Israel and Malka -Feige were to go home and Saul Isaac was to -keep them informed of all his movements.</p> - -<p class='c009'>The first step of General Pavlowitz after the -reunion with his parents was to seek leave of -absence from the army to visit his wife in Kursky-Kazan. -This was granted him without -difficulty, in consideration of his meritorious -services and his natural desire to share the joy -of his advancement with his wife. With every -external manifestation of joy, but with a heart -filled with secret misgivings, he set out on his -<span class='pageno' id='Page_118'>118</span>journey. He feared much for the result upon -his wife of the revelation that he had reverted to -Judaism, and hardly dared to hope that she -would look with favor upon his proposition that -she should accept the faith of her husband.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Knowing only too well the intense aversion -with which his brethren were regarded by the -Russians belonging to the official Greek Church, -and having often had occasion to notice with -what scorn and contempt the name “Zid” was -uttered by the haughty representatives of Muscovite -self-conceit, he realized keenly that no -greater shock could possibly be inflicted upon -his Olga than the announcement that her husband -was one of the despised and hated Jews. -But it appeared to him that no other course was -consistent with honor and rectitude, and he -determined not to deviate from the straight path -of duty.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Often during the long and tedious journey he -tried to imagine the answer which Olga would -give. Sometimes he thought of her as declaring -that her husband’s faith and people should be -hers, and that with him she would go to the -uttermost ends of the earth; at other times he -imagined her saying that the faith of her fathers -stood higher to her than aught else, and that -she would never forsake it. But in his wildest -<span class='pageno' id='Page_119'>119</span>imaginings he did not form any notion of what -the actual reception of his words would be.</p> - -<p class='c009'>He had determined to make his announcement -immediately after his arrival at home; -but when he saw the radiant face of his wife -and felt her warm kiss upon his lips, his heart -failed him. How could he speak words which -might bring sorrow to such a beautiful and -affectionate creature. He suffered himself to -be carried to his splendid residence, and partook -of the luxurious repast which Olga had prepared -for him. He simulated gayety, and spoke with -affected animation of the war and his part in it -and his advancement and brilliant future prospects. -He determined to make his announcement -on the morrow. But on the morrow his -courage had not returned, and he could not -speak. He who had faced charging armies -undaunted and looked death in the eye without -flinching could not make a statement which -might grieve the woman to whom he had given -his name and who loved him so ardently. But -on this day he was abstracted and dejected, and -could not suppress the sighs which from time to -time forced themselves from his breast.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Olga could not help noticing his melancholy. -That evening she determined to speak to him -concerning its cause.</p> - -<p class='c009'><span class='pageno' id='Page_120'>120</span>“Sergei, my love,” said she, when the evening -repast had been served and the servants had -withdrawn, and they were nestling side by side -upon the luxurious divan, “Sergei, my love, -something is troubling you. My woman’s heart -tells me that some secret grief is eating out your -soul. Will you not tell your Olga what it is? -Will you not let me share your grief?”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Olga, dearest,” said Sergei, gazing at her -with troubled eyes, while sudden pains shot -through his heart, “Olga, dearest, how can I tell -you what I know will grieve you and bring -great sorrow upon her whom I love and cherish -more than myself?”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Tell me,” she pleaded; “am I not your -wife? Did I not swear to be the partner of -your joys and sorrows? Tell me your burden; -and no matter what it is, I shall help you -bear it.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Well, then,” answered he, “since you urge -me, I shall tell you. Know, then, I am a Jew. -Your husband, the great General Pavlowitz, is -but one of that abhorred race, one of those -wretched pariahs whom the Emperor and the -people alike despise—a ‘Zid.’ Is it not sufficient -cause for grief that the high-born Olga -de Mitkiewicz should be tied to such a one, that -he should be able to call her wife?”</p> - -<p class='c009'><span class='pageno' id='Page_121'>121</span>Olga looked at him with eyes in which a -curious light shone.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“What folly you speak, Sergei,” she said. -“How can you call yourself a Jew? To be -sure, I know, and when I gave you my hand I -knew, that Hebrew blood flows in your veins; -but it is now many years since you renounced -the sinful heresy of Judaism and were baptized -into our holy Greek Church in the chapel of the -monastery of St. Sophia. How, then, can you -call yourself a Jew, since the church and our gracious -Emperor recognize you as good a -Christian as any of us? Put away these foolish -thoughts, dear Sergei, and let not the fact of -your Hebrew descent trouble you in the least; -and be assured that it does not diminish my -love for you in the slightest degree.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Sergei gazed with tear-stained eyes for a moment -at his wife, and then spoke in a voice -choking with emotion:</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Dearest Olga, what you say is well put, but -I cannot recognize it as correct. I was baptized -against my will; my consent was insincere and -superficial. For a time I could disguise my -real sentiments; to-day I can do so no more. -I am a Jew, in faith as well as in blood. I -have seen again my parents, and the sight of -them has revived all my olden feelings, all the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_122'>122</span>childish love for my faith. No longer will I -wear the mask, will I play the part of being -Christian. I am determined to be a Jew. I -intend to renounce all my offices and dignities -and flee to a land where I may be at liberty to -live according to the dictates of my conscience -as such. My wife, too, should be a Jewess, -should share my beliefs and hopes. Olga, can -you go with me; can you accept our Jewish -faith in one God and His holy law; can you -resolve to share my lot in my unknown future -home and be a true partner to me for life and -for eternity? If you can, you will fill my heart -with joy; but I do not urge you to make the -sacrifice. If you choose to remain in your faith -and your native land, you will be entitled to a -legal divorce. I would leave you all my property -and possessions and will never trouble -you again. Speak, Olga, and tell me your decision?”</p> - -<p class='c009'>When Sergei had concluded he gazed again -into his wife’s face, anxious to know by its expression -the manner in which she had received -his words. What he saw surprised him. He -had expected to see there the expression of -anger or displeasure or, at best, surprise, uncertainty, -and hesitation.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Instead, he beheld the beautiful countenance -<span class='pageno' id='Page_123'>123</span>of Olga, all radiant with a strange and inexplicable -joy. She was smiling a smile of triumph, -almost of exultation; but there was -withal a solemnity in her eyes which showed -that there was no levity in her joy, but that it -was based upon some profoundly earnest sentiment. -While he was gazing at her, almost -stupefied at her unexpected look, Olga began to -speak.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Sergei,” said she, “you have told me your -secret. I shall tell you mine. You belong to a -proscribed race; so do I, and am now really -your sister in faith. You are a Hebrew. I -descend from the Subotnikis, those sincere -seekers after God whom the renowned Zacharia -of Tambow converted to Judaism some centuries -ago. As a student of Russian history, you -know that the emperors persecuted the “Judaizing -heretics,” as my people were called, with -even greater cruelty and persistency than they -did yours. Imprisonment, deprivation of civil -rights, and banishment to remote sections of -the empire, and even harsher punishments were -inflicted upon them.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Under these circumstances thousands of our -brethren fell away completely; others fled to -foreign countries where they openly professed -Judaism; and others nominally adhered to the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_124'>124</span>Greek Church, but in their hearts secretly cherished -their faith in the one God of Israel and -endeavored to fulfil His holy law as far as in -their ignorance and their difficult circumstances -they could.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“My family belonged to the last-mentioned -class; but through the high connections it has -formed, it had grown quite lax and out of touch -with the brethren. But we have, nevertheless, -never forgotten our origin; and, though I -feared to tell it to you, thinking you had become -a thorough Christian and would not like to be -reminded of your former state, your Hebrew -descent was really one of the causes which -gained for you my affections, for we Subotnikis -honor and revere those native born in the -household of Israel very much, and esteem a -marriage alliance with them a high privilege.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Your announcement, therefore, of your intention -to be a Jew, instead of displeasing me, -has afforded me the keenest joy, a joy I never -expected to feel. I shall accept your faith, dear -Sergei, not merely because I desire to please -you, as my husband, but because my heart already -inclines toward it with sincere devotion. -I shall share your lot and your future, whatever -they may bring of joy or sorrow. And like -Ruth of old I shall say: ‘Thy people shall be -<span class='pageno' id='Page_125'>125</span>my people and thy God my God. Whither -thou goest I shall go; and where thou diest I -shall die, and there shall I be buried.’”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Words cannot describe the tremendous revulsion -of feeling which the words of Olga, so -unexpected, produced in the breast of our hero, -whom we shall henceforth call only by his -Hebrew cognomen of Saul Isaac. He was -transported from the depth of misery and apprehension -to the seventh heaven of joy by this -so pleasing solution of a difficulty which he had -looked upon as almost insoluble. But Olga was -also filled with joy, and the radiant gladness -which shone from her beautiful eyes showed -that she considered that hour, which meant for -her the beginning of exile and, perhaps, of poverty, -as the happiest of her life.</p> - -<p class='c009'>The husband and wife, now joined by a new -and profound sympathy, embraced each other -with a fervor of love they had not known -before, after which they sat down to write a -letter to the parents of Saul Isaac. In this letter -Saul Isaac gave expression to the happiness -which filled his heart, and Olga wrote a few -kindly lines, closing with the words, “Your -loving daughter and faithful handmaid of Abraham.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>The happy couple now made quiet preparations -<span class='pageno' id='Page_126'>126</span>to leave the land. Gradually the general -disposed of his property and turned it into -cash. When this had been accomplished, after -several months, the General and his wife left the -town of their residence quite openly, under the -plausible pretext of making a short foreign tour. -Their first destination was a frontier town of -Roumania, whither Israel and Malka Feige had -preceded them. From this place Saul Isaac -wrote to the Minister of War, resigning his -commission in the Russian army and frankly -stating his reasons for his action. Then they -proceeded to Jerusalem, where the parents of -Saul Isaac had resolved to pass their declining -years in pious seclusion and the service of God. -In the holy city Olga was formally received into -the community of Israel, the name of Sarah -being conferred upon her.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Here they lived for twenty years. Six children -were born unto them, all of whom received -an excellent Hebrew and secular training, and -were reared to industry, virtue, and the fear of -God. After the death of the parents, which -occurred in the twentieth year of their sojourn -in the holy city, Saul Isaac and Sarah thought -it desirable, in the interest of their children, to -emigrate to America. Accordingly they settled -in New York some years ago. Saul Isaac and -<span class='pageno' id='Page_127'>127</span>his wife selected for their residence a portion of -the city mainly inhabited by Russian co-religionists, -for in their midst they felt themselves most -at home.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Saul Isaac finds his chief pleasure in attendance -at synagogue, and it is a question open to -debate which affords him the most pleasure, the -sermons of the <em>Maggid</em> or the gossip and anecdotes -in which the congregation indulges in the -intervals of services.</p> - -<p class='c009'>As for Sarah, she is so thoroughly Judaized, -so punctual and exact in the fulfilment of her -religious duties, so particular in maintaining the -<em>Kosher</em> character of her household and such a -fluent speaker of the Russo-Jewish jargon, that -one would never suspect in her anything but a -genuine Russian Jewess, native and to the manner -born. Their children have grown up to be -handsome and talented young men and women, -good Jews and good Americans.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Saul Isaac and Sarah are happy and contented. -No tinge of regret for their former -state ever enters their hearts. But often as -they worship in the synagogue there comes -spontaneously to their lips the words of Solomon: -“Blessed be the Lord God, who hath -given rest to His people Israel.”</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_128'>128</span> - <h2 class='c005'>TOO LATE, BUT ON TIME</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c008'>Moses Levinsky awoke with a start upon his -humble couch in the little hall bedroom in the -sixth story of the immense and crowded tenement-house -in Eldridge Street, New York City, -in which he dwelt. He very much feared that -he had overslept himself and would be late at -the early morning service of the Congregation -Sons of Peace. The light which shown through -the narrow window of his room was much -brighter than the pale illumination which -usually greeted his early waking eyes and -seemed to show that the day was further -advanced. A glance at the cheap silver watch -which lay upon his trousers on the chair next to -his bed showed him that his apprehensions were -only too well founded.</p> - -<p class='c009'>The Congregation Sons of Peace invariably -began its devotions at 6 <span class='fss'>A.M.</span> Moses Levinsky -was in the habit of rising at half-past five; his -toilet and the walk to the little meeting-room -in the next block required twenty-five minutes, -and he was regularly in his place five minutes -<span class='pageno' id='Page_129'>129</span>before the voice of the <em>Chazan</em> or precentor, -chanting in classic Hebrew, “Exalted be the -living God and praised,” betokened that the -service of adoration and supplication, with -which modern Israel supplies the place of the -ancient sacrificial worship, had begun. But -to-day the watch which usually indicated -about a quarter past five when he first glanced -at it in the early mornings, stood at half-past -six. The congregation had already been engaged -in prayer for a full half-hour, and he -could hardly hope to be with them before the -services, which usually lasted somewhat less -than an hour, were concluded. Watches and -clocks are obstinate creatures. They persist in -their opinions, which can be plainly read in their -faces. They care not at all how disagreeable or -unpleasant their statements may be to those -who consult them, and they can neither be reasoned -with nor stared out of countenance. And -so Moses Levinsky’s watch did not recede at all -for all the hard stares which that rather confused -individual directed at it; but, on the contrary, -advanced a minute or so, while he, who -had now risen upon his side and rested upon his -left arm, gazed at it with puzzled and rueful -countenance.</p> - -<p class='c009'>The truth was that Moses was in doubt as -<span class='pageno' id='Page_130'>130</span>to the right course to pursue. His watch told -him that he might as well make an exception -to-day from his regular practice and stay at -home, for he could never hope to be on time -at the services, or even present during any -considerable portion of them. On the other -hand, his conscience smote him greatly at having -overslept himself; and thus incurred the -danger of breaking his life rule, of always beginning -the day in the house of God, and in the -words which the ship captain once addressed to -the prophet Jonah when he had gone to sleep -in the midst of all the turmoil of the storm, it -called to him, “What aileth thee, O sleeper? -Arise, cry out unto thy God.” After a minute’s -hesitation conscience won the battle over comfort. -Moses hastily sprang from his couch, -made his simple toilet as speedily as possible, -and in something less than twenty minutes was -on his way to the little synagogue (“place of -prayer” was the unassuming name which the -worshippers themselves gave it) of the Congregation -of the Sons of Peace. While he is on his -way thither, we will take occasion to describe -him to our readers; for many of them, no -doubt, are at a loss to understand what kind of -a person he is, and particularly fail to comprehend -why he should be so dreadfully put out -at the mere possibility of being absent from -prayers one morning, a thing which, I am sure, -would never disturb the majority of my worthy -readers in their mental tranquillity.</p> - -<div id='Commonplace' class='figcenter id003'> -<img src='images/i_b130x1.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>HE WAS NOTHING BUT A COMMONPLACE, EVERY-DAY PEDDLER<br /><br /><span class='right'><em>Page <a href='#Page_131'>131</a></em></span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c009'><span class='pageno' id='Page_131'>131</span>Moses Levinsky was a very ordinary and insignificant -individual, such as you might pass a -thousand times in the street and never pay any -attention to. He was nothing but a commonplace, -every-day peddler who wandered from -morning to evening through the streets of the -great metropolis, with a huge basket suspended in -front of him, filled to overflowing with a miscellaneous -assortment of goods—suspenders, shoe -laces, pins, needles, tape, handkerchiefs, stockings, -and what not—and endeavored to induce his -fellow-beings to purchase sufficient of his store -to provide him with a meagre livelihood. He -had straight and regular features, of a rather -handsome Semitic type, though worn and furrowed, -not so much by years—he was only -forty-three—as by care and anxiety; his hair -and large irregular beard were black, heavily -streaked with gray, and his clothes and close-fitting -derby hat were decidedly shabby. All -in all, he was not an imposing figure; and when -we add to the unimpressiveness of his exterior -the fact that he had a nervous, deprecatory -manner, and looked around him with timid, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_132'>132</span>apprehensive eyes, and also that he was a very -indifferent master of the vernacular, which he -spoke hesitatingly and with a pronounced Slavonic-Jewish -accent, the reader will at once -realize that he was of the type which low comedians -love to caricature and street urchins to -mock at, if not to treat worse.</p> - -<p class='c009'>But his external appearance was no indicator, -except for those who are accustomed to read and -understand such exteriors, of his internal characteristics. -Beneath the unprepossessing outward -semblance there dwelt a keen intellect and a -noble soul which might well deserve the admiration -of the discerning. He had received a good -education of its kind in his youth in his Russian -home. He had been thoroughly trained in -Hebrew, had read the entire Bible in the original, -and was well acquainted with the Talmud -and the modern Hebrew literature from which -he had derived correct ideas of the world and -the development of modern science. But he -had not been able to utilize his training either -in his native land or America. In Russia he -had desired to become a rabbi, for which his -learning and his sincere religious bent amply -fitted him; but all the positions he knew of were -filled, and so after a few years’ vain waiting he -kissed his wife and his two little ones good-by -<span class='pageno' id='Page_133'>133</span>(he had married early while still a student at the -<em>Yeshibah</em>) and set sail for America, where, he -thought, congregations without number were -ready to greet him as their spiritual chief. But -a brief glance at the conditions surrounding the -rabbinate among his immigrant brethren under -the Western skies had cured him of his desire to -make it his vocation. As he had neither capital -nor sufficient secular training to enable him to -become a merchant, or secure a remunerative -commercial position, he had only the choice -between two ways of gaining a livelihood. He -could become a workman in a sweat-shop or a -peddler. He chose the latter and, at the time -this story begins, had pursued the occupation of -itinerant merchant, an occupation in which -there is little gain and less glory, for some ten -years. During all these years he had permitted -himself only one form of pleasure, attendance at -the House of God. The theatre knew him not, -the interior of saloons saw him only when on -business bent; but at the synagogue he was a -regular attendant, never missing the early morning -services or the evening gatherings, in which -the rabbi expounded the Talmud and its commentaries -to a group of attentive “learners.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Apart from his natural piety it had gradually -become a matter of pride with him to be regular -<span class='pageno' id='Page_134'>134</span>and punctual in his attendance at the synagogue, -and consequently he felt considerably mortified -when on the morning of our tale he found that -he must either be absent or late at service. On -his way to the house of worship he tried to console -himself with the sneaking hope that perhaps -his watch was fast and that the hour was -not really as late as it indicated. But his hopes -were doomed to disappointment. As he entered -the little synagogue the mourners were -just repeating the last <em>Kaddish</em>, and most of the -other worshippers were folding and putting -away their <em>Tallithoth</em> and <em>Tephillin</em>, preparatory -to leaving for the work of the day.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Poor Moses! A pang went through his heart at -the thought that he, whose punctuality and zeal -had become proverbial, should be so culpably -remiss as to appear in <em>Shool</em> when services were -practically over, and a keener pang yet pervaded -him when he noticed the expression of wonderment -with which his companions and fellow-members -gazed at him. Nor did they confine -themselves to looks of amazement; but, being -finished with their devotions, they gave free -expression to their astonishment in questions. -“What’s the matter, Levinsky?” he was asked -from all sides. “Aren’t you well, or are you getting -lazy, or are you turning <em>link</em>?” To all these -<span class='pageno' id='Page_135'>135</span>interrogations Moses returned no answer; indeed, -he felt morally too much crushed to defend -or even to palliate his shortcoming. Gloomily he -proceeded to put on his prayer-shawl and phylacteries -and with much less fervor than usual he -recited the morning prayer. By the time he -had concluded his devotions every one else had -left except the <em>Shammas</em>, who, obliged by his -office to remain, had waited impatiently to lock -the synagogue, and who felt considerably aggrieved -at Moses for having caused him to lose -so much of his valuable time, which might have -been utilized for collecting a bill or arranging a -<em>Shidduch</em>. Listlessly Moses left the room and -directed his feet street-ward, but not too listlessly -to feel the withering glance of reproach which -the <em>Shammas</em> shot after him as he departed.</p> - -<p class='c009'>The street was thronged and bustling with -the full tide of activity which had now begun, but -Moses paid no attention to its appearance. He -did not even notice the friendly greetings of -several acquaintances whom he passed on his -homeward way. His mind had only room just -then for one thought, that of mortification at his -inexplicable tardiness and the humiliation which -that morning had brought him in the opinion of -his fellow-congregants. He reached the huge -tenement he called his home and began mechanically -<span class='pageno' id='Page_136'>136</span>to climb the narrow and interminable -staircases that led up to his room. The building -was comparatively quiet. Most of the male -inmates and of the children of school age had -already departed, the former to take up their -daily tasks, the latter for the immense public -school a few blocks away. No one met him on -the stairs to draw his mind from its gloomy -abstraction. But as he reached the fifth floor -he perceived something which at once, arrested -his attention and turned his thoughts to matters -outside of himself. It was a strong and pungent -smell, the smell of smoke. He stopped, -all his senses at once keenly alert. Like all -tenement-dwellers he realized well the meaning -of smoke. It meant fire, and fire all too often -meant death in those lofty and crowded edifices, -from whose upper portions escape was always -difficult and sometimes impossible. Even as he -stood, the noise of uneasy motion in the apartments -at the side of the hall where he was and a -sudden clamor of voices within betokened that -their occupants too had smelt the smoke and -were seized with sudden dread. Doors were -flung open; the white, anxious faces of frightened -women, followed by wondering little children, -peered out. There was a rush of feet in -the hall below and quavering voices screamed -<span class='pageno' id='Page_137'>137</span>“fire! fire!” By this time (a very brief interval -only had passed) Moses Levinsky had located -the direction whence the smoke proceeded. It -came from the sixth story, and was already -quite dense at the head of the stairs. As -he gazed, Levinsky thought he could hear -children’s voices, faintly crying, as if half -stifled.</p> - -<p class='c009'>What should he do? For a moment he -thought he would rush downstairs to the street -and start the fire-alarm at the next corner. But -he realized instantly that quicker action was -necessary in this case, that human lives, children’s -lives probably, were in imminent danger, -and that he must do something himself to -rescue them, leaving to others the task of notifying -the fire department. With a few swift -bounds he was at the next landing, clearing -three steps at every leap. The fire was evidently -in the apartments on the left side of the hall, -where lived the Shapiros with their three children, -for dense smoke was pouring from their -rear door and children’s voices were heard from -within, feebly wailing. The rooms on the other -side of the hall, occupied by the Arnowitzs, a -young married couple, were still and evidently -empty. With one rush Levinsky was at the -door through whose interstices the smoke proceeded -<span class='pageno' id='Page_138'>138</span>and endeavored to open it. It was -closed and resisted his efforts. He kicked at it -frantically. It did not yield. In the meanwhile -the smoke was pouring forth in denser -clouds, paining his eyes and his lungs, and the -children’s voices were growing fainter and -feebler. With mad frenzy Moses Levinsky -threw his body against the door; it shook and -quivered but did not yield. Again he tried to -kick it in, striking his right foot in his thin boot -against the door with all his strength, and with -utter disregard for the pain and possible injury -to himself. In vain. The door was strong and -firmly locked, while Levinsky was but an indifferent -specimen of muscular development (his -athletics had all been of the intellectual variety), -and all his efforts to break it down were of -no avail. Several precious minutes had now -passed and Levinsky was almost in despair. -He was hesitating what to do, and half inclined -to rush downstairs in quest of additional help -when his eyes, aimlessly wandering about the -hall, chanced to light in the opposite corner, and -lo and behold! there stood an axe. It was the -axe with which Shapiro was accustomed to -chop wood in the yard. Usually he kept it in -his rooms, but that morning had left it, by -a providential chance, in the hall. Instantly -<span class='pageno' id='Page_139'>139</span>Moses Levinsky seized it. A few vigorous -blows, launched with all his strength against the -door, brought it down and he rushed into the -smoke-filled room. In the corner he saw dimly -three little figures. Two were clinging to each -other and one was lying prostrate on the floor. -They were Sarah and Ikey, the five-year and -three-year-old daughter and son, and little Josey, -the eighteen-months-old baby of the Shapiros. -The older ones were still conscious, but wee -little Josey had been overcome by the smoke -and had fallen to the floor. In the middle of -the room stood the large family bed, the bed-clothing -fiercely burning and emitting dense -volumes of black smoke. Levinsky’s first -thought was of the children. Lifting up and -holding the unconscious child with his right -hand and taking a hand of each of the other -children in his left, he rushed from the room.</p> - -<p class='c009'>By this time the whole house and all the -neighborhood had taken alarm. As he hastened -down the stairs, in an effort to find a place -where the unconscious child might have fresh -air, there came rushing toward him a throng of -neighbors; among them several firemen, with a -portable extinguisher, and a physician. Moses -Levinsky’s task had been accomplished. The -firemen proceeded to deal in systematic manner -<span class='pageno' id='Page_140'>140</span>with the fire, which had now grown large enough -to threaten the whole house. The physician -took charge of the unconscious infant and in a -few minutes had brought him to. But who is -this whose agonized screams are now heard, and -who comes rushing through the dense crowd, -frantically crying, “My children! O my children!” -It is the mother, Mrs. Shapiro, who -had gone out to do her marketing, together -with her neighbor, Mrs. Arnowitz, and, in the -manner customary in that vicinity, had locked -her children in the room until her return. -When she saw that her children were alive and -well, she kissed and hugged them frantically, -and drew them to her breast as if she half -doubted the evidence of her senses. Then she -asked who was their brave rescuer; and when -all pointed to Moses Levinsky, she fell on her -knees before him and kissed his hands and -called him a <em>Malach</em> of God, sent directly from -heaven to rescue her dear ones. But Moses -Levinsky did not grow at all conceited nor take -the praise to himself. His face was lighted up -with the gleam of intelligence, with the satisfaction -of a problem solved. All he said was: -“Now I see that God is good and His plans are -wise. He made me late at <em>Shool</em> so that I -should be on time to save these poor <em>Nefoshos</em>. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_141'>141</span>I was too late for one <em>Mitzvah</em>, but just in time -for another, and that is quite in accordance with -the <em>Halachah</em>; for does not the Talmud tell us, -‘He that has to perform one <em>Mitzvah</em> is exempt -from another’?”</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_142'>142</span> - <h2 class='c005'>THE PROSELYTE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c008'>About fifty years ago a group of street-idlers -and passers-by were standing at the corner of -one of the narrow and old-fashioned streets near -the old harbor of Marseilles, amusing themselves -at the plight of a short, dark-complexioned -man who stood in their midst, and who -was evidently a foreigner and a stranger in the -town. It was a typical early summer day in one -of the busiest spots of the metropolis of southern -France. The sun shone with a brilliance -and a radiance characteristic of the region and -the season, and was just a little too warm for -comfort; and the streets were crowded with a -motley throng partly composed of Frenchmen, -among whom the natives of northern France -and the <span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">provençals</span> or inhabitants of the south -could be easily distinguished from each other -by their diversity of type, and partly by representatives -of various races and nationalities -varying in shade from the olive-skinned Spaniards, -Italians, and Greeks to the coffee-brown -Arabs and Moors from northern Africa, with -here and there among the throng a negro of -ebony blackness.</p> - -<div id='Idlers' class='figcenter id003'> -<img src='images/i_b142x1.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>A GROUP OF STREET-IDLERS WERE AMUSING THEMSELVES AT THE PLIGHT OF A SHORT, DARK-COMPLEXIONED MAN WHO STOOD IN THEIR MIDST<br /><br /><span class='right'><em>Page <a href='#Page_142'>142</a></em></span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c009'><span class='pageno' id='Page_143'>143</span>The great press upon the streets was due -in part to the normal activity of the town; but -more to the fact that three of the great sailing -vessels which, in those ante-steam-navigation -days managed the freight and passenger traffic -between the Levantine ports, had that morning -discharged their human cargoes at three of the -principal wharves in the neighborhood, and the -stream of released passengers was flowing -through the adjacent streets before becoming -commingled with the general human flood -of the city. There were many strange figures -among the new arrivals, but they all appeared -fairly at home in their new surroundings. -Some may have been in Marseilles on -previous occasions, and others were met by -relatives or friends who guided them to their -respective destinations. Thus all were cared for -in the strange city except one, and he the woe-begone -individual whom we have seen standing -at the street corner amidst the knot of street -<i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">gamins</span></i> and loiterers. They had fine sport with -him, commenting on his outlandish appearance, -and asking him all sorts of facetious questions -<span class='pageno' id='Page_144'>144</span>in the vulgar <i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">argot</span></i> they spoke; but he understood -nothing, and only looked helplessly from -one unsympathetic face to the other, saying only -occasionally in a dazed sort of way, to the one -or the other, in what seemed to them an unintelligible -gibberish, the mystic words, “<em>Yehudi -Attah? Yehudi Attah?</em>” Every such utterance -would be greeted with a shout of laughter; that -is to say, by all except one.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Benjamin Dalinsky, a Jewish peddler, whose -cradle had stood on the banks of the Dnieper, -but whom fate had carried to the land of the -Gauls, and who found his subsistence as an -itinerant merchant in the southern French metropolis, -chanced to pass the spot where these -scenes were being enacted, and paused a moment -to ascertain the cause of the excitement. -The stranger noticed the newcomer, and addressed -to him the query he had so often fruitlessly -repeated: “<em>Yehudi Attah? Yehudi Attah?</em>”</p> - -<p class='c009'>A thrill went through the whole body of Benjamin -Dalinsky. He understood the mystic -words. He heard in them an echo of the voices -of his childhood, and of the spirit of his home, -which he missed so sadly in this strange, un-Jewish -France. He felt in them the yearning -of a Jewish soul for the companionship of a -<span class='pageno' id='Page_145'>145</span>brother in faith, in sympathy, and in affection. -His soul went out in sudden attraction to this -dark-hued stranger, whom he had never seen -before; and in the same ancient tongue, the -Hebrew, in which the stranger had made his -inquiry, he answered: “<em>Ani Yehudi bo immi -achi.</em>”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Great, overwhelming joy lit up the dark face -of the stranger. With mingled love and deference -he bowed low and kissed the hem of the -coat of Dalinsky, who quickly drew him from -the midst of the throng; and the wondering -French idlers stepped aside as this strangely assorted -pair, the fair-haired son of the North and -the swarthy Oriental walked away together. -Dalinsky’s lodgings were but a short distance -away—he had a room with a Jewish couple who -eked out their scanty earnings with the small -amount he paid them and thither he quickly led -the stranger. After he had given the latter an -opportunity to wash himself and eat something, -which he did ravenously after he had satisfied -himself of its ritual purity, for on the ship he -had tasted hardly anything of the food of the -Gentiles, he asked the stranger what had -brought him to this unknown country, whose -language and manners were alike unfamiliar to -him. In classic Hebrew, which he spoke with -<span class='pageno' id='Page_146'>146</span>perfect fluency and with great animation and -vivacity, the stranger told the following tale:</p> - -<p class='c009'>“I am a Jew; and it is the pride and glory of -my life that I belong to the faith first proclaimed -by Abraham, and whose sacred laws and ordinances -I endeavor faithfully to fulfil; but I am -not native-born in the household of Israel. I am -only an adopted child therein, although, I trust, -my love for the people which is now mine is -none the less warm and true on that account. -By origin I am a Greek. I was born on the -beautiful island of Corfu, the pearl of the archipelago, -where grow the finest and choicest -<em>Ethrogim</em>, most suitable of all species for the -solemn ceremonies of the Feast of Tabernacles; -and the name upon which I was baptized was -Dimitri Aristarchi. To-day I am known in -Israel as Abraham Ger-Tsedek. The manner -in which I came to seek entrance into the congregation -of the Lord was most extraordinary; -and my statement may seem to you but little -worthy of credence, but I solemnly assure you -it is true. It happened in this wise. My family -was an old and distinguished one in the -island; but my father, in consequence of ill success -in various business ventures and a series of -other misfortunes, lost all his wealth when I was -a lad of about fifteen, and shortly afterward -<span class='pageno' id='Page_147'>147</span>died. My poor mother, overwhelmed by the -double loss of her dearly beloved husband and -all her earthly possessions, did not survive her -life partner long, but within a few short weeks -followed him into the grave. I was thus thrown -entirely upon my own resources; and as I was -an only child, without either brother or sister, -and had learnt no trade or profession, having -been reared in the luxurious and careless fashion -usual in my country in well-to-do families, my -condition was indeed desperate. There was -nothing left for me to do except to seek a position -as a domestic servant, in which no special -skill is required and in which industry and good-will -may supply the place of training. It was a -most humiliating necessity, which drew many -tears from my eyes. I, the pampered child of -wealth, must seek my daily bread as a menial! -But there was no alternative; and as the saying -is, ‘Necessity can neither be praised nor -blamed.’</p> - -<p class='c009'>“It so happened that I found employment in -the house of a Jewish physician, Moses Allatini -by name. He was a man of considerable prominence, -handsome and distinguished in appearance, -extremely skilful in his profession, but -learned as well in Hebraic lore. His wife, Esperanza -by name, was radiantly beautiful, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_148'>148</span>with the pensive, thoughtful beauty that marks -so many of the daughters of Israel, and as -kind-hearted and pious as she was beautiful. -Their family consisted of seven children, all -well-bred, polite, and lovable. At the time of -my entrance into the household there was a -baby, a sweet boy of two years, with curly black -locks clustering around a face of alabaster -whiteness, and eyes in whose liquid black depths -an infinity of sentiment was revealed. As I -was not good for much else, Raphael, for so the -youngest was called, was assigned to my care, at -which I greatly rejoiced, for I had fallen in love -with the sweet child when first these eyes lighted -upon his angelic countenance. I devoted myself -to his care with the utmost zeal. I washed, -bathed, and clothed him, took him out daily in -the fresh air, gave him his meals, and tucked -him in his little bed nightly when he closed his -beautiful eyes in sleep. I learnt the little -Hebrew prayers which Jewish children recite -when they lie down to rest at night, or when -they rise in the morning, and the benedictions -which they pronounce on various occasions in -order that I might dictate them to him, and that -no one should come between me and my dearly -beloved charge. Raphael reciprocated my attachment; -no doubt because he perceived its -<span class='pageno' id='Page_149'>149</span>sincerity and we grew inseparable. As he grew -older our love for each other did not diminish; -on the contrary, it increased and grew deeper -and more intense. Next to his parents Raphael -loved best his Dimitri; and as for me, I had no -one else in the wide world for whom I need -care, and I concentrated upon him all the intensity -of love of a naturally warm and affectionate -heart. I continued to have the exclusive -charge of Raphael, participated in all his sports -and games, and accompanied him whenever he -went out. Indeed, he always insisted that I -must be his companion, and refused to go anywhere -unless I was with him. Our great love -for each other became generally known and excited -great interest, especially among the Hebrew -inhabitants—the Greeks were not so well -pleased—and the Allatini family were universally -congratulated upon the possession of such -a faithful and devoted servitor. When Raphael -was four years old his parents began to take him -to the synagogue on holidays and Sabbaths of -special importance; and as he insisted upon -my accompanying him, a request which excited -great amusement among the family and the -others who learned of it, I was one of the party -on these occasions. Thus was I first introduced -to the ancient Hebrew worship as it is conducted -<span class='pageno' id='Page_150'>150</span>in the Jewish House of God. I was -deeply impressed by the melodious chanting of -the <em>Hazan</em>, in which the congregation joined -harmoniously from time to time, and I listened -with great interest to the learned and pious discourses -of the venerable rabbi. But there was -no thought in my mind at this time of allying -myself to Israel; and as for the Allatinis and -the other Hebrews, they never even dreamed of -such a thing.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“When Raphael had attained to the age of -five, Dr. Allatini declared that it was now time -to teach him the Hebrew language, and to begin -to initiate him into the knowledge of the -Bible and the rabbinical writings. But now a -new and unexpected difficulty arose. Raphael -insisted stoutly that I must take the -lessons, too, and declared that he would learn -nothing unless I was his fellow-scholar. This -was a little too much for his good parents. -They tried to make him comprehend that it was -absurd to make a Gentile study the Hebrew -language and religious literature; and to me, -too, the thing appeared exceedingly dubious; -but he would have nothing of their arguments -and, with the unreasoning obstinacy of childhood, -insisted that I must participate in the -instruction. ‘Dimitri does everything with -<span class='pageno' id='Page_151'>151</span>me,’ he said, ‘and he must learn with me, too. -If Dimitri will not learn, Raphael will not learn -either.’ There was no help for it. His youthful -mind was fixed in the idea that I must be -his companion in study as in all other things; -and his parents, seeing that it was impossible to -change his view, yielded, half in amusement and -half in vexation, to his wish. Thus I became a -student of the Holy Law; and I bless God for -the hour when He separated me from those that -are in error and brought me near to Him, by -enabling me to become acquainted with His -Torah and to recognize the wisdom and holiness -of His teachings. A teacher was engaged, -the ablest Hebrew scholar of the town, and he -began to instruct what he declared was the -strangest pair of pupils he had ever had, the -Greek Gentile youth of eighteen and the -Hebrew lad of five. Both of us learned zealously.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Now that I had begun I was eager to learn -all that I could of Hebrew lore; and Raphael, -pleased that his wish had been gratified, and -possessing a bright and acute intellect, learned -rapidly and well. We began with the Hebrew -alphabet and the rudiments of the sacred -tongue; but soon we had mastered these elementary -portions and took up the reading of -<span class='pageno' id='Page_152'>152</span>the Scriptures, at first in the simple text and -afterward with the commentaries of various -learned rabbis. I cannot find words with which -to describe the profound impression which this -course of study made upon me. What had at -first been a mere good-natured compliance with -the whim of a child became afterward a most -fascinating and absorbing pursuit, the most important -part of my intellectual and spiritual life. -At first I was charmed with the Hebrew tongue -as a vehicle of thought and expression, with its -pronunciation, at once sonorous and melodious, -with its symmetrical and harmonious grammatical -construction, with its brief and yet richly -expressive phrases and sentences; then the -sublimity and grandeur of the Biblical teachings -stirred and moved me. I wondered at the -divine wisdom of the creation; I admired the -grand and heroic leaders, God-inspired prophets -and teachers who spread the knowledge of the -universal Master among men; I began to -understand why Israel existed on earth; I followed -with deepest interest the checkered history -of the chosen people; I triumphed with -Solomon when the holy house was dedicated -on Zion’s height, and I wept and sorrowed with -Jeremiah when it sank in ruin. The wisdom -of the Torah impressed me deeply, its numerous -<span class='pageno' id='Page_153'>153</span>statutes and ordinances, all designed to bring -about the one end, the happiness and well-being -of mankind revealed clearly to my mind the -ineffable goodness of the Author of all, and with -David I exclaimed, ‘The law of the Lord is -perfect restoring the soul.’ In a word the spirit -of the All-holy entered into me, and I understood, -as I never understood before, and as -millions do not understand to-day, that He -desires the happiness of mankind; and in order -to promote that happiness and to diffuse universal -blessing, He hath chosen the Torah and -Moses His servant and Israel His people.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Thus the years flowed away, bringing ever-increasing -knowledge and happiness to us both, -for Raphael and I were like two brothers united -by love such as brothers seldom know. When -we had finished the reading of the Bible, which -took us about five years, we began to study the -<em>Mishnah</em>. Here I found new subjects for admiration; -the acuteness and profound scholarship -of the <em>Hakamim</em>, their methodical order -and system, and also their stern piety and unyielding -devotion to principle. In two years we -had concluded the <em>Mishnah</em> and took up the -intricate discussions of the <em>Gemara</em>. But now -Raphael had entered upon his thirteenth year, -at the conclusion of which, as you well know, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_154'>154</span>every Jewish boy becomes <em>Bar-Mitzvah</em>; that -is to say, attains his religious majority, and is -accounted fully responsible for all his acts in -the sight of God and man. The <em>Bar-Mitzvah</em> -day is considered everywhere in Israel a most -auspicious and happy occasion. The youthful -celebrant is treated with distinguished honor, is -permitted to read the <em>Sedrah</em> and the <em>Haftarah</em>, -and even to deliver an address in the synagogue, -and is made the recipient of rich gifts and -marked attentions. As these ceremonies require -special study and preparation, it is necessary -to train a youth some time in advance of -the happy day. Such was the proceeding followed -also in the case of Raphael. The teacher -who had instructed us both suspended temporarily -the regular course of instruction in -which I had taken part, and concentrated his -efforts upon teaching Raphael the proper -method of chanting the portions of the law and -the prophets which were to be read on the great -Sabbath of the <em>Bar-Mitzvah</em>, and also aided him -in the preparation of a learned and profound -discourse which he, though a mere youth, was to -deliver on that auspicious occasion.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“As these matters did not concern me, I was -necessarily left out of consideration and had -now no part in the studies of Raphael, except -<span class='pageno' id='Page_155'>155</span>that of a mere occasional listener and looker-on. -For the first time in over seven years Raphael -and I were separated, no longer joined in study -nor much together otherwise, for the preparations -for the <em>Bar-Mitzvah</em> absorbed most of his -time, and he did not find leisure for our accustomed -walks and pleasures. The change grieved -me deeply. I realized now as I had not realized -before the distinction between us; that he was -one of the chosen people whose history and religion -we had been studying, while I was an outsider, -a stranger, not privileged to enter into -close connection with the covenant brethren, nor -to share in their most intimate concerns, their -truest joys, and deepest sorrows. I cannot describe -to you the melancholy which filled my soul -at this thought; but it must have showed itself -in my countenance or demeanor, for Raphael -noticed it, and with true fraternal sympathy tried -to soothe and console me. But his well-meant -efforts were in vain. Nothing could assuage -the keen pain which rose in my soul whenever -I reflected that there existed an invisible but -nevertheless real and undeniable dividing wall -between me and the human being I loved best, -a wall that would probably grow thicker and -stronger as the years rolled on, until it would at -last keep us utterly asunder, except, perhaps, as -<span class='pageno' id='Page_156'>156</span>regards the superficial relations of mere formal -friendship.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“For months this dull pain gnawed at my -heart until one day, when the <em>Bar-Mitzvah</em> day -was no longer far distant, there came to me, all -unexpectedly and sudden as a lightning flash, -a thought that promised redemption. ‘Why -need I permit this wall to grow up between -me and my beloved?’ I asked myself. ‘Why -can I not become Raphael’s brother in the -covenant of Israel? Israel is God’s holy nation, -but it does not jealously restrict its membership -to those born in the fold. Its gates -open gladly to welcome those who seek entrance -because of true union of sentiment -with the hereditary guardians of the covenant. -As Isaiah says: “Let not the stranger that -joineth himself unto the Lord say, verily the -Lord will separate me from His people.” I, -too, may join myself to Israel, may share the -burdens and the privileges of the Holy people, -and take upon myself their name.’</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Thus did my love for a dear Jewish lad suggest -to me to enter into Israel; but nevertheless -I did not determine upon the step until I had -examined my mind and my soul to ascertain -whether I was fit for this great change. I knew -that to become a proselyte for any personal motive -<span class='pageno' id='Page_157'>157</span>alone, no matter how high or ideal it might -be, were sin. But my self-examination taught -me my real beliefs, showed me that, spiritually -if not formally, I already belonged to Israel. -I recognized that the theological dogmas I had -been taught in my boyhood no longer possessed -any charm or validity for my soul, which for -seven years had drunk deep draughts of life-giving -water from the fountains of Israel’s law -and tradition. I saw that in Israel was the -spiritual home where my soul desired to dwell. -Encouraged and inspired by this recognition, I -went to the rabbi and communicated to him my -desire to enter the fold of Israel. He was surprised -at first and rather displeased; but when I -told him my story, and informed him that I was -well instructed in Hebrew lore and familiar with -the ordinances of Judaism, he declared that he -could not refuse to accept me as a proselyte.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“I now unfolded to him an idea which I had -conceived in relation to my reception into Judaism, -which pleased him well, and to which he at -once gave his approval. Under the plea of desiring -a vacation, which was readily granted, for -Raphael was busy with his preparations and my -services were not really required, I secured a -leave of absence for several weeks from the -Allatini household. I went to a little town -<span class='pageno' id='Page_158'>158</span>some few miles distant, and there in the presence -of the rabbi and ten Hebrew brethren I -was circumcised and the name I now bear in -Israel conferred upon me. I remained there -until I had thoroughly recovered when I returned -to the Allatini home. No one knew -of the change which had taken place, for I had -requested, for reasons of my own, those present -at the ceremony to divulge nothing for the time -being; and my wishes had been respected. All -noticed that I had lost the melancholy air which -I had borne for several months, and was looking -contented and happy; but none knew the reason -for the improvement in my appearance.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“At last the great day, the Bar-Mitzvah Sabbath, -arrived. The synagogue was densely -packed, for the interest in the event which concerned -so closely the most prominent family in -the congregation and its well-beloved son was -universal. On the main floor the noblest and -best men of the community were assembled, and -from the galleries the matrons and maidens of -Israel, arrayed in splendid robes, beamed radiantly -down. When the time for the reading of -the Torah arrived Raphael ascended the <em>Tebah</em>, -or altar, and at once began to chant from the -sacred scroll. He was a picture of youthful -beauty as he stood there; and his voice, pure -<span class='pageno' id='Page_159'>159</span>and clear as the sweetest of song-birds, filled -the synagogue with melodious resonance as he -chanted the solemn sentences of Holy Writ. A -hum of admiration ran around the synagogue; -and all eyes, after feasting with pleasure on -the beauteous form of the youthful celebrant, -turned with silent congratulation to the happy -father and the joyous mother, who showed in -their beaming countenances what joy dwelt -within their hearts. Raphael was summoned as -the third person to pronounce the benediction -over the law, which he did with great dignity -and devoutness. His father then ascended the -altar and made generous offerings for the benefit -of the congregation; and the rabbi, leaving -his seat and ascending the altar, placed his -hands upon Raphael’s bowed head and pronounced -over him the threefold priestly blessing. -Thus far everything had been conducted -in the manner usual on such occasions, but now -a deviation took place. Instead of summoning -the next person to the Torah, which would have -been the usual proceeding, the rabbi turned to -the people and addressed them thus:</p> - -<p class='c009'>“‘Brethren of Israel! It has been now our -privilege to witness the acceptance into full -membership in the covenant of our beloved -young friend, Raphael Allatini, to whom and to -<span class='pageno' id='Page_160'>160</span>whose respected parents we offer our sincere -well-wishes. It will now be our pleasure to behold -another Bar-Mitzvah, one who is a true believer -in our holy faith, and who has been for -many years a friend and comrade of our young -celebrant, and desires not to separate from him -on this happy day.’</p> - -<p class='c009'>“All were amazed at the enigmatical words -of the rabbi; for no one had heard of another -Bar-Mitzvah, and the fact of my conversion -had been kept a profound secret. The -<em>Chazan</em>, however, had been let into the secret, -and in a loud voice he proclaimed: ‘Let there -arise Abraham, son of Abraham, the proselyte -of righteousness, to read the Torah. May his -rock protect him.’</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Profound astonishment reigned in the synagogue -as I, the full-grown man of twenty-five, -whom all had known as Dimitri the Greek servant, -arose in my place and ascended the Tebah -in a character belonging usually only to -Hebrew youths of thirteen; and in breathless -silence they listened while I pronounced the -benediction over the Torah and read my portion -with correct accent and melody. When I had -finished I blessed the Lord with a loud voice; -and according to the words of the benediction, -‘Blessed art Thou, O Lord, our God, King -<span class='pageno' id='Page_161'>161</span>of the universe, who hast permitted me to live -and attain to this day,’ and all the congregation -shouted ‘Amen!’ The rabbi then -blessed me with tears in his eyes; and Raphael -fell about my neck and embraced me, -with radiant smiles, for to him my act meant -most of all. The rest of the service was conducted -in the usual quiet and solemn manner; -but when the last chant had been concluded, -the excitement broke forth. The vast congregation -crowded around the Allatini family, -Raphael and me, congratulating us most warmly -on the remarkable and auspicious event which -had just taken place. I had almost as great a -share of popular approval as Raphael, and my -fidelity and loyalty both to the family I served -and the religion I had embraced, my devotion -to my young master, and my attainments in -Hebrew lore were greatly admired and commended. -Oh, that was a glorious day in my -life; and, however long the Most High may -permit me to remain on earth, I shall never forget -it. The Allatinis, too, when the first shock -of surprise was over, acted toward me with the -utmost love and kindness. I was treated in all -respects as the equal and comrade of Raphael. -I sat next to him at the festive board during the -splendid banquet given the same afternoon in -<span class='pageno' id='Page_162'>162</span>celebration of the event. After he had delivered -his address, I, too, was asked to speak to -the guests, who included the most respected -people in the community; and the rabbi, in his -remarks, referred to me in the kindest terms, -praising greatly my fidelity and piety and the -learning I had acquired, and comparing me with -Shemayah and Abtalion, the distinguished proselytes -who became heads of the Sanhedrin during -the period of the second Temple.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“After the Bar-Mitzvah festivities were over, -Raphael took up again the interrupted course of -studies and I was again his companion. I was -very, very happy. I felt that I had entered into -the haven of peace and joy in the blessed study -of God’s holy law and the willing fulfilment of -its precepts, while enjoying also the love of my -young master, the kindness of his family, and -the respect of all my newly gained Jewish -brethren. I asked for nothing better on earth, -though I did hope that in course of time I -might be able to ask some well-born maiden of -Israel to be my life partner and settle down as a -worthy <em>Baal Ha-baith</em>. But, alas! while I was -basking in the bright sun of happiness, the -black clouds were gathering which were destined -to cover with inky pall the fair sky of my -well-being.</p> - -<p class='c009'><span class='pageno' id='Page_163'>163</span>“The romantic incidents of my conversion -and my public reception as a Bar-Mitzvah -had excited great public interest among the -Jewish inhabitants of the island generally and -were spoken of everywhere. In this way the -facts came also to the knowledge of the Greek -Gentiles and aroused their deep anger and -resentment. Great as was the enmity which -they bore the children of Jacob, they hated -with a still intenser hatred the one from their -own midst who had cast in his lot with the -ancient people. I soon noticed that I was regarded -with great ill favor. When I went -abroad through the streets of the town on my -accustomed walks with Raphael, I noticed that -the men and women gazed at me with black, -scowling looks, while the children put no restraint -on their tongues, but yelled after me, -‘Apostate, renegade, traitor!’ This discovery, -while it was certainly not pleasing, did not -disconcert either me or my friends. There had -not been any uprising against the Jews in many -years, and none of us thought that I was of sufficient -importance to be honored with a special -uprising, exclusively on my account. Soon, -however, rumors began to be heard that the -lower orders of people, incited by virulent agitators, -in particular by a fanatical priest of the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_164'>164</span>neighborhood, were planning an attack on the -Allatini house for the purpose of seizing me and -visiting upon me condign punishment—that is -to say, death—for what they were pleased to call -my apostasy. This report did cause us some -anxiety; but we all, in particular Dr. Allatini, -looked upon it as an idle tale and took no precaution -to ward off any possible calamity.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“A few nights later the blow fell. Our house -was in silence and darkness, all having retired -to rest, when some time after midnight a violent -knocking and beating at the massive gates of -the high stone wall, which surrounded the garden -in which stood the Allatini residence, was -heard. We were all aroused by the clamor and -hastening to the windows beheld in the road -outside the gates a great, raging multitude with -hate-filled countenances, and bearing in their -hands, besides weapons, flaming torches which -cast a lurid light over all the scene. No sooner -did they behold the frightened faces at the windows -(I was not among them, for, realizing at -once that the clamor had reference to me, I -kept in the background) than with terrible cries -and yells they demanded that I be delivered to -them. ‘Give us the apostate, the renegade,’ -they yelled. ‘We mean no harm to you that -are born Jews, but we want the blood of the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_165'>165</span>traitor; and unless you surrender him to us, we -will destroy the house and slay you all.’</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Our people held a hasty consultation. I will -not detain you with all the particulars of our debate, -but the result reached was that it was possible -for me to be saved. Dr. Allatini took a -hasty leave of me and then went forth to parley -with the mob. I hastily dressed myself and -packed together a few necessary articles. A -purse of money was pressed into my hands. I -embraced and kissed my beloved Raphael and -bade all good-by, then entered a subterranean -passage-way which led to an adjacent street. -When I emerged in the next street, the shouts -and noise of the mob had died down and I realized -that Dr. Allatini had succeeded in quieting -them. I subsequently learned that he had assured -them that I was not in the house, and had -given them permission to enter it and search -for me. I reached the harbor early the next -morning in safety and took passage in the first -ship leaving which chanced to be bound for -Marseilles.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“With a soul filled with mingled feelings of -sorrow and gratitude I left my native land, -sorry that I must leave my dearly beloved one, -the companion of my youth and early manhood, -and gratitude to the God of Israel, who had -<span class='pageno' id='Page_166'>166</span>saved me from the hands of my enemies and -from the perils of the sea, and brought me in -safety to a new home. And I thank Him also -that in this strange land He has led me to a -brother who has shown himself possessed of true -fraternal, Jewish love and kindness. And I -doubt not that He who maketh a path in the -fierce waters and who protected His servant -David from the hostile sword, will care for me, -His humble worshipper, in this strange land -and grant me His peace and blessing. The -words of Abraham are finished.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>When the stranger had finished his tale, Benjamin -Dalinski, who had listened in wonderment -to the singular narrative, said to him: -“Truly, thy tale is strange and interesting; but -dost thou not think that thou didst act foolishly? -Hadst thou remained in the faith of thy forefathers -thou wouldst not have lost the friendship -of thy Jewish benefactors, nor have aroused the -hatred of thy Gentile neighbors. Thou couldst -have remained in peace in thy native land and -perhaps have become in later years a great man -among thy people; whereas now thou art an -exile and a fugitive, and who knows what will be -thy lot here in this land?”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Abraham gazed at him a moment as though -he did not understand his words and then answered -<span class='pageno' id='Page_167'>167</span>with indignation as one who repudiates -a sinful and unworthy suggestion. “I would -rather eat bread with salt and drink blank water -as a <em>Yehudi</em> than be a prince and a great man -among the Gentiles.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Ah,” said Dalinski, “thou art indeed a -proselyte of righteousness.”</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_168'>168</span> - <h2 class='c005'>ISAAC AND ALICE</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c008'>They were good friends and true, were Isaac -and Alice. To be sure, they were not exactly -what most people would consider a well-assorted -or naturally allied pair; for Isaac was a great -strapping fellow of about thirty, who could speak -Yiddish much better than English, while Alice -was a sweet little girl of not quite five, whose -childish prattle had a decidedly Yankee twang, -and whose cradle had stood many thousands of -miles from the spot where Isaac’s infantile eyes -had first opened upon a strange and troublesome -world. Yet that they were close friends -was an undeniable, if somewhat unaccountable, -fact. People who saw the stalwart young -Lithuanian Hebrew carpenter, with the dark -ringlets and raven beard and the golden-haired -and blue-eyed little Down East maiden as they -sat together and conversed during the midday -hour when Isaac was eating his frugal lunch, or -as they sauntered hand in hand through the -streets of the little Massachusetts town, would -<span class='pageno' id='Page_169'>169</span>often smile and wonder and make comments, -sometimes jocular and sometimes sarcastic to -each other; but neither Isaac nor Alice cared -what anybody said. They were not afraid of -scandal and were sublimely indifferent to public -opinion. They were just good friends and that -was all about it. They had been good friends -from the first moment they met, several weeks -after Isaac had set foot upon the hospitable -shore of America, and had exhausted the -greater part of his physical energy and about all -of his financial resources and of his store of -courage and hope in the effort to persuade the -land of the free and the home of the brave to -provide him with a livelihood. He had entered -at the port of New York and tried for a week or -so to find employment at his trade in the metropolis. -But there must have been a plethora -of carpenters in the great city at that time; for -wherever he applied, the answer was the same, -“No one wanted.” He had then determined to -try the smaller towns and cities, and had wandered -on foot through Connecticut, and had applied -at hundreds of shops in the many industrial -communities of that State, all the time -growing fainter and weaker and more discouraged; -and had never heard any other response -to his request for work than the same monotonous -<span class='pageno' id='Page_170'>170</span>refrain, which had now grown terrible in -its suggestion of despair, “No one wanted.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>At last he had drifted, he hardly knew how, -into Massachusetts and had entered the little -town of Atbury. Hope had almost left him, and -grim thoughts of suicide filled his mind while -he wandered aimlessly through the neat and -well-kept streets of the town. In the course of -his wanderings he saw a wooden building, upon -the front of which a large sign proclaimed that -within was a carpenter shop, and that the owner’s -name was Thomas Jones. Mechanically -Isaac entered the large open doorway on his -usual quest. He had no anticipation of success; -and when Mr. Jones, who was a handsome -middle-aged man of typical Yankee appearance -and very brusque and short-spoken, returned -the usual answer to his timid query, he turned -to go away with a sinking heart, in which the -dull pain was not perceptibly keener than it had -previously been.</p> - -<p class='c009'>But this time an unprecedented incident occurred. -A pretty little blond-haired, blue-eyed -girl, a mere tot, was standing next to the proprietor -when the stranger entered the shop, and -she gazed at his handsome though careworn -features while he made his pitiable appeal for -work, with an expression of evident liking, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_171'>171</span>mingled with sympathy and pity. When he -turned to depart, surprise and sorrow showed -themselves plainly in the face of the child; and -turning to her father—as you have, no doubt, -already guessed, sweet reader, it was Alice, -Thomas Jones’s only and dearly beloved child—she -said: “Why, aren’t you going to give the -poor man work, papa? Just see how sad he -looks. Don’t let him go.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Do you want me to keep him, little one?” -asked the father, gazing at the pleading face of -his little daughter with amused parental fondness.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Yes I do, papa,” said Alice. “I think he is -a very good man and I want you to keep him.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Well,” said Thomas Jones, “for your sake -I’ll give him a chance.”</p> - -<div id='Horsey' class='figcenter id003'> -<img src='images/i_b172x1.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>NOTHING PLEASED THEM BETTER THAN A “HORSEY-BACK” RIDE<br /><br /><span class='right'><em>Page <a href='#Page_172'>172</a></em></span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c009'>Isaac was not yet out of the shop and the loud -voice of the master carpenter at once brought -him back. He speedily demonstrated his ability -in his trade and was retained, his employer -impressing upon him that it was the intercession -of the little girl which had given him his -opportunity. Isaac bowed low before the child -with reverential gratitude and imprinted upon -her tiny hand a grateful kiss. Thus began their -friendship, and it became very warm and sincere -indeed. Alice took naturally to the broadshouldered, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_172'>172</span>pleasant-faced young foreigner; and -Isaac, who was not only deeply grateful to the -child for having steered the almost shipwrecked -vessel of his life into the safe harbor of employment -and bread, but was also thoroughly social -and companionable by disposition, did all in his -power to amuse and entertain his young benefactor. -They were not allowed to meet during -work hours, for Father Jones, though a loving -and indulgent parent, was a strict and uncompromising -task-master, and would tolerate no -unbusiness-like interruptions during the time -allotted to work; but during the noonday intermission -for meals, when Alice would seek Isaac -in whatever part of the town he happened to be -employed after the close of work in the late -afternoon, when Isaac returned to his master’s -house where was his home, they were sure to be -together, and would romp and “carry on” to -their heart’s content. Nothing pleased them -better than a “horsey-back” ride, when Isaac -would act as the fiery though remarkably docile -steed, and Alice rode her mount in greater security -than the most practised equestrienne. Isaac -would trot and gallop, and pace and paw, and -prance and snort, and whinny and neigh, like -the very war-horse of Job, all the time holding -his little rider in a firm and loving grasp; while -<span class='pageno' id='Page_173'>173</span>Alice, with streaming locks and flashing eyes, -would cry “Gee-up!” and “Whoa!” and pull his -hair for reins and belabor his shoulders with her -tiny fists, according to the most approved rules -of the equestrian art. There were plenty of -other forms of amusement as well. Sometimes -they would play “blind-man’s buff,” when Isaac -would begin the game by permitting himself to -be tightly bandaged across the eyes, and would -then grope around the room in an endeavor to -catch Alice. But somehow or other he was -always very clumsy in this game; and Alice -never had the least trouble to avoid his aimless -reachings out, and would enjoy herself highly, -slipping in and out right in front of his very -face and touching him on all sides. And when -finally his hand would land on Alice, apparently -by accident, and capture her, and it would be -her turn to submit to be bandaged and to try to -capture him, he seemed even clumsier in his -movements. He never seemed to know how to -evade the “blind man,” but was continually getting -in the way; and in two or three minutes at -the utmost, Alice’s tiny hands would seize him -in their firm grasp, and her shrill cry of triumph -would proclaim that he was a prisoner. He also -taught Alice some queer Russian games, which -were a source of never-failing amazement and -<span class='pageno' id='Page_174'>174</span>amusement (about equally divided) to all the -boys and girls in the neighborhood. Then -sometimes on a holiday, or when work happened -to be slack, they would go out together berrying, -and would come home with big canfuls of -blackberries, or blueberries, or huckleberries, or -raspberries, or some of the other sorts of berries -which grew at the roadsides or in the fields, -Alice looking very happy, and Isaac rather tired -and scratched about the hands; for it was an -open secret that while Alice had most of the -fun, Isaac had most of the trouble, and worked -his very hardest to fill the can with the ripest -and finest berries that could be found, so that -the expedition should be properly fruitful of -results. In these and a hundred other ways -Isaac endeavored to please his employer’s little -daughter, and his efforts were highly successful, -so successful, indeed, that the child grew to look -upon him with warm affection, and was never so -happy as when in his company.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Nor was Alice the only one who regarded -Isaac with affection. Her parents were almost -equally warm in their sentiments. Thomas -Jones thought much of him because he was a -thorough master of his trade, tremendously -strong, and absolutely faithful and reliable. -Any task assigned to him, however arduous, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_175'>175</span>was always performed with scrupulous exactness -and conscientiousness, and no complaint or objection -ever escaped his lips. Mrs. Jones liked -him because he was sober, polite, and cleanly in -his habits, and because he took such pains to -please and amuse her little daughter. To be -sure, there were some points about him which -they did not exactly like, but his many good -qualities counterbalanced these defects. One -of these points was that he would not labor on -the Sabbath or Jewish holidays. This difficulty -had arisen the very first week of his employment, -but the superior character of his work -had induced Mr. Jones then to retain him, and -afterward he had grown accustomed to dispensing -with the services of Isaac on Saturdays or -on any other day when he declared the rules of -his religion required abstention from labor. -Another matter which seemed very peculiar to -both Mr. and Mrs. Jones was that, although -Isaac boarded with them, he never ate flesh in -any form and refused to partake of many other -dishes which appeared on their table. But, as -the Joneses were kind-hearted and tolerant people, -and had besides a genuine liking for Isaac, -they overlooked these matters, and, if they reflected -on them at all, merely thought them the -natural result of his religious views.</p> - -<p class='c009'><span class='pageno' id='Page_176'>176</span>Many were the arguments which the Joneses -had with some of their neighbors on account of -Isaac and the peculiar position which he occupied -in their household. Bigotry and narrow-mindedness -are not unknown even in free America, -where, theoretically, a man’s race and religion -should have no influence, favorable or unfavorable, -upon the opinion which is held concerning -him, and where, if anywhere, the principle -enunciated by the rabbis in the Talmud should -prevail—“Thy deeds shall recommend thee, -thy deeds shall condemn thee.” Some of the -good Christian people of Atbury, who thought, -like Sancho Panza, that the most essential characteristic -of a Christian was a sound hatred of -the Jews, could not conceal their amazement, -nay, their righteous indignation, that a Jew -should be a favored member of a Christian -household, and, worse yet, the trusted friend -and companion of a little Christian maiden.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“How can you permit an unbeliever to dwell -in your home?” they would say, with much -show of holy horror. “Aren’t you afraid that -in course of time he may seduce you or your -little daughter, with specious reasoning, away -from the true faith, and lead you into the error -of Judaism?” But the Joneses would only -laugh at these pious apprehensions and answer -<span class='pageno' id='Page_177'>177</span>that Isaac never spoke to them on religious subjects; -that, while he was undoubtedly sincerely -religious in his own way, he never obtruded his -views on others; and that, in fact, it would not -have been a bad thing if some people whom -they knew would have imitated him in this particular.</p> - -<p class='c009'>The neighbors would then try another tack, -in which they hoped to be more successful. -“How can you trust Alice to such a person?” -they would ask, with the solemn air of those -who warn friends against impending dangers -which they are rashly incurring. “Aren’t you -afraid that he may do her some harm? You -never can tell what such a Jew might do. Why, -in some parts of Europe they even accuse them -of slaying Christian children in order to use -their blood for the Passover. It isn’t safe to -leave Alice in his charge.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>But when they came with this argument they -received a fitting response, which was not lacking -either in clearness or emphasis. The -Joneses, particularly Mrs. Jones, told them that -they might be at better business than calumniating -one of whom they knew no evil; that Isaac -was the kindest, best-hearted, most devoted fellow -in the world; that he was deeply grateful to -Alice because she had been the means of saving -<span class='pageno' id='Page_178'>178</span>him from starvation, and, as for her being -in any danger at his hands, why they, the -Joneses, were convinced that he would at any -time be ready to give his life rather than see a -hair of her head harmed.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Sooner than any one anticipated the opportunity -came which demonstrated that Isaac was -indeed ready to lay down his life to save his little -friend from harm. A few days after an unusually -warm debate of the kind outlined above -between Thomas Jones and an especially zealous -neighbor, who had warned Isaac’s employer -that all kinds of dreadful things would certainly -happen if this unholy friendship were permitted -to continue, Jones summoned Isaac to him. -“Come here, you Jew!” he said half jocularly, -half angrily, for the remembrance of the uncharitable -words of his officious neighbor was -still strong in him. “I want to show you what -I think of you.” Isaac at once advanced and -waited with deferential air for the further words -of his employer. “I’ve got a job in the outskirts -of the town,” continued Jones, gazing -with satisfaction at the brawny figure and submissive -attitude of his most reliable workman, -“and, as I can’t spare any men from the other -work, I’m going to put the whole thing in your -hands. There’s a little cottage on the Prentice -<span class='pageno' id='Page_179'>179</span>place that’s got to be jacked up to make room -for the masons to build a new foundation, and -then all the board work and carpentering generally -must be renovated and fixed up. I’ve -sent up all the necessary wood already, so you -can go right up and attend to the whole job -alone. When you get there you can see for -yourself what is to be done, and if you don’t understand -anything, why, just ask old man Prentice, -and he’ll tell you what to do.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Isaac picked up his box of tools and was -about to depart when little Alice, who had -been listening to the words of her father, -skipped up and, laying her hand on Isaac’s arm, -asked eagerly: “Won’t you take me along, -Isaac? I want to be with you when you’re doing -the work.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Ask your papa, Alice,” said Isaac, smiling -pleasantly at his little friend. “If he will let -you go, then I’ll be glad to take you.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Alice did not need to ask her father, for the -latter, without giving her the opportunity to -speak, at once gave her the desired permission. -“Yes, indeed, you can go with Isaac,” he said, -with rather more emphasis than was apparently -necessary. “I’ll just show those numbskull -bigot neighbors of mine what I think of their -fanatical suspicions and insinuations. Just trot -<span class='pageno' id='Page_180'>180</span>along, little one, and I wish you lots of pleasure -seeing Isaac at work.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Thus duly authorized and permitted, Isaac -and Alice went off together to the scene of his -solitary task, which they reached in about half -an hour. The Prentice place was a little farm -of two or three acres, in the centre of which -stood the cottage. It was not a very large -structure, but Isaac’s practised eye at once perceived -that his employer had set him a task -sufficient to try the strength of three men. Old -man Prentice was of the same opinion, and very -emphatically expressed his dissatisfaction that -Jones had sent only one man to do the work of -three. Nothing daunted, however, Isaac at -once set about the performance of his task. -The first thing to do was to lift the structure, -which was done by means of appliances called -jacks. Isaac inserted one of the jacks under -each of the four corners of the house and -screwed it up until that part of the building was -elevated to the desired height. In the mean -while Alice stood near her favorite and watched -him at his arduous task, chatting and prattling -all the while with the careless innocence of -childhood; and Isaac, though engrossed in his -labor, did not fail to answer her childish queries, -and kept his little friend interested and -<span class='pageno' id='Page_181'>181</span>amused. All went well until Isaac came to -the fourth and last corner and proceeded to -jack it up as he had done the others. Here, -by some miscalculation, he raised the corner a -foot or so more than was necessary. At once -the frame structure began to careen. Isaac instantly -perceived that the building would certainly -topple to the ground, and a pang of agony -shot through his heart as he thought of the -loss which his mistake, unaccountable even to -himself, would cause. His next thought was to -save himself from harm; but, as he turned to -flee from under the falling structure, what horrible -sight met his eyes! Little Alice, petrified -apparently by fright, was standing motionless -under the tottering building. A sickening picture -flashed up instantly before his mental retina -of her little body lying crushed and bleeding -under the ruins of the building, its life crushed -out by the overwhelming weight. How could -he save her? She was too far away for him to -seize her and flee with her to safety, neither -would it avail aught to shout to her to flee. -Before she could have recovered control of her -faculties and impelled her limbs to motion, the -blow would have fallen and all would be over. -There was but one way to save Alice, and, -though Isaac knew it meant almost certain -<span class='pageno' id='Page_182'>182</span>death for himself, he instantly determined to do -it. Placing his powerful shoulders under the -tilting woodwork, he shouted in a great and terrible -voice to Alice to run—run for her life. -For a minute or so he stood, like fabled Atlas -upholding the world, supporting with his tremendous -strength the falling structure, while -his muscles stood out like whipcords and the -sweat of agony poured all over his body. In -that minute Alice recovered herself and toddled -out of harm’s way. A second later the heavy -framework crushed out the man’s strength and -bore him to the ground with a sickening thud, -while the harsh crackling of the beams and -boards as they were torn from their fastenings -mingled with his awful shriek. He did not -need to lie there long. Poor little Alice, with -an intelligence beyond her years, ran to seek -help from the neighbors; but her frenzied -efforts were not necessary. The frightful crash -of the falling building and the fierce, agonized -shriek of the stricken victim had aroused all the -neighborhood, and from all sides assistance -speedily came. The united efforts of old man -Prentice and a number of laborers who hastened -from a neighboring field speedily succeeded -in removing the mass of beams and -boards and odds and ends of woodwork from -<span class='pageno' id='Page_183'>183</span>the body of Isaac, and tenderly they laid him -upon a temporary couch formed of their coats. -He was crushed and maimed and bloody, every -limb broken, and his features disfigured almost -beyond recognition, but he was conscious and a -happy smile played upon his face when he saw -that Alice had escaped all injury and was safe -and sound.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Come to me, little darling,” he said, in -barely audible tones, gazing wistfully at the -child-friend for whom he had given his life; -“come and bid me good-bye, for I feel that I -must go. I do not complain because God is -calling me away, but I am glad your young life -is spared to be a joy to yourself and your dear -parents for many years to come.” And his -young friend, with strangely grave and solemn -face, went to her dying protector and clasped -his hand and kissed his blood-stained and distorted -features, and called him her own dear -Isaac, and begged him not to die, while the -strong men who stood around bowed their -heads in reverent sorrow and silently wept. -Then they bore him home, and Alice’s parents, -when they heard the story of what he had done, -knew not of which feeling their hearts were fuller—of -gratitude that their darling daughter -was safe or of admiration for the pure and self-sacrificing -<span class='pageno' id='Page_184'>184</span>friendship which Isaac had so heroically -displayed and sorrow for his untimely -end. He had relapsed into semi-consciousness -and lay for several hours without speaking on -his couch. Then he stirred uneasily and feebly -beckoned to his employer, indicating that -he desired to communicate something to him. -Thomas Jones, who had not left the room since -first Isaac had been brought home, at once -went to the bedside, and putting his ear to the -mouth of the dying man, heard him say in a -feeble voice: “Dear master, promise me one -favor. I die a Jew. Have me laid away -among my people.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>And Thomas Jones answered: “Isaac, I -promise.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>A look of infinite content and gratitude lit -up Isaac’s face. Then, rising slightly on his -side, he recited in Hebrew, in a clear though -feeble voice, the words of the Jewish ritual for -the dying: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, -the Lord is one. Blessed be the glorious name -of Thy kingdom for ever and ever. Into Thy -hands I deliver my spirit. Thou hast redeemed -me, O Lord, God of truth.” And so he passed -away.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Every year, on the anniversary of Isaac’s -death, Alice, now a maiden ripening into womanhood, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_185'>185</span>visits Isaac’s grave in the Jewish cemetery -in Boston in which he rests; and if sincere -tears and true sorrow are acceptable in the sight -of God, then is her offering indeed acceptable -and holy.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_186'>186</span> - <h2 class='c005'>THE SCISSORS-GRINDER</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c008'>“Scissors to grind! Knives, axes, or saws to -sharpen! Everything made as sharp as new!” -This is the cry, uttered in a clear and cheerful -voice, which is frequently heard in the alleys -and back yards as well as the streets and avenues -of that vast and densely populated section -of the American metropolis known as the great -East Side. The man who utters it is an unusually -agreeable, as well as active and energetic, -representative of the classic trade of scissors-grinding. -He is a pleasant-faced, good-humored -young fellow, with light-brown hair and -rounded, open countenance, from which a pair -of bright blue eyes gaze at you with a frank and -sympathetic expression. His shabby clothes -hang most gracefully on his lithe and erect, not -over tall figure; his motions have a sort of -trained elegance about them, and when he -stands before you with his grinding machine -on his back, he seems not so much an humble -sharpener of domestic utensils, but rather some -strange sort of soldier, and the machine upon -his back some peculiar and unusual engine of -warfare. He is very well liked in the entire -district, and his popularity brings in sufficient -trade to insure him a very fair living. When -his clear and musical cry is heard anywhere in -the neighborhood, the customers pour forth -from the many-storied tenements, the cellar -dwellings (I had almost written cave dwellings, -which term would hardly have rendered -me liable to a suit for libel if I had used it), and -the little shops and stalls which abound everywhere -in the vicinity. Soon he is surrounded -by a motley throng—Jews, Italians, Poles, Bohemians, -men, women, and children, all sorts -and conditions of mankind—who bring him a -miscellaneous collection of invalid table knives, -dilapidated carving knives, superannuated scissors, -and antediluvian saws, all of which he is -expected to heal and to restore to their pristine -brightness and sharpness.</p> - -<div id='Scissors' class='figcenter id003'> -<img src='images/i_b186x1.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>THE SCISSORS GRINDER<br /><br /><span class='right'><em>Page <a href='#Page_186'>186</a></em></span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c009'><span class='pageno' id='Page_187'>187</span>But, though our friend is well known and -popular in the district, he is nevertheless unknown. -By this paradoxical statement is meant -that, although the scissors-grinder is personally -a familiar and well-esteemed figure, nothing is -known by the vast bulk of his constituents and -customers of his connections, his history, or his -antecedents. This is nothing strange or unusual -<span class='pageno' id='Page_188'>188</span>in that section. People are not, as a rule, -curious concerning each other on the East Side. -The inhabitants are mostly not native to the -soil, but are a chance aggregation from all the -countries of the civilized world, driven from -their native habitats by the storm and stress of -harsh experiences and brought together in the -New World by the glittering attractions of the -Golden Land. It is not always advisable under -such circumstances to be over-inquisitive concerning -the past history of one’s neighbors and -friends, and therefore the dwellers on the East -Side are discreetly devoid of curiosity, and are -quite content if the people with whom they associate -are, in their present stage of life, decent -and well behaved. That is why no one knows -(or knew until recently) anything about the scissors-grinder—his -history, his family, or even his -name. Nevertheless his story came out some -time ago, and it proved to be, what no one -would have anticipated from the scissors-grinder’s -blithe and pleasant appearance, a real moral -tragedy, a tale of blind, mediæval oppression, of -high ambition suddenly blasted, of strange and -sublime heroism. It came out through Mendel -Greenberger.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Mendel, who keeps a little optician shop in -Orchard Street near Grand, is considerable of a -<span class='pageno' id='Page_189'>189</span>character himself, and, unlike the majority of -the denizens of the region, is gifted with a lively -curiosity concerning the persons with whom he -comes in contact. Mendel has travelled pretty -much all over the world, and has acquired in -the course of his wanderings the knowledge of a -dozen or more languages and of at least three -trades. But what he most prides himself on is -his <i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">menschenkenntniss</span></i>, that is, his ability to recognize -at a glance the origin of strangers whom -he sees for the first time, and to classify them -according to the racial, religious, and social -elements or subdivisions thereof to which they -belong. This he infers from the appearance, -conduct, and speech of the individuals concerned, -and, in particularly interesting cases, he -manages to have them reveal their names and -other personal details of interest, but without -asking direct questions, which he thinks impertinent.</p> - -<p class='c009'>When the scissors-grinder began to come into -the neighborhood and Mendel began to give -him employment in his vocation, he at once -recognized that here was an interesting and -extremely puzzling personality. It was a real -problem of the kind Mendel Greenberger loved -to solve, but it defied his powers of analysis and -classification. For the life of him he could not -<span class='pageno' id='Page_190'>190</span>make out who or what the handsome, pleasant-spoken -young man, with the lowly trade apparently -so unsuited for him, was. His type was -absolutely non-distinctive. As far as appearance -went there was no telling whether he was -Jew or Gentile, and no reason to assign him to -any one European nation rather than another. -His conduct and manner were just as little -guide, for, though polite and manifestly well-bred, -he had no mannerisms of any kind. Baffled -by his inability to “locate” his new acquaintance -by these usually infallible indications, -Mendel resorted to the expedient of addressing -him in various languages. But here Mendel -“tripped up,” so to speak, even more emphatically -than before. The scissors-grinder spoke, -with one exception, every European language -which Mendel did, but with superior accent and -correcter grammar. His English was that of -one to the manner born, though devoid of either -Cockney accent or Yankee twang; his French -would have done credit to any <em>boulevardier</em>; his -German was as faultlessly exact in construction -and pronunciation as that of any compatriot of -Goethe or Schiller; and as for Italian, Spanish, -Russian, Polish, and Hungarian, to say nothing -of the minor tongues, Bohemian, Roumanian, -Servian, Greek, Turkish, he spoke them all with -<span class='pageno' id='Page_191'>191</span>perfect ease and fluency. It mattered not in -what tongue the puzzled Mendel addressed him, -the scissors-grinder always answered in the -same, but without betraying any surprise and -as though it were the natural and to-be-expected -thing to speak any and every idiom in existence. -But, as already stated, there was one exception -to the polyglot ability of the scissors-grinder. -He did not know Yiddish, for when Mendel addressed -him in that tongue, he did not understand -him well and answered in German, the -tongue most nearly related to the dialect of the -Jews of the Slavonic lands, and without using -any Hebrew words or phrases with which even -the German Jews habitually interlard their -speech. Mendel had to confess to himself that -the scissors-grinder was an enigma, which even -he, with his great knowledge of human beings, -could not solve. Of two things, however, he -felt certain: first, that the scissors-grinder was -originally of far higher social station than his -humble vocation would suggest, for his manners -and bearing, and, above all, his extraordinary -linguistic attainments, were only explainable on -the ground of refined surroundings and the best -of education; secondly, that he was no Jew, for -his ignorance of Yiddish and Hebrew and his -manifest unfamiliarity with Jewish ideas and -<span class='pageno' id='Page_192'>192</span>usages showed conclusively that he had had no -Jewish bringing up nor had ever associated intimately -with Jewish circles.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Mendel at first conjectured that the scissors-grinder -was a nobleman of some European nation, -who had been compelled to leave his native -land for a political or other reason, and was -obliged to support himself by his own labor in -exile. Noblemen in exile do not, however, usually -select a vocation requiring as much skill -and industry and withal so low in the social -scale as scissors-grinding, so on second thought -Mendel abandoned this conjecture as untenable, -and, not being able to set up any more satisfactory -one, found himself, as far as this question -was concerned, <i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">vis à vis de rien</span></i>. Not feeling -able to remain in this condition, he cast about -for other means of solving the problem and -gratifying his curiosity. He determined to ask -the scissors-grinder’s name. Names, it is true, -may be assumed, but Mendel thought that even -an assumed name would be some sort of clew to -its bearer’s identity, for it would, at least, indicate -to what nation or class the bearer considered -himself and desired to have others consider -him as belonging. Accordingly when next the -scissors-grinder appeared in the neighborhood -of Mendel’s shop and was bringing back finely -<span class='pageno' id='Page_193'>193</span>renovated the penknife which Mendel had -given him to sharpen, the latter remarked: -“Fine weather we are having to-day, Mr. -——!” and paused with expectant air.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“My name,” said the scissors-grinder quietly, -“is Eliezer Schwartzfeld.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Mendel gazed at him in undisguised astonishment. -“That sounds extremely Jewish,” he -said. “You are not one of the chosen people, -are you?”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Yes, I am a Jew,” answered the scissors-grinder, -with just a suggestion of a smile at -Mendel’s evident surprise; “a Russian Jew at -that, too.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Mendel’s astonishment increased to a degree -that was absolutely comical. Here was an utterly -inexplicable case. It was not that the -scissors-grinder’s physiognomy did not contain -a feature that suggested the Semite—that was -common enough, especially among Russian -Jews; but what might be called the psychology -of the case was utterly baffling to Mendel. He -had often met Jews that were well educated and -spoke a number of languages with fluency, but -in all his experience he had never come across -one who had not at least some, however slight, -acquaintance with the Jewish mother tongues, -Yiddish or Hebrew. He had frequently come -<span class='pageno' id='Page_194'>194</span>in contact with Jews, well and gently reared in -their native lands, who had been forced by adverse -circumstances to earn their bread by -humble labor in America; but they had invariably -found employment in some one of the so-called -“Jewish” branches of industry, tailoring, -cloak-making, cigar-packing, or the like, which -open at least the door to a future as an independent -manufacturer or merchant. But something -so plebeian and hopeless as scissors-grinding, -and embraced, too, by a man of evident -refinement—why, that was utterly anomalous, -unheard of! He gazed at the scissors-grinder -without uttering a word, but with eyes which -told unmistakably their tale of amazement.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“You are surprised,” said the latter, “I suppose, -because I, though a Jew, do not speak -Yiddish, and because I found nothing better to -do than to sharpen scissors and knives. Let -me tell you my story and you will wonder no -longer. I can recollect very little of my earliest -childhood. My mother must have died, I -think, when I was hardly more than an infant, -for all I can recollect of her is a picture, very -dim and faint, of a sweet, motherly face bending -over me and of a tender, loving voice calling me -darling and dove. My father, too, must have -left this earth when I was only about four or -<span class='pageno' id='Page_195'>195</span>five years of age. My memories of him, too, -are few and indistinct. I can recall that I was -a very small child in charge of an old, cross-tempered -woman, a Jewess, I think, who treated -me with a strange alternation of cruelty and -kindness. My father used to visit me at rare -intervals in this place, and bring me sweetmeats -and little presents, and I can remember that on -these occasions he was always dressed in a brilliant -uniform, which filled my childish heart -with admiration and awe. My most distinct -recollection concerning my father is of the circumstances -attending his death. He was -brought to the house one day with blood-stained -bandages around his head and breast -and with face ghastly pale. They laid him -upon a couch, and for several days physicians -came to treat him, and men dressed in even -brighter and finer uniforms than his came to -visit him, and some of them chucked me under -the chin and called me a fine little fellow. -Then one day he called me to his bedside and -said to me, in such a faint voice that I had to -put my ear to his mouth in order to catch his -words: ‘Eliezer, my darling boy, I am going to -die and must leave you alone in the world. -But I have spoken to good people, and they -have promised me to care for you and to see -<span class='pageno' id='Page_196'>196</span>that you are educated to become what your -father was—a soldier—but a higher and nobler -one than he could be. Always be good and -honorable in all your doings, and above all, my -son, never forget, wherever you may be or whatever -you may become, that you are a Jew, as -your father was, and never permit anything to -swerve you from your faithfulness to the holy -traditions of our religion and people.’ Then he -kissed me on my brow, and, child though I was, -I knew that something dreadful was going to -happen, and burst forth into an agony of bitter -weeping that shook my little frame convulsively. -That same night he died, and the day after the -next he was taken away in the midst of a great -concourse of people, among whom were many -Jewish men and women whom I knew not, and -who wept and cried aloud as they accompanied -the funeral procession. There was also a long -line of soldiers, who marched with flags draped -and guns reversed, and in front of whom went -musicians and drummers with crape-covered -drums, who played together a sad, funereal -strain as they marched. I was left behind, -gazing out of the window at the funeral procession -as long as it was in sight, weeping as -though my very heart would break and feeling -that I was left all alone now in the world, without -<span class='pageno' id='Page_197'>197</span>friend, protector, or well-wisher. But the -same afternoon a kindly spoken, friendly looking -officer, attired in a brilliant uniform, came -to my lodgings, told the old woman who had -charge of me that he was Col. Ivan Mentchikoff, -and that he had been appointed legal -guardian of Corporal Schwartzfeld’s son and -had come to take me away. I noticed that the -old woman did not seem satisfied, and grumbled -something to herself with a discontented air, -but she did not audibly object, but took the -money which the colonel offered her. She -then packed together my little belongings, carried -them down to the carriage which was waiting -at the door, and the colonel and I entered -and drove off to the railroad station, whence we -left for the colonel’s home, which was in the -town of Yellisavetgrad, many miles away. I -remained with the family of the colonel for -eight or nine years. I was treated with the utmost -kindness—in fact, in all regards, except -one, exactly like the children of the family. -Colonel Mentchikoff was very particular in -regard to the education of his children. He -kept the best of private tutors for all subjects, -and was especially insistent that they should -learn all the chief European languages, a -knowledge of which, he declared, was essential -<span class='pageno' id='Page_198'>198</span>to a Russian gentleman. I had, of course, the -advantage of all this, the same as all the others, -and I quickly discovered that I had a special -linguistic talent, and, while I easily kept pace -with the Mentchikoff boys and girls in all the -subjects of instruction generally, as regards the -acquisition of languages I was so superior that -I could not be compared with them at all. It -was no trouble at all to me to acquire a new -language; the forms seemed to impress themselves -naturally on my mind, and my memory -retained with the greatest ease the multitudes -of new terms and expressions which each -tongue presented.</p> - -<div id='Funeral' class='figcenter id003'> -<img src='images/i_b196x1.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>I WAS LEFT BEHIND, GAZING OUT OF THE WINDOW AT THE FUNERAL PROCESSION.<br /><br /><span class='right'><em>Page <a href='#Page_196'>196</a></em></span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c009'>“The point in which my education differed -from that of my companions was that of religion. -Colonel Mentchikoff was a zealous adherent -of the Greek Church, and insisted that his -children should be instructed in its doctrine, -and also that they should attend worship regularly -in the beautiful church of the town. I -was exempted from both these requirements, -but, as he did not forbid my attendance at -them, I formed the habit of being of my own -accord present at the lessons in religion which -a certain pope gave them twice weekly, and I -was frequently present at service in the church -on Sundays and feast days. Hebrew instruction -<span class='pageno' id='Page_199'>199</span>I did not receive, and was, to my shame I -must confess, utterly ignorant of the teachings -of the religion in which I was born and to -which my father, on his dying bed, had adjured -me to be faithful. I did not, however, feel at all -attracted to the teachings of Greek Christianity. -My attendance at church and lessons was induced -solely by curiosity, and I often found myself -smiling contemptuously at the things my -companions were obliged to learn and believe. -As I knew and kept nothing of Judaism either, -I suppose I must have been classed at that time -as a youthful heathen.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“After I had been about two years in Colonel -Mentchikoff’s house he told me my father’s -story and the reason why he, the colonel, was -so friendly to me. My father, it seems, had -been a soldier in the Russian army most of his -life, and had attracted attention because of his -gallantry and fidelity. He had taken part in -many battles in the Caucasus and had risen to -the rank of corporal, which was as high as an -uneducated man and a Jew could aspire. In a -fierce hand-to-hand struggle in one of those -battles he had saved the life of Colonel Mentchikoff, -who had then, impelled by gratitude, -asked him in what way he could recompense -him for the great service he had rendered him. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_200'>200</span>My father, blessed be his memory, who was as -unassuming and modest as he was brave, answered -that he desired no recompense for himself, -as he had only done his duty in defending -his commander, but that he had an only child, -a son, whose mother had died while he was yet -an infant, and that he, my father, desired, in -case he met his death in the war, that the colonel -should see that the boy was cared for and -properly educated, and if in future years the intolerant -laws should be changed and it would -be permitted to Jews to become military officers, -that he should endeavor to have him admitted -to the military academy and prepared -for the martial career. All this the colonel had -willingly promised, and thought it but a slight -reward for the saver of his life.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Shortly after my father received his death -wound at the hand of one of the savage warriors -of the Caucasus. He was brought, at his own -urgent request, to the house where his little son -was living in charge of an old nurse, to pass the -few remaining days of his existence; and when -he had died he received, in consideration of his -exceptional merit, the distinguished honor of a -great military funeral. The colonel, had then -taken formal charge of me, and ever since I had -resided in his home. The colonel assured me -<span class='pageno' id='Page_201'>201</span>that he loved me dearly, for the sake of my -father, whose memory he held sacred, and that -he would do all in his power to promote my -welfare and to assist me to embrace the military -career as my father had desired. He was as -good as his word. Until my fourteenth year -he cared for me in the most liberal and kind-hearted -manner, providing equally well for my -physical and intellectual needs, and then, since -I had reached the age when youths, intending -to take up the military career must begin their -studies, he procured my admission into the -Imperial Military Academy at St. Petersburg. -The illiberal laws prohibiting the conferring of -commissions on Hebrews had not, it is true, -been formally abrogated, but the spirit of tolerance -was abroad in the land; it was in the days -of the good Czar Alexander II., who had in so -many ways alleviated the lot of all the oppressed -peoples of his realm, and so my kind protector -and guardian met with no difficulties or discouragements -in seeking my admission into the -academy. On the contrary, the officials of the -institution were exceedingly kind and sympathetic. -They received me with open arms -as the orphan son of the gallant Corporal -Schwartzfeld, of whose heroic record they were -well aware, and as the ward of the well-connected -<span class='pageno' id='Page_202'>202</span>and influential Colonel Mentchikoff. -The fact of my being a Hebrew was hardly referred -to, or, if any casual mention thereof was -made, it was accompanied with the statement -that that would undoubtedly make no difference -in my case, and that, in view of my exceptional -recommendations, I need anticipate no -difficulty in obtaining a satisfactory appointment -when once I had completed my course.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“I took leave of my benefactors with tears -and embraces—and to this day I cannot think -of Colonel Mentchikoff and his good, kind -family without being deeply moved, for they -were noble, true-hearted people, and very good -to me—and took up my studies at the military -academy. I will not refer at length to my career -at the military academy, for now it makes -no difference whether I did well or poorly, and, -besides, it were foolish for the poor scissors-grinder -to boast of the past glories of his life. -Suffice it to say that I more than held my own -in every branch of instruction, and made, besides, -a specialty of three subjects. I devoted -myself with great zeal to the pursuit of military -engineering and languages, and also sought to -acquire an expert knowledge of the manufacture -and preparation of weapons, both of those -which cut and those which discharge projectiles. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_203'>203</span>The latter two branches of knowledge I pursued -with the idea that they would be particularly -useful if ever I became a member of the -general staff or obtained some high military -political post, when a knowledge of languages, -particularly of the Slavonic tongues, and ability -to criticise the quality of weapons furnished to -the army would be invaluable. I thought of -myself as a soldier, and a soldier only. To -other matters I hardly devoted a thought, so -absorbed was I in my preparations for my prospective -vocation—least of all to religious loyalty -or Hebraic traditions. During all the -seven years of my attendance at the military -academy I never entered a synagogue—in fact, -I would not have known what to do had I gone -there, for I was utterly ignorant of Hebrew and -knew nothing of the mode or manner of worship -among the Jews; I never kept a Jewish -holiday, never was present at a religious gathering -of any kind, for I had given up also my -former curiosity concerning Christianity; I did -not associate with or even know any Hebrew; -in short, to all intents and purposes, I forgot that -I was a Jew or had any need to consider the question -of my relation to my ancestral faith, and my -friends and colleagues at the academy, who were -all very liberal-minded and tolerant, did not remind -<span class='pageno' id='Page_204'>204</span>me of it in any way. Personally I was -popular with both teachers and students, and, -when the last year of the course began, I received -an unofficial intimation from the faculty that, on -account of my exceptional proficiency in technical -matters, I would be recommended for appointment -after graduation as a captain of engineers.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“At last the day of days, long looked for—commencement—arrived. -I had passed a -splendid examination and was designated valedictorian -of the class. The great <em>aula</em> or hall -of the academy was filled to overflowing with a -brilliant and distinguished assemblage, among -them brave men and fair women, bearers of the -proudest and most ancient names in Russia. -At the front of the hall facing the stage sat, in -two long rows, the graduates, in their natty -uniforms, among them myself. At the front of -the stage, at a table on which were flowers, the -graduates’ diplomas, and other papers, sat the -venerable General Popoff, president of the academy, -and behind him the faculty and a large -number of honored visitors. Just before the -hour appointed for the beginning of the ceremonies, -an orderly entered the hall, strode up to -General Popoff, saluted in regulation military -fashion, handed him a note, saluted again, and -retired. I do not know why it was, but a shiver -<span class='pageno' id='Page_205'>205</span>of apprehension went through me as I saw this -action. I felt instinctively that it concerned -me and boded me no good. The General -opened the letter, my eyes mustering him painfully -the while, and I could see him start as he -read its contents. For a moment he sat with -his head resting on his hands, evidently plunged -in deep thought. Then he summoned an attendant -and spoke a few words to him. A moment -later the attendant stood at my side.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“‘The General desires to speak to you in the -room at the side of the stage,’ he said.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“The hot blood surged impetuously to my -head and my heart beat violently as I entered -the room whither I had been summoned. General -Popoff was already in and looked at me -pityingly as I entered. ‘At your command, -General,’ I said, concealing my agitation with a -mighty effort and saluting stiffly. The General -did not answer, but handed me a paper, evidently -the letter which he had just received. -It was an official communication, bore the governmental -seal, and read as follows:</p> - -<div class='lg-container-r c013'> - <div class='linegroup'> - <div class='group'> - <div class='line'>“‘<span class='sc'>Ministry of War.</span></div> - </div> - </div> -</div> - -<div class='lg-container-l c014'> - <div class='linegroup'> - <div class='group'> - <div class='line'>“‘<em>To General Alexei Popoff, President of the Imperial Military Academy.</em></div> - </div> - </div> -</div> - -<p class='c015'>“‘<span class='sc'>Sir</span>: The receipt of your report certifying -to the cadets entitled to graduation and recommending -<span class='pageno' id='Page_206'>206</span>the same to various appointments in -the army is hereby acknowledged. The same is -approved, and you are authorized to issue certificates -of graduation to all the cadets therein -named, with the exception of Cadet Schwartzfeld. -In his case there appears to be some -doubt whether he has been properly baptized in -the Orthodox Church, and you are hereby ordered -to withhold his certificate until you have -convinced yourself that such is the case.</p> - -<p class='c015'>“‘In the name of the Minister,</p> - -<div class='lg-container-r c014'> - <div class='linegroup'> - <div class='group'> - </div> - <div class='group'> - <div class='line'>“‘<span class='sc'>Krasnewitz</span>, <em>Secretary</em>.’</div> - </div> - </div> -</div> - -<p class='c008'>“I read the note through two or three times. -Its contents seemed to burn themselves with -letters of fire into my brain. I looked at the -General. He did not say anything and appeared -deeply agitated. At last I forced myself -to address him, and my voice sounded strangely -harsh and metallic as I spoke:</p> - -<p class='c009'>“‘What is to be done in this matter, your -Excellency?’ I said.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“‘My dear boy,’ said the General, and the true -note of sympathy rang in his voice, ‘I sent in -my report over a month ago, and, not receiving -any answer, I thought everything was well and -that I could go ahead. I did not think this -would happen. There is only one thing that -you can do. You must go and have yourself -baptized in the orthodox faith, or else you can -<span class='pageno' id='Page_207'>207</span>receive neither your certificate nor your appointment, -and your career is at an end.’</p> - -<p class='c009'>“‘But how about this evening’s affair?’ I -said, and the whole world seemed reeling about -me. ‘Am I not to receive my certificate? -Am I not to deliver my valedictory?’</p> - -<p class='c009'>“‘Strictly speaking, you should not be permitted -to do either,’ said the General, and his -voice sounded even more sympathetic than before; -‘but I should be sorry to see you suffer -public humiliation. I will tell you what I can -do. If you will promise me that to-morrow -you will go and be baptized, I will accept your -word of honor and you shall receive your certificate -and deliver your address. But you must -answer me at once,’ and he glanced at his -watch, ‘for the hour is growing late and the -proceedings must soon begin.’</p> - -<p class='c009'>“My brain seemed to become paralyzed and -to lose all power of thought as I listened to the -General’s words, kindly spoken, but, oh, so bitter -to me. My heart struck at my breast as -though it would burst its confines. I longed to -give the answer the General desired, but the figure -of my dying father, lying outstretched upon -his couch of suffering, rose suddenly before me; -again I saw his pale face and blood-stained -bandages, and again I heard his faint voice saying, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_208'>208</span>‘Above all, my son, never forget that you -are a Jew, and never permit anything to swerve -you from your faithfulness to the holy traditions -of our religion and people’—and I could -not.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“‘I cannot give you that promise now, your -Excellency,’ I said, in a broken voice, whose -agonized groaning was perceptible even to me. -‘I must have time to think over the matter.’</p> - -<p class='c009'>“‘In that case,’ said the General, and his -voice sounded distinctly harder, ‘I must ask -you to leave the hall, where your presence has -become improper; and any time you are ready -to take the necessary steps you can notify me, -and I will see to it that you receive your certificate -and appointment.’</p> - -<p class='c009'>“I saluted and retired. I went to my seat, -took my military cap, and, without saying a -word to my fellow-students, at once left the -hall, though I could not fail to notice the buzz -of astonishment from both cadets and audience -as I strode through the aisle toward the door. -That night on my couch I fought a fiercer battle -than any in which I could ever have taken -part had I been privileged to enter upon my -projected career. Two opposing forces were -arrayed against each other and contended -fiercely—on the one side self-interest and the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_209'>209</span>disappointment, naturally intense, at seeing an -ardently desired career thus cruelly cut off, -nipped not even in the bud; on the other side -filial devotion and a newly awakened sense of -racial and religious loyalty. The one said: -‘Why ruin yourself? What does Judaism concern -you? You have never observed its precepts. -Let them sprinkle the three drops over -you. It is only the ticket of admission to your -future. Inwardly you can remain as you are.’ -The other said little. It was only the pale face -of my dying father and his faint voice speaking: -‘Above all, my son, never forget that you -are a Jew, and never permit anything to swerve -you from your faithfulness to the holy traditions -of our religion and people.’</p> - -<p class='c009'>“All night long the battle raged, while I -tossed on my weary couch and never closed an -eye; but when the early morning light stole -through my lattice, my father had won the victory. -I rose, hastily made my toilet, and wrote -a letter to the General, informing him that my -decision had been made to remain loyal to my -faith, even at the cost of my career. On the -same day I packed together my belongings and -left forever that Russia that had grown hateful -to me. I sailed at once for America, the land -where men are free and where the State does -<span class='pageno' id='Page_210'>210</span>not ask what is a man’s descent or religion before -permitting him to consecrate his services to -it. In New York I found that my talents and -knowledge did not avail in securing a position. -Every place seemed filled and there was no -lack of people of education looking unsuccessfully -for work. But, fortunately, I understood -the art of sharpening and tempering steel -blades, and thus I became a knife-sharpener -and scissors-grinder, and manage to support -myself. Now you know why I am in New -York, a scissors-grinder and a Jew, instead of -being in Russia, a captain of engineers and a -Christian. Can I sharpen anything else for -you to-day? No, next time; all right, good-bye.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>And the scissors-grinder went forth in search -of other customers, merrily whistling the while -and leaving Mendel Greenberger behind, -plunged in deep reflection.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_211'>211</span> - <h2 class='c005'>THE SHLEMIHL.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c008'>Novo-Kaidansk was a most <em>shlemihlig</em> sort -of place, and Yerachmiel Sendorowitz was the -most <em>shlemihlig</em> of all its inhabitants. Indeed, -his character as such was so pronounced and -universally known that he was seldom referred -to by his proper cognomen, but usually spoken -of as “Yerachmiel Shlemihl,” or, in shorter -form, “the <em>Shlemihl</em>.” For the benefit of those -of my readers who are not familiar with the Judæo-German -idiom, I will explain that the noun -“<em>Shlemihl</em>” is generally supposed to be a corruption -of the first name of Shelumiel ben Zuri-shaddai, -one of the princes of Israel in the -wilderness, of whom Heine has sung, and who, -according to Jewish tradition, was a most awkward -sort of fellow, who was continually getting -into all sorts of scrapes. The noun “<em>Schlemihl</em>,” -accordingly, signifies an aggravated sort of -ne’er-do-well, a hopeless incapable; and the adjective -derived therefrom is synonymous with -all that is utterly unprogressive and wretched.</p> - -<div id='Specimen' class='figcenter id002'> -<img src='images/i_b212x1.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>THE MAN WAS A WOE-BEGONE SPECIMEN OF HUMANITY, WITH HUNGRY EYES GAZING AT YOU OUT OF A CARE-WORN, FURROWED COUNTENANCE<br /><br /><span class='right'><em>Page <a href='#Page_212'>212</a></em></span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c009'>Both Novo-Kaidansk and Yerachmiel Sendorowitz -<span class='pageno' id='Page_212'>212</span>were deserving of these appellations in -fullest measure. The town was a collection of -miserable huts and shanties, irregularly scattered -over the dull expanse of a Lithuanian -plain, with unpaved streets that were ankle-deep -in dust most of the summer, and knee-deep -in mud and slush and snow most of the -winter. The man was a woe-begone specimen -of humanity, with hungry eyes gazing at you -out of a careworn, furrowed countenance, the -lower part of which was surrounded by a neglected-looking, -reddish beard; clad in an aged -suit of many colors—a man who was ready to -do any and every work for a few kopecks, and -who was rarely so fortunate as to see a whole -rouble. He was not a bad sort of fellow at all, -nor stupid. On the contrary, he had somewhat -of a smattering of Hebrew education, and he -endured with patience the unceasing chidings -and naggings of his wife Shprinze, who, despite -the auspicious significance of her name—a Yiddish -corruption of the melodious Spanish appellation -Esperanza—Hope—and thus also a -far-off reminder of the sojourn of the children -of Israel in the beautiful Iberian peninsula—did -nothing to inspire the spouse of her bosom -with courage or confidence, but was enough to -break down the resolution of any man. He -<span class='pageno' id='Page_213'>213</span>was never known to answer her revilings with a -single harsh word. No doubt much of his patience -was due to his knowledge of the fact that -Shprinze had ample provocation, for, whatever -might have been the reason, Yerachmiel simply -could not earn a living. But, though Shprinze -had provocation for her ill-temper, justification -she had none. Yerachmiel did the very best -he could, and it was not his fault but only the -cruelty of unfeeling fate which prevented him -from extracting even “bread of adversity and -water of affliction” from the world. He tried -to earn a little by being a porter or burden-bearer -for one of the merchants of the town -at very scanty wages, but just as he was about -to get the place, along came a younger and -stronger man and offered to do the work for -even less. Needless to say, the latter was -selected. He thought he could earn his livelihood -by being a <em>Mithassek</em>, that is to say, one -who watches at the bed of the dead and performs -the funeral ablutions and rites; but it -was provokingly healthy that season. No one -died for a long time; and when at last the angel -of death did claim one of the Hebrew residents -of Novo-Kaidansk—a wealthy <em>Baal Ha-Bayith</em> -he was, too, whose family always paid liberally -for all services rendered to any of its members—it -<span class='pageno' id='Page_214'>214</span>just happened that they had a poor relative, -an aged man of greater learning and stricter -piety than Yerachmiel; and so, of course, he -was preferred, and Yerachmiel was not considered -at all. At one time he dealt in fruit, -purchasing a small stock with a sum of money -which a pitying philanthropist had given him in -order to set him up in business; but the demand -for fruit was very slack just then, and in -a short time Yerachmiel decided to retire from -that line of commerce with the capital which he -had originally possessed, that is to say, nothing. -He made a dozen other attempts to coax the -unwilling world into providing him with sustenance, -but each attempt ended with the same -result—failure, and caused him to sink appreciably -lower in the estimation of Shprinze, -whose temper grew bitterer and whose tongue -sharper with every new proof of her husband’s -<em>Shlemihligkeit</em>. In fact, the term <em>Shlemihl</em> no -longer harmonized with her conception of her -husband’s worthlessness; it was too mild, too -utterly inadequate. She began to address him -by no other term than <em>Shlamazzalnik</em>, that is, -one doomed and predestined to perpetual misfortune; -and soon the neighbors and the other -townspeople, and even the children on the -streets, took up the cry, and “Yerachmiel Shlamazzalnik” -<span class='pageno' id='Page_215'>215</span>resounded from one end to the -other of the dusty highways of Novo-Kaidansk -whenever the poor fellow made his appearance. -Poor Yerachmiel! He used to console himself -by saying that he was the equal in some respects -of the great Ibn Ezra, the renowned Hebrew -exegete and poet of the Middle Ages, for the -latter was also an incurable <em>Shlemihl</em> and <em>Shlamazzalnik</em>. -Yerachmiel used to think he was -reading of his own experiences when he read the -complaint of Ibn Ezra:</p> - -<div class='lg-container-b c012'> - <div class='linegroup'> - <div class='group'> - <div class='line'>“Were I to deal in candles,</div> - <div class='line in2'>The sun would shine alway;</div> - <div class='line'>And if ’twere shrouds I’d handle,</div> - <div class='line in2'>Then death would pass away.”</div> - </div> - </div> -</div> - -<p class='c009'>But poetry, though it may be a good consoler, -is a poor substitute for substantial food and the -other requisites of a comfortable life; and so -Yerachmiel was not entirely satisfied with his -lot, even though the great Ibn Ezra was a -companion in misfortune. Finding that his -attempts to earn a living by work were not -crowned with success, Yerachmiel did what -other unsuccessful persons have done under -similar circumstances—he took to religion. -He became an assiduous attendant at the local -Beth Hammidrash, was present at all services, -morning, afternoon, and evening, and remained -<span class='pageno' id='Page_216'>216</span>in the sacred edifice during the greater part of -the day and night. He would pray with great -fervor, particularly the “prayer for sustenance” -at the end of the morning service, would listen -attentively to the rabbi or the other learned -Talmudists expounding the Holy Law, and -would sometimes try to learn a little himself -from some of the bulky tomes. He was, no -doubt, sincere in his new-found fervor, but candor -impels the statement that one of the motives -of his fondness for the sacred place was a desire -to have a refuge in which the sharp tongue of -Shprinze could not reach him; and another was -a desire to participate in the doles which were -distributed on certain occasions, such as the -beginnings of months or the memorial days of -the death of the parents of well-to-do members -to the poor persons who regularly attended. -In this way he managed to exist in a precarious -fashion, at least without being a burden to his -wife; for whenever he had a little money he -gave it to her, and when he had none he simply -did not eat. It is true, he was sometimes -obliged to go without food or with next to none -for several days at a time; but, like all other -things, semi-starvation becomes a habit, and -Yerachmiel was so used to it he did not even -complain.</p> - -<p class='c009'><span class='pageno' id='Page_217'>217</span>One afternoon he was poring over one of the -volumes of the Talmud, trying to interest himself -in a particularly intricate disputation between -Abaye and Raba, and thus forget the -unidealistic fact that he had not eaten a substantial -meal in three days, and that there were -no visible prospects of obtaining any in the near -future. He had fallen into a light doze, and -was just dreaming that he had been invited -by the <em>Parnass</em> to take dinner with him on the -Sabbath, and that the Sabbath goose, juicy and -savory and appetizing, had just been carried to -the table, when he was aroused by a hearty -whack on his shoulders and a loud voice exclaiming, -in boisterous though friendly tones, -“Wake up, old <em>Chaver</em>! What are you doing -here?” Yerachmiel awoke with a start. The -vision of savory goose disappeared into thin air, -and he was about to protest angrily against the -rude disturbance of his entrancing dream when -he recognized that the man who stood before -him with a broad smile upon his countenance -was none other than Shmulke Aronowitz, his -old-time friend and boyhood comrade. It was -Shmulke, sure enough, but strangely altered. -He was dressed in an elegant suit of foreign -make; his hair and beard were closely trimmed, -and his whole appearance, including his ruddy -<span class='pageno' id='Page_218'>218</span>countenance and his cheerful smile, indicated -prosperity. All of these characteristics were -strange enough in Novo-Kaidansk, heaven -knows, but they were hardly to be wondered at -in Shmulke, who had emigrated to America -some twenty years previously and had amassed -wealth in the liquor business in the classic -vicinity of Baxter Street, New York. He -had Americanized his cognomen into Samuel -Aarons, and had incidentally acquired local -fame by pugilistic ability so that he was sometimes -referred to as “Sam, the Hebrew slugger.” -He was now on a visit to his native town, where -his parents still resided, and was unfeignedly glad -to see Yerachmiel, who had been a real chum -to him in boyhood days. The latter sat gazing -dazedly at his old friend for a few moments, -utterly unable to speak, so overwhelmed was he -by the unexpected sight and also by the manifest -contrast between his own condition and that -of his friend.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Shmulke recalled him to himself. “Come, -come, old comrade,” he said with good-humored -impatience. “Don’t sit staring at me as though -I were a curiosity in a circus. Speak out and -tell me how you are getting on.” Thus encouraged, -Yerachmiel lost no time in pouring his -sad story into the ears of his friend. Shmulke -<span class='pageno' id='Page_219'>219</span>listened attentively until the tale was all told, -including the present hunger and the dream -goose, and then said: “That is too bad, Yerachmiel. -I am really sorry that you are so unfortunate. -Come with me now to the inn of Reb -Yankele, where, if you can’t get the roast goose -of which I deprived you, at least you can get -<em>something</em> to eat, and there we can consult as to -what can be done for you.” Yerachmiel complied -with alacrity.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Reb Yankele was more than surprised at -the unexpected apparition of Yerachmiel the -<em>Shlemihl</em>, who had never in all his life been rich -enough to be a guest at the <em>Kretchm</em>, although -he had been glad to get an occasional meal or -drink there in return for odd jobs, boldly entering -his establishment as the companion of a -manifestly prosperous <em>Deitch</em>. He stepped forward -with an obsequious bow and a deferential -“What do the gentlemen wish?”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“The best your house has of food and drink,” -answered Shmulke, “and be quick about it. A -rouble or two more or less makes no difference.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Thus encouraged the innkeeper performed -his task with alacrity; and in a few minutes -Shmulke and Yerachmiel were sitting down -before a very fair meal, consisting of beet soup, -roast chicken, boiled potatoes, black bread, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_220'>220</span>onions sliced in vinegar, and a large bottle of -<em>vodka</em>. Yerachmiel almost imagined himself -in <em>Gan Eden</em>, and was convinced that if dreams -were not prophetic, they were certainly closely -akin to prophecy. The roast chicken, if not -equal in quality to the dream goose, was not -much inferior; and the <em>vodka</em>, while undoubtedly -not as good as the wine which is -stored up for the righteous since creation’s -dawn, was yet abundantly satisfying to a poor -sinner in the cheerless present.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Shmulke watched Yerachmiel’s enjoyment of -the meal with a quiet smile of satisfaction, and -said to him: “What is the best way to provide -you with a permanent <em>parnoso</em>?” Yerachmiel -did not exactly know. He suggested half a -dozen different sorts of business, from banker to -butcher, but was most inclined to favor the occupation -of innkeeper, of whose delights he had -just had emphatic demonstration.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Shmulke rejected all these propositions with -scorn. “To tell you the truth,” he said, “I -don’t believe you could succeed at anything in -Russia. You are too much of a <em>Shlemihl</em>, and -you could never get along without some one to -look after you. What do you say to going with -me to America? I would set you up in business -and help you along with my advice.”</p> - -<p class='c009'><span class='pageno' id='Page_221'>221</span>The magnificence, as well as the unexpectedness, -of this proposal fairly took Yerachmiel’s -breath away. Indeed, it made him feel a little -faint. He did not really want to go to America. -He admired America as a land of extraordinary -and incomprehensible prosperity; but he also -feared it as a land which corrupted Jewish piety, -and made the holy people faithless to their -ancient heritage. He would rather have remained -in his native place and continued to live -in his accustomed manner could he have been -assured of even the most modest sustenance. -But in his heart he knew that Shmulke had -spoken the truth; that he was too much of a -<em>Shlemihl</em> to succeed without friendly aid and -sympathetic guidance, and that he could not -expect to receive those from any one except the -old friend of his youth. He therefore murmured -a confused assent, adding, however, -faintly that he was afraid Shprinze might not -be willing to have her husband leave her and go -to so distant a land.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Don’t worry about that, old friend,” said -Shmulke, with a broad smile. “I’ll guarantee -that she will not put any obstacles in the way of -her own prosperity. And now that you have -agreed, we will go and see her at once.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Shmulke was right. Shprinze assented at -<span class='pageno' id='Page_222'>222</span>once to Shmulke’s proposition, which was that -he would take Yerachmiel to America and -assist him to become self-supporting, that he -would provide her with sufficient money to -maintain her for several months until Yerachmiel -would probably be able to send her of his -own earnings; and that if Yerachmiel proved -unable to adapt himself to the conditions of -America and find his way in his new home, at -the end of three years he, Shmulke, would send -him back to his native place with a substantial -gift. Indeed, her assent was so willing, and -given with such manifest pleasure, that it jarred -disagreeably upon Yerachmiel, and was not -altogether pleasing even to Shmulke.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Thus did Yerachmiel Sendorowitz become a -resident and a respected citizen of the metropolis -of America. It is not necessary to enter into -the details of his career in the New World, which -did not differ essentially from that of many of -his Russian Jewish compatriots. At first he was -a peddler, Shmulke providing him with suitable -goods and initiating him into the mysteries -of the profession. He did not fail. The mysterious -something in the American atmosphere -which confers energy and shrewdness and practical -sense seemed to be even more potent than -usual in his case. This may have been due to -<span class='pageno' id='Page_223'>223</span>the fact that the <em>Shlemihligkeit</em>, which had -hitherto been his distinguishing characteristic, -had been more apparent than real, and that he -had really possessed innate qualities of courage -and astuteness which only had lacked the opportunity -of manifesting themselves. However -that may have been, he certainly became a different -man under the invigorating influence of -America. He toiled early and late with untiring -assiduity and industry; he purchased his -little articles of merchandise wisely and sold -prudently. In six months he had developed -into a customer peddler, and no longer wandered -through the streets with a pack upon his -back, but went with samples only to the numerous -customers whose friendship and trade he -had gained, and received their orders. A year -later he had given this up also, and was the -proud and happy possessor of a peddler’s supply -store in one of the little streets which abut -on the main thoroughfare of the Jewish East -Side, Canal Street, and had purchased a tenement -house. Success even affected his personal -appearance favorably. The old slouchy, unkempt, -ne’er-do-well, with the hungry eyes and -hopeless air, had disappeared forever, and in his -stead had come a bright, alert, neat, active man. -Yerachmiel the <em>Shlemihl</em> had given way to Mr. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_224'>224</span>Sendorowitz, the prosperous wholesale merchant -and real-estate owner. Nor had he failed -to keep his promises to Shprinze. He wrote to -her regularly, every week, telling her in detail -and with great pride about his doings and his -successes, not failing either to give due credit to -Shmulke for the large share which the latter had -had in bringing about these gratifying results, -and always inquiring solicitously about her -health and welfare. Once a month he sent her -money, at first only a few roubles, afterward -larger sums, but always sufficient to enable her -to live in proper comfort in the little Russian -town of her residence. He often wrote her, too, -of his intention to go out and take her to his -new home as soon as business would permit, -she having expressed a strong aversion to crossing -“the great sea” alone. In all this he was -thoroughly sincere, for he was naturally the soul -of honor, and really loved his wife in a simple, -unreflecting way, despite the slight cause she -had ever given him for affection. Besides, his -Talmudic studies had given him a clear conviction -that a Jewish husband was under many -obligations to his wife; but his ideas of the -counter duties of wife to husband were much -less distinct. Despite the slight demands which -he made upon the conjugal sentiment of his life -<span class='pageno' id='Page_225'>225</span>partner, he had, however, to confess to himself -that the letters of Shprinze were not satisfactory. -They were excessively brief, not very -frequent, expressed very little interest in his -personal welfare or his doings, and invariably -contained a demand for a larger amount of -money. Yerachmiel tried to obey the rabbinical -precept, “Judge every one leniently,” and to -find excuses for Shprinze’s unsympathetic demeanor. -He told himself that women are naturally -inclined to scold, and that Shprinze was -merely following the rule of her sex; that she -did not put full faith in his tales of prosperity, -and was demanding money as a test of their -truth; that women are naturally less expressive -of the affection they feel than are men, and a -half-dozen other excuses for her apparent coldness -and mercenariness. But none of these -excuses seemed really adequate, and gradually -Yerachmiel found a great dissatisfaction with -the conduct of his wife toward him rising in his -breast. Finally, a most painful question began -to torture him. “Did Shprinze love him at all, -or was her interest in him purely mercenary, -and limited to the material benefits which she -could derive from him?”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Simple-minded as Yerachmiel was in worldly -things, untutored in romantic concepts and -<span class='pageno' id='Page_226'>226</span>affairs of the heart, his whole nature revolted -against the idea of marital relations with a -woman in whose soul burned no flame of love -for him as her husband. But how could he ascertain -the truth; how find out whether his wife -really loved him or not? Gradually a plan -matured in his mind. He did not permit -Shprinze to have any inkling of the doubts and -the conflicting emotions by which he was agitated. -He wrote her as frequently and regularly -as hitherto, and sent her monthly remittances -of money with unfailing punctuality. -After some five years of absence he wrote her -that he had found it at last possible to withdraw -his constant personal attention from business -for a few months, and that he would come out -and take her with him to his new home in -America. When Shprinze received this letter -it did not fill her with the joy which the prospect -of reunion with a beloved and long-absent -husband might be expected to inspire in the -heart of an affectionate and devoted wife. She -would have preferred the indefinite continuance -of the condition which had now lasted upward -of five years, and which she had found very -agreeable. It had been very pleasant to receive -constant remittances of money, to live in comfort -and ease, and to be looked up to on all -<span class='pageno' id='Page_227'>227</span>sides as the fortunate and happy one. When -she had entered the women’s gallery in the synagogue -all the women had hastened to make -way for her with the utmost deference; and -many a highly esteemed <em>Baal Ha-bayis</em> had -looked upon her with favor, and would not have -spurned to ask her hand in marriage if her incumbrance -on the other side of the Atlantic -would only have been good enough to make a -polite exit for a better world, leaving her a substantial -fortune in American dollars. And now -all this was to cease; and she must leave her -native place for a strange land, and live again -with one whom in her heart she still despised -as a <em>Shlemihl</em>, despite his unexpected good fortune -in the New World. Besides, she had a -dim presentiment of evil, a feeling that the advent -of Yerachmiel meant some undesirable -change in her tide of fortune, why or what she -could not think. At last a despatch came from -Yerachmiel, informing her that he was in Hamburg, -and would reach Novo-Kaidansk with the -train due at such and such an hour. At the -appointed hour she was at the station, accompanied -by quite a throng of Jewish townsfolk -bent on giving their long-absent townsman a -hearty welcome. Speculation was rife as to his -appearance. Some thought that his long absence -<span class='pageno' id='Page_228'>228</span>in a foreign land would have removed his -Jewish looks; that he would have shaved off his -beard and assumed in every way the appearance -of the Gentile. Others thought such a thing -impossible of Yerachmiel Sendorowitz; that he -was far too pious and God-fearing to fall away -so utterly from Jewish ways, and that the only -change probable was that he would be elegantly -attired in fine clothing, and would show in his -prosperous and beaming aspect the possession -of much America-gained wealth. The grimy -train, drawn by the ugly, soot-covered locomotive, -swept into the low-roofed Russian -station. The swarm of passengers, of all kinds -and degrees, flowed from the narrow openings -of the cars; and then a shock came over the -waiting throng. From amidst the crowd of -passengers emerged one who was unmistakably -Yerachmiel; and, horrible to relate, the Yerachmiel -of old, Yerachmiel the <em>Schlemihl</em>. To be -sure, he was not exactly the same in appearance -as of old, for the hat and suit that he wore were -of American make; but they were shabby and -dusty, and ill suited to a prosperous man. His -hair and beard were unkempt and neglected, -and his face bore an expression of anxiety and -care. All were surprised and shocked; but the -most pitiably shocked of all was Shprinze. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_229'>229</span>Yerachmiel at once recognized his townsmen -and his wife, and advanced with a sort of wan -smile to greet them. The former, of course, -returned his greetings, and inquired how he had -fared in America; but their embarrassment was -only too manifest, and cutting short his answers -to them, Yerachmiel turned to his wife, who -had been standing all the while as if petrified, -and said: “Come, Shprinze, let us go home.” -Mechanically she led him to her home. Hardly -had the door of the little dwelling closed behind -them when all the animation and energy which -had left Shprinze when she beheld her spouse -in such unexpected and unwelcome guise suddenly -returned.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“What is the meaning of all this?” she demanded -fiercely, while flames of wrath blazed -from her piercing eyes. “Why do you come to -me from America looking like a beggar and a -ragged saint fresh from the benches of the Beth-Hammidrash -instead of a prosperous New York -merchant, as you had made us all believe you -had become? Was it all a lie, your oft-repeated -tale of your success in business and your progress? -Did you steal the money you sent me, -and have you fled from the officers of the law, -who, perhaps, are after you now? Oh, you are -still the same old <em>Shlemihl</em>, the same old goodfor-nothing! -<span class='pageno' id='Page_230'>230</span>Why did the Most High curse -me by making me your wife?”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“My dear Shprinze, do not rave so!” expostulated -Yerachmiel. “How can you say such -things before you have heard any explanation -from me? I am not a liar nor a <em>Shlemihl</em>. -Whatever I wrote you about my business success -in America was strictly true; and the -money I sent you was my own, and all honestly -earned. I have come to take you with me to -America; and I already have the steamship -tickets for us both, and plenty of money for railroad -fare and necessary expenses.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Then why are you dressed so shabbily?” -continued Shprinze, with undiminished fierceness; -“and why do you look so down-hearted? -Is that the appearance and the bearing suitable -to a wealthy merchant, such as you have -claimed to be?”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“I suppose I am not very particular about my -appearance,” answered Yerachmiel; “and then, -I admit, I have had considerable trouble and -losses in business lately, and that may have -given me a worried look. But what need that -concern you? I have learned the art of getting -on in America, and I do not fear but that I -shall soon be able to recover whatever I have -lost. In the mean while I am here. I am your -<span class='pageno' id='Page_231'>231</span>husband, and I ask you to come and make your -home with me.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“You are <em>mechulleh</em>,” said Shprinze, suspicion -gazing out of every line of her excited countenance. -“I can understand from what you -admit that you have lost all you had, and you -want me to share your poverty, or perhaps to -give you the money that I have saved from -what you sent me! I shall not do it! I do not -want to go with you! Give me a <em>Get</em>. I do not -want to be the wife of such a <em>Shlemihl</em>.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Yerachmiel’s pale face became fiery red when -he heard these harsh and heartless words; but -again he endeavored to bring his wife to a better -frame of mind. “Shprinze,” he said in appealing -tones that might have melted a heart of -stone, “is this my welcome home? Have I -deserved this of you? Have I not always been -faithful to you, even when I was a poor <em>Shlemihl</em> -in this town, and did I not give you every kopeck -I earned? Did I not send you money -abundantly from America? You may trust me. -I still have the means to support my wife, and -therefore I again ask you to come with me to -my home, as beseems a good and true wife in -Israel.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“I will believe you are not <em>mechulleh</em>,” said -Shprinze, in a tone of calculating shrewdness, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_232'>232</span>“if you will give me a thousand roubles now. -If you do that I will go with you.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“That I shall not do,” said Yerachmiel, a -manly anger getting the better of his usual extreme -mildness. “I do not need to buy my -wife. Have you no love for me at all? I ask -you to go with me because I can support you; -and as a wife you can ask no more.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Then I see you are <em>mechulleh</em>,” answered -Shprinze, “and I will not go. Divorce me, I -say; give me a <em>Get</em>. I want none of you or your -money. All I want is a <em>Get</em>.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Again and again did Yerachmiel appeal to -Shprinze’s better nature. It was of no avail. -She persisted in her demand and could not be -induced to alter it. Seeing that her determination -was unalterable and that her one wish -was to be separated from him, Yerachmiel, -although according to the Jewish religious law -he could have refused to consent to the desired -divorce and thus have effectually baffled any -other matrimonial plans that Shprinze might -have entertained, decided to accede to her -wishes. “I shall do as you ask, hard-hearted -and ungrateful woman,” he said; “for even now -that you treat me thus cruelly I wish you no -evil. But one thing I must tell you. In order -to show that this divorce is not in accordance -<span class='pageno' id='Page_233'>233</span>with my wish, I shall pay neither the rabbi, nor -the scribe, nor any of the other expenses. -Whatever outlay there is you must defray. -Thus shall all know that you are the one who -seeks to undo the bond that has bound us -together these many years, but that I am -satisfied to keep you as my lawful, wedded -wife.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Shprinze eagerly agreed to this; and having -further agreed that they should meet on the -morrow in the house of Rabbi Israel, the spiritual -guide of the Jewish community of the town, -they separated, Yerachmiel leaving the house -without word of farewell.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Great was the surprise of Reb Yankele, the -innkeeper, when Yerachmiel, whom he had assisted -in welcoming at the railroad station a few -hours previously, entered the inn and gloomily -inquired whether he could be accommodated -with food and lodging for the night. He wondered -greatly why Yerachmiel was not staying -in his own home on the first night after his -arrival from a distant land; but the latter volunteered -no explanation, and Reb Yankele did not -venture to ask for any. However, he did not -need to remain long in ignorance. No sooner -had Yerachmiel left his wife’s house than -Shprinze rushed to the nearest female neighbor -<span class='pageno' id='Page_234'>234</span>and told her the news, adding many dreadful -details about the repulsiveness of Yerachmiel’s -appearance, his poverty, and his hopeless <em>Shlemihligkeit</em>; -adding, however, that in spite of all -she must be grateful to him for his willingness -to grant her the divorce she craved, and assuring -her (the neighbor) of her unutterable joy at the -prospect of being at last free from an incurable -<em>Shlemihl</em> and <em>Shlamazzalnik</em>. The neighbor, of -course, had no more imperative duty to perform -than to put her shawl over her head and rush to -communicate to her nearest neighbor the news, -still fresh and hot, of the impending divorce of -Yerachmiel and Shprinze Sendorowitz. In this -way not two hours had passed before the whole -<em>Kehillah</em> of Novo-Kaidansk had learned the -news. Reb Yankele had learned why Yerachmiel -was his guest; and even Rabbi Israel had -been informed, at evening service in the synagogue, -of the function which he was to be -asked to perform on the morrow.</p> - -<p class='c009'>At nine the next morning Yerachmiel and -Shprinze were in the large front room in the -rabbi’s dwelling, which served as his office, and -whither repaired whosoever in Novo-Kaidansk -had a religious question to ask or a ceremony to -be performed, or that was in need of spiritual -counsel or guidance of any kind. Shprinze was -<span class='pageno' id='Page_235'>235</span>gayly attired, and chattered constantly with a -group of female acquaintances by whom she -was surrounded. She was in high spirits, and -cast occasional contemptuous glances at Yerachmiel, -who sat, moody and abstracted, in a corner -and spoke to no one. Besides these the room -was crowded with the most notable members of -the congregation, drawn hither by the exceptional -interest which this extraordinary case had -aroused. The side door opened, and a hush fell -upon the assembly as the venerable Rabbi -Israel, accompanied by two coadjutor rabbis -and several other persons who were to take part -in the solemn function of pronouncing the -divorce, entered and took their places in seats -which had been reserved for their occupancy, -behind long tables at the head of the room. -The <em>Shammas</em> then asked in a loud voice -whether there was any one present who desired -to consult the Beth Din on any matter. At -this Yerachmiel arose, and, addressing Rabbi -Israel, said: “Venerable rabbi, I desire to -divorce my wife, Shprinze, daughter of Moses; -and I request of you to ordain the issuing of -such a divorce, according to the law of Moses -and Israel.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“I hear your request with sorrow,” said the -rabbi, while an expression of pain passed over -<span class='pageno' id='Page_236'>236</span>his venerable features. “Is it the desire of your -wife also that your marriage be dissolved?”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Yerachmiel bent his head in assent; and the -<em>Shammas</em>, in response to a motion of the rabbi’s -hand, called in a loud voice: “Shprinze, daughter -of Moses, step forward.” Shprinze did so, -and the rabbi put to her the question whether -she consented to the dissolution of her marriage -to Yerachmiel, son of Isaac, to which she responded -with a loud and distinct “Yes.” Summoning -them both before him, the rabbi now -addressed to them a long and earnest plea to -give up their intention of divorce. He pointed -out to them that, although the holy Torah permitted -the dissolution of a marriage which had -been polluted and desecrated by gross and -abominable sin, or which had grown utterly intolerable -to either or both parties, and left it to -their decision whether it should be dissolved; -yet it did not approve, but, on the contrary, -severely condemned, the tearing asunder of the -holy bonds of wedlock, and that in the words of -the sages the altar shed tears over husband and -wife who became recreant to the covenant of -their youth. He therefore entreated them most -earnestly to become reconciled to each other, -and to remain faithful to the pledges which they -had once taken upon each other. To this -<span class='pageno' id='Page_237'>237</span>touching plea they returned no answer. Yerachmiel -gazed at the floor, his face alternately -flushed and ashy pale. Shprinze gazed -at the rabbi with firm eyes and shook her head -in the negative. Seeing that his efforts at reconciliation -were useless, the rabbi then announced -“the giving of the <em>Get</em> must, therefore, -take place.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>These words were the signal for the commencement -of the divorce ceremonial, which -was now performed with all the solemn and impressive -formalities with which it has been -carried out since time immemorial in Israel. -The rabbi appointed an expert and skilful scribe -to write the bill of divorce, which must be -written in strict accordance with many minute -and detailed rules, the neglect or violation of -any of which would render it invalid. He also -designated two pious and trustworthy men, both -proficient in the art of writing the square Hebrew -script, to act as the official witnesses to the -document. The scribe seated himself at his -desk and produced his paper, quill pen, and ink, -all of them specially prepared, in accordance -with fixed rules, for this purpose. To him -Yerachmiel, acting under the instruction of the -rabbi, now spoke and directed him to write a -bill of divorce for his wife, Shprinze, daughter -<span class='pageno' id='Page_238'>238</span>of Moses. Amidst breathless silence the scribe -now began to write the document which was to -sunder two lives hitherto joined. The writing -lasted a considerable time; and during all its -continuance not a sound, save the steady -scratching of the scribe’s pen, was heard, for it -is strictly forbidden to make a noise of any kind -while a <em>Get</em> is being written, lest the sound disturb -the <i><span lang="la" xml:lang="la">Sopher</span></i> and cause him to err in some -particular, thus necessitating the rewriting of -the document. At last the bill of divorce was -finished and the two witnesses appended their -signatures, written in the square Hebrew script, -and without title of any kind. The rabbi then -designated two other men of religious standing -and good repute to be the official witnesses of -the delivery of the <em>Get</em>. Summoning Shprinze, -the rabbi bade her uncover her face, which hitherto -during the proceedings had been covered with -a heavy veil, and said to her in solemn tones: -“Shprinze, daughter of Moses, art thou willing to -accept a bill of divorce from thy husband, Yerachmiel, -son of Isaac?” Shprinze responded with a -firm “Yes.” Turning to Yerachmiel, the rabbi -asked him whether he still desired to divorce -his wife, to which Yerachmiel answered in the -affirmative. Turning again to the woman, the -rabbi said in a stern voice: “Give me thy <em>Ketubah</em>. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_239'>239</span>Thou no longer hast any use for it.” -At this, the most feared part in the divorce -ceremony, Shprinze’s face grew slightly pale; -but she drew forth her marriage certificate, -which she had brought along for this purpose, -and gave it to the rabbi, who laid it aside, to be -destroyed immediately after the completion of -the divorce proceedings. The rabbi then bade -her remove her marriage ring and extend her -hands to receive her bill of divorce. Yerachmiel -then took the bill of divorce, placed it in -the outstretched hands of Shprinze, and said: -“Behold, this is thy bill of divorce. Accept thy -bill of divorce, and by it thou art released and -divorced from me, and free to contract lawful -marriage with any other man.” With a few -earnest words from the rabbi pointing out the -duty of living their separate lives in peace and -righteousness, and of avoiding in the future the -sins which had led to this sorrow, the ceremony -was concluded.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Yerachmiel and Shprinze were no longer -man and wife. At once a clamorous buzz of -conversation arose all over the room. The -excitement which had been suppressed so long -now burst the bonds of enforced silence and -found relief in vociferous exclamations of wonderment -and emphatic expressions of approval -<span class='pageno' id='Page_240'>240</span>and disapproval. Some of the women congratulated -Shprinze; others held aloof. The -men were unanimous in their condemnation of -the hard-hearted woman who had taken her -husband’s money for years and then induced -him, when grown poor, to give her a divorce.</p> - -<p class='c009'>The excitement was at its height, when suddenly -a tremendous rap on the table drew the -startled gaze of all toward the spot whence the -sound had proceeded. What they saw caused -a hush to fall over the assemblage. Yerachmiel -stood at the side of one of the tables, his cheeks -ashy pale, his eyes blazing with a furious light -that no one had ever seen in them before, fiercely -rapping with his cane in an effort to procure -silence. As soon as his voice could be heard -he began to speak.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Jewish brethren and sisters of Novo-Kaidansk,” -he said, with painfully labored yet distinct -utterance. “You have come here to see -Yerachmiel the <em>Shlemihl</em> give divorce to his -wife, Shprinze. I know most of you are good -people and have pitied me for being such a -<em>Shlemihl</em> that I could not keep either my money -or my wife. But, perhaps, I am not such a -<em>Shlemihl</em> after all. I have not desired nor -sought this divorce, but I have tried to find out -the truth about an old wrong and to right it; -<span class='pageno' id='Page_241'>241</span>and I believe I have succeeded as well as some -who are considered wiser and cleverer than I. -<em>Shlemihl</em> though I may be, I have always tried -to do my duty toward my wife. Even before I -went to America, when poverty and wretchedness -were my lot in this town, I gave Shprinze -every kopeck that I earned. From America, -where God blessed me and made me prosperous, -I sent her regularly all that she could -properly require. But in return for this I asked -wifely love. I knew that a husband must -honor, cherish, and maintain his wife; and that -a wife must, in true marriage, return love for -love, affection for affection. Shprinze never -showed the least trace of love for me. My soul -hungered and thirsted for love. Shprinze gave -me, at worst, bitter revilings and beratings, -tongue-stabbings that pierced my soul like the -thrusts of a sword; at best, cold indifference. -In the beginning, when I could not, because of -poverty, properly support her, I excused her. I -said to myself that I deserved nothing better. -But when from America I sent abundance of -gold and loving words, and showed in every -way I could that I was a true and loving husband, -and when, in return for all this, I could -not get an affectionate word, a loving sentence, -I resolved that I would find out whether in -<span class='pageno' id='Page_242'>242</span>Shprinze’s heart dwelt a spark of love for me, -or whether it was only my gold she loved. The -rest you know. I came here, dressed in shabby -clothing, looking the olden <em>Shlemihl</em>. Her evil -heart made her quickly conclude that I had lost -my all, and without questioning me or offering, -like a true wife, to share my lot, she demanded -a divorce. I saw that she loved me not, that -she had never been to me more than a wife in -name, and to-day I have granted her wish. But -let me assure her and you, friends, that she is -mistaken in thinking that she has now got rid -of a <em>Shlemihl</em>, of a poor, never succeeding unfortunate. -She has freed herself of a successful, -of a wealthy man; she has deprived herself of a -splendid home in the greatest city of free America; -she has deprived herself of luxury and -riches, and, what is more, of the love of a man -who was deeply attached to her, and who would -have given his all for a kind word or a loving -kiss from her lips. See, here are the presents I -had brought here for her, and would have given -her had she treated me rightly.” So speaking, -he drew forth a magnificent diamond necklace -and a beautiful, richly ornamented gold watch -and chain. “And here is the proof that I am a -man of means and no deceiver—a letter of -credit on a Berlin banking-house for ten thousand -<span class='pageno' id='Page_243'>243</span>marks”—and here he drew from his wallet -the precious document and flourished it triumphantly -yet sorrowfully before the eyes of his -hearers. “As for me,” he continued, “I thank -the All-Merciful that He has opened my eyes to -the truth, and that He has freed me from a serpent -that would only have devoured my substance, -and with its icy touch have frozen my -heart. Now farewell, friends, and farewell, false -and heartless woman. I go to my home beyond -the sea, where I shall try to forget this long, sad -dream of misplaced love and cruel ingratitude -and heartlessness.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Having thus spoken, he turned and left the -room. None ventured to detain him or to restrain -his departure. As he went out of the -door, Shprinze, who had been listening with -strained attention to his words, and whose -countenance had alternately flushed and paled -as he spoke, rushed forward as if she would have -held him back, then paused, uttered a piercing, -heartrending shriek, and fell in a deathly swoon -to the floor. The cry reached the ears of -Yerachmiel as he strode down the dusty street. -An expression of pain crossed his features as -he heard it, but he did not turn and he came -not back.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_244'>244</span> - <h2 class='c005'>A VICTIM OF PREJUDICE.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c008'>Franz Friedrich Levy sat on his high stool -before his desk in the office of the Second Secretariat -of the Anhalt-Diesterburg-Rickershofen -State Railroad and reflected discontentedly on -his lot. He had rather an important position, -it is true, that of chief bookkeeper of the Second -Secretariat, an important subdivision in the -management of the railway, which was a prosperous -governmental institution, binding together -a rich and beautiful stretch of country in -middle Germany. He was in receipt of a very -fair salary, occupied a comfortable house in the -suburbs of the town, and was wedded to a rather -good-looking wife, with quite a store of fashionable -though useless accomplishments, but still -he was not happy. The cause of his unhappiness -was a grievance which he had against the -Ober-Direction or supreme management of the -railway, a grievance for which he thought—and -his wife agreed with him in this opinion—there -could be only one explanation. He believed -that his promotion was unduly slow. He had -<span class='pageno' id='Page_245'>245</span>entered the service of the railroad in his twentieth -year as clerk, and now in his forty-fifth, -when his once raven black locks were already -heavily streaked with gray and more than a suspicion -of baldness was showing itself on the top -of his poll, he was only chief bookkeeper of one -of the numerous subdivisions of the great concern. -He thought that by length of service and -capacity he was fitted to be general manager of -the road; but while admitting that he had no -right to aspire to that exalted position, he considered -that by this time he should have attained -at the very least to the post of division chief or -superintendent.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Why is it that I do not advance?” he asked -himself as he sat gloomily revolving on the high -stool. “Am I incapable? Have I been idle, -negligent, or inattentive to my duties? Do I -not know all the details of the business from -beginning to end? Do I not know by heart all -the statistics of the road, the number of passengers -and the weight of freight carried, the -condition of every station, the receipts and the -expenditures to a pfennig? No, the fault is not -mine. It is owing to <em>rishus</em>, to anti-Semitic prejudice. -My only fault, as far as I can discover, -is that I am a Jew. To that I owe all my misfortune. -This accursed accident of my birth -<span class='pageno' id='Page_246'>246</span>prevents my talents being appreciated, prevents -my attaining the success which I should naturally -reach; and, I suppose, as long as I am -marked with this badge of disgrace and social -inferiority I shall always remain an unimportant, -insignificant individual. That Ober-Director -von Meinken, he is, I am sure, the chief -cause of keeping me down. He always looks at -me with such a dark, unfriendly glance whenever -I have to enter his office. He is the very -picture of a <em>Rosho</em>, although he talks smoothly -enough. I don’t doubt but he would be glad -enough to get rid of me altogether if he only -knew how to bring it about.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Aha, friend Levy, why are you plunged in -such deep thought?” suddenly said a deep, -hearty voice at his side. “I have been standing -here a whole minute and you have never even -noticed my presence, so absorbed were you in -your reflections. Did I not know that you were -a married man of virtuous principles I would -say that you were in love. But then the expression -of your face shows that you have not -been dreaming sweet dreams of love delights. -If I am any judge of physiognomy at all, your -thoughts have been disagreeable ones. May I -ask what they were?”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Levy turned around with a startled jerk of -<span class='pageno' id='Page_247'>247</span>the high stool. It was the Herr Ober-Director, -Baron Adalbert von Meinken himself with a -good-humored smile on his broad, handsome, -Teutonic face, the lower part of which was covered -with a neatly trimmed brown full beard. -Levy blushed guiltily. He felt as though the -keen blue eyes of his superior were gazing into -his very soul and reading the thoughts that had -just occupied him. He stammered forth a half -apology.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“The Herr Ober-Director will pardon my -preoccupation,” he said, “but I can assure you -that I was not thinking of any outside matter. -I never permit myself to think of outside -matters in business hours. I was thinking of a -method of reducing the expenses of the station -Weizenhofen on the Blauberg-Schoenthal -branch. That place costs a great deal more -than it ought to, considering the small amount -of business done at that point, and I hope soon -to be able to lay a project before your Excellency -which will materially reduce the cost of -maintenance of the station.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Ah,” said the Ober-Director, with a pleased -expression, “I might have known that you, -Levy, were not wasting your employer’s time -in idle ruminations. You have always been a -faithful, industrious worker, devoted heart and -<span class='pageno' id='Page_248'>248</span>soul to the interests of the road. I shall be glad -to receive your proposal in the Weizenhofen -matter and I shall give it full consideration.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>And the Ober-Director passed on and entered -his private office. Levy bent over his books as -soon as his chief had passed, and was careful -not to fall into another fit of reflection that -afternoon. The words of the Ober-Director -had pleased him but he did not altogether trust -them. He feared that he was under close surveillance, -and that all his actions were being -rigidly scrutinized, with a view to finding some -flaw in his conduct. He devoted himself, therefore, -with redoubled assiduity to his routine -work until the welcome sound of the bell, announcing -the closing hour, relieved him from -further labor for the day. He put on his hat, -exchanged his light office jacket for his street -coat, and with a pleasant word of farewell to his -fellow-clerks sallied forth into the street. As he -sauntered down the beautiful Kaiser Strasse, the -finest thoroughfare of the town, through which -he always walked both in his daily journeyings -to and from the office and on his Sunday and -holiday promenades, he was greeted by so many -friends and acquaintances that his hand was -continually busy raising his hat in response to -their salutations. His social equals, both Christian -<span class='pageno' id='Page_249'>249</span>and Jewish, saluted him with easy and unaffected -cordiality, his humbler acquaintances -with great deference. These manifestations of -friendship and respect, instead of pleasing him, -added to his discontent and his resentment -against the authorities of the railroad. He said -to himself that it was a crying shame, indeed an -outrage, that a man so generally esteemed and -honored by his fellow-townsmen should be kept -in a subordinate position because of the religious -prejudices of his superiors; and should -be prevented by such a reason, so repugnant to -the culture and civilization of the century, from -attaining to the rank and emoluments to which -he was clearly entitled. In this frame of mind -he reached his handsome dwelling, which was -charmingly situated in the Schoenberger Allee, -a new and fashionable street in the suburbs -of the town. To the effusive greetings of the -spouse of his bosom, Frau Ottilie, <i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">née</span></i> Kahn, he -returned a curt answer and threw himself, in an -attitude of utter disgust and weariness, upon -the sofa.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Frau Ottilie Levy was a worthy counterpart -of her partner in life. If harmony in marriage -is secured by similarity in tastes and disposition, -theirs should have been an ideal union, -for their characters and views were almost -<span class='pageno' id='Page_250'>250</span>exactly alike. Like her husband, Frau Levy -was intensely ambitious. Her sole aim in life -was to secure the greatest possible measure -of wealth and social prestige. She shared her -husband’s grievance to the fullest extent; but, -womanlike, she was inclined to put the blame -on him for his failure to advance, and continually -nagged and pestered him with her complaints, -and the expression of her discontent at -not being able to shine as much as Frau Geheimräthin -So-and-So or Frau Commerzienräthin -Somebody Else. Seeing the discomposure -under which her husband was evidently -laboring, her woman’s instinct told her that -now was not the time to nag and scold, but to -sympathize and console. She therefore relinquished, -or rather postponed to a more favorable -opportunity, the caustic lecture combined with -a demand for a larger allowance which she had -been preparing all day for the special benefit of -her life partner, and began inquiring, with great -solicitude, concerning the cause of his disturbed -condition.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“What is the matter, Franz dear?” she -asked, in the same tone of winning gentleness -which she had lately so greatly admired in the -celebrated stage heroine, Adele de Pompadour, -as played by Madame Graetzinger, the renowned -<span class='pageno' id='Page_251'>251</span><i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Erste Dame</span></i> of the Stadt Theater. -“Why are you so upset? I trust that nothing -serious has happened.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Yes and no,” answered Franz dejectedly; -“that old Von Meinken caught me to-day, when -I was thinking about the shameful slowness of -my promotion, or rather my lack of any promotion, -and was neglecting my work. I was so -absorbed in thought that I never noticed him, -although, as he told me, he stood by my desk -over a minute. Of course I gave him as good -an excuse as I could get up in a hurry to account -for my absent-mindedness; but how can -I tell whether the old fox believed what I said -or not? Confound him, he’s always sure to be -around when he isn’t wanted. You can rely on -it that I worked extra hard all the rest of the -afternoon.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“You don’t think that can hurt you any, do -you?” asked Otillie, dropping her theatrical -manner, and with just a shade of anxiety in her -voice. “What harm is it if an old, trustworthy -employee like you is idle for a minute or two in -the day?”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“It oughtn’t to be any harm,” answered -Franz. “But then you know how stiff and exacting -these Prussian officials are. They think -men are nothing but machines, and they make no -<span class='pageno' id='Page_252'>252</span>allowances for anything. A number of men have -been discharged of late, and then, you know, -there is so much anti-Semitism nowadays. I, -as a Jew, have to be particularly careful.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“There’s the root of the whole matter,” said -Frau Ottilie, pouncing with avidity upon her -favorite argument. “It’s only because you’re a -Jew that you have any trouble. Don’t tell me -that an experienced, faithful official like you, if -he were a Christian, would be trembling with -fear of losing his place because he had been -thinking of something for a moment or two. -No such trivial thing would have been of any -consequence in his case. It is only we Jews -who must be continually alarmed, continually -alert lest we commit the slightest error; because, -in our case, any fault, sometimes even -only imaginary, means ruin. Yes, Heine was -right when he said: ‘Judaism is not a religion; -it is a misfortune.’ It certainly is your misfortune, -and therefore mine. As long as you are -a Jew you will never advance. You might as -well try to jump over the moon as to overcome -the deep-seated prejudices of Christians against -Jews. You simply cannot do it.”</p> - -<div id='Jew' class='figcenter id003'> -<img src='images/i_b252x1.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>IT’S ONLY BECAUSE YOU’RE A JEW THAT YOU HAVE ANY TROUBLE<br /><br /><span class='right'><em>Page <a href='#Page_252'>252</a></em></span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c009'><span class='pageno' id='Page_253'>253</span>“But, my dear,” said Levy, who had heard -this sort of talk very frequently, and was rather -weary of it, “what is the use of telling me all -that again and again. I know as well as you -that being a Jew is the chief hindrance to my -progress. But what is the use of continually -harping on it. I cannot change what I am; so -why kick in vain against the unalterable?”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“But it is not unalterable,” said Frau Ottilie, -with even more acerbity than the sense of her -old and keenly felt grievance usually aroused. -“You talk as though to be a Jew was the same -as being a negro, or a Chinaman, or blind, or -lame. The negro cannot make his black skin -white, nor the Chinaman his complexion or his -features resemble those of the Caucasian; -neither can the blind nor the lame alter their -physical deformities. But the Jew needs only -to speak a meaningless formula and permit three -drops of water to be sprinkled upon him and -presto, change, he has ceased to be a Jew and -become a Christian. All his former blemishes -and shortcomings are forgotten, and he is received -with open arms into Christian society. -Instead of being an outcast and a pariah, an -individual barely and unwillingly tolerated, he -becomes a beloved brother. Then, why stupidly -submit to a load of inherited, unnecessary -trouble? Why not rather take the one bold -step which will make an end of them all at once -and forever?”</p> - -<p class='c009'><span class='pageno' id='Page_254'>254</span>“But, my dear Ottilie,” said Franz, who, -though used to this line of argument, was surprised -by his wife’s unusual bitterness. “What -is the purpose of all this? You don’t want me -to be baptized, to be a <em>meshummad</em>, do you?”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“That is just what I do want,” answered -Ottilie, vehemently. “I want you to cease -being a stupid martyr and begin to be sensible, -and I want to be sensible with you, too. I am -not afraid of the word <em>meshummad</em>. That is -only a harmless term which stupid and fanatical -Jews use to condemn people who are more sensible -than they. Baptism will not hurt you. It -is only the key which will unlock before you the -gates of prosperity and happiness in life. Besides, -if you look honestly into your heart you -are no Jew. A Jew must have a faith, must -believe in Judaism, and practise a lot of senseless -ceremonies. You do not care a straw for -the whole Jewish religion, nor bother your head -about the Sabbath or the dietary laws, or any of -the other absurdities which they call religious -practices in Judaism. I don’t believe you have -been inside of a synagogue in ten years. I am -just as little of a Jewess as you are of a Jew. -Yet, by keeping up the name of Jew, without -any real reason except a blind clinging to you -know not what, you expose yourself and me and -<span class='pageno' id='Page_255'>255</span>our only son to all the trouble and disadvantages -which result from connection with a despised -and hated people. Again, I say, be -sensible. Pay the price of admission to civilized -society, that is, accept baptism and be done -with it.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Thus did Ottilie reason and plead with her -husband to renounce his ancestral faith. The -argument, thus seriously begun, lasted long, and -was carried on with intense earnestness on both -sides. The thought of accepting Christianity -was no new one to Franz. His wife’s constant -perusal of that theme had made it familiar to -him, but he had never yet seriously contemplated -the step. The memory of pious parents -and of the religious zeal and piety of youthful -days, though long since discarded, had had force -enough to render the thought of apostasy utterly -repugnant and prevent its serious consideration. -But Ottilie’s nature was stronger than -his; her’s was the masterful character, his the -subordinate. Before the evening was over, her -persistence and adroit reasoning had overpowered -his feeble and illogical resistance. They -retired for the night with the understanding -that on the morrow Franz was to inform Herr -Ober-Director von Meinken of his determination -to seek salvation in the arms of the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_256'>256</span>church, and to request the Herr Ober-Director -to act as his godfather at the solemn rite of baptism.</p> - -<p class='c009'>The following morning Franz awoke in a -state of high exhilaration. Now that he had -made up his mind he was thoroughly content, -and wondered a little how he had ever been able -to pass so many years with the awful burden of -Judaism resting upon him, hindering and impeding -his progress, which he now pictured to -himself as rapid and uninterrupted, bringing -him from step to step to the highest rank in his -vocation. Ottilie was even more jubilant than -her husband. She rejoiced that her influence -over her husband was so great as to induce him -to take so important and decisive a step, and -she rejoiced particularly when she thought how -grandly she would enter the <i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">salons</span></i> of her distinguished -acquaintances, no longer the merely -tolerated Jewess, but the equal and co-religionist -of them all. She pictured to herself with -especial delight how solemnly she would enter -the beautiful church, only two squares from -their home, which was so holy and so fashionable; -and what a sensation she would create -with her reverent demeanor and her Paris -gowns!</p> - -<p class='c009'>As soon as Franz reached the office he inquired -<span class='pageno' id='Page_257'>257</span>whether the Herr Director had arrived. -As he had anticipated, the Herr Director had -not yet arrived. He did not usually come until -about eleven o’clock, and this morning was no -exception. Franz waited with great impatience -the arrival of the great man. He thought it -rather inconsiderate of him to stay away so -long when he, Franz Friedrich Levy, desired to -make him so important an announcement. At -last, about a quarter of an hour later than usual, -the Herr Ober-Director put in his appearance -and went at once to his private office. He had -not been in his sanctum five minutes when a -somewhat diffident knock at the door was -heard, and upon his deep-voiced “Herein!” -Franz entered. “Ah, is it you, Levy?” said -Herr von Meinken, with a pleasant smile. “I -think I can imagine the reason of your call this -morning. It is, I presume, in reference to that -Station Weizenhofen matter you spoke of the -other day.” Franz hesitated. Now that the -decisive moment had come, he grew a little uncertain -in his conviction of the spiritual beauties -and material advantages of Christianity, and -would have more than half liked another chance -to think over the matter. But only for a moment.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“No, your Excellency,” he answered. “It is -<span class='pageno' id='Page_258'>258</span>not in reference to the Weizenhofen matter that -I have taken the liberty to request a brief interview -with you this morning. I am still engaged -in working out that matter, but I am not as yet -prepared to make any definite proposition on -the subject. The cause that has brought me -before your Excellency this morning is of an -entirely personal nature, but of the highest importance -to me, and I trust that I shall have the -benefit of your Excellency’s kindness and courteous -sympathy in connection therewith.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Herr von Meinken’s eyebrows rose slightly -and his lips tightened just a little when he heard -these words. He did not answer, but continued -to eye Franz with the somewhat cold and dubious -gaze of one who expects to be importuned -for a favor and does not feel inclined to grant -it. “What I desire and would respectfully -request,” continued Franz, “is that your Excellency -might kindly consent to act as godfather -at my baptism, and that the highly honored -baroness might graciously deign to act in the -same capacity for my wife. I do not doubt that -you are somewhat surprised,” he added, noticing -the expression of genuine astonishment upon -the Herr Ober-Director’s face, “at this request -but the fact is, my wife and I have contemplated -this step for some time. We are no -<span class='pageno' id='Page_259'>259</span>longer in sympathy with the faith in which we -were born. We have come to recognize that it -is a presumption for an insignificant, retrograde -minority to cling to a religion different from -that of the great, cultured majority. Our -tastes and views are all in close accord with -those of the Christian people of the land. In a -word, we feel that our place is in the church -rather than in the synagogue, and, therefore, we -have finally determined to seek our true spiritual -home, the church, and to request most respectfully -your Excellency and your Excellency’s -worthy lady kindly to assist at the solemn rite -which joins us with our fellow-citizens in the -close brotherhood of religion, as we have always -been joined to them in the brotherhood of -patriotism and love of the fatherland.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>The Herr Ober-Director was surprised. -There could be no doubt of that. The expression -of his countenance showed it plainly. -But another emotion of a less definite nature -was also suggested on his features. It seemed -something like amusement; but one could not -be sure, for he did not explain it. He answered -Franz very graciously, congratulated him on -his resolution, which did equal credit to his head -and heart, assured him that the true unity of -citizens could only be found in their adherence to -<span class='pageno' id='Page_260'>260</span>a common faith, and wound up by accepting, in -the kindliest and most condescending manner -possible, for himself and the Frau Baronin the -honorable functions of godfather and godmother -to Franz and Ottilie.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Flustered and confused by the extraordinary -courtesy of the Herr Ober-Director and overwhelmed -with happiness, Franz retired from -the august presence. The baptism took place, -with all due formality, about a week later. The -minister of the fashionable Erlöser Kirche, -which Ottilie so greatly admired, Pastor -Boecker, had been more than satisfied with the -intelligent and modest manner in which Franz -and Ottilie had applied for baptism, and had -seen no reason to refuse their request for a -speedy performance of the ceremony. At the -rite itself, which took place in the presence of -a small but select group of Christian acquaintances, -Franz and Ottilie conducted themselves -with due humility and reverence; and the Herr -Ober-Director and spouse performed their parts -with perfect dignity and solemnity, while the -Herr Pastor showed, by the unusual impressiveness -of his address, that he considered the act -one of exceptional importance. After the ceremony -there was a charming little supper in a -private room of the Hotel zum Blauen Adler. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_261'>261</span>Never before had the Herr Ober-Director shown -himself so affable. He proposed the health of -their newly-made Christian brother and sister in -the warmest and most eloquent terms, alluded -in words of sincere appreciation to Franz’s -many years of useful service to the Anhalt -Diesterburg-Rickershofen State Railroad, presaged -for him a still more distinguished career in -the future, and wound up by extending to him, -metaphorically, of course, the hand of friendship -and brotherhood. As for the Frau Baronin, -she was as charming as she could be to -Ottilie, whose right-hand neighbor at table she -was. Our newly-made Christians were touched -to the heart by all the kindness and sympathy -that were shown them, and could hardly refrain -from open manifestation of their joy. When -the delightful feast was over and Franz and -Ottilie had reached their home, they gave full -vent to their exultation.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Now, Franz,” said Ottilie, “you see what it -means to be numbered among the Christians. -What cordiality, what sincere friendship they -all showed us! Did you notice how extremely -courteous the Frau Baronin was to me? She -never used to do more than barely notice me, -with a merely formal bow. But then I was only -a Jewess, while now I am one of her own faith; -<span class='pageno' id='Page_262'>262</span>that is the difference. I hope now, Franz, you -understand how much you are obliged to me -for having urged and finally brought you to -consent to this step, which means so much to -both of us. Ah, I shudder when I think of the -time when I was numbered among the despised, -wretched Jews. The church in which we were -baptized is rightly called Erlöser Kirche, for it -has redeemed us both from the bondage of -Judaism.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“You are right, Ottilie,” answered Franz, his -face beaming with delight. “This has been a -great day for us. I have no doubt now but I -shall rapidly advance. Did you notice how the -Herr Director praised my services to the railroad -and predicted for me a brilliant future? -That is what they call a hint with a fence rail; -that from now on I am to advance. The only -obstacle to my progress was my Judaism; and -that hateful stumbling-block being now removed, -there is no reason why I should not -rapidly forge ahead in my career.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>In this edifying and truly spiritual manner -did our worthy couple discuss the advantages -of Christianity until a late hour, when they -retired to dream sweet dreams of financial blessings -and social joys to come. The next morning, -bright and early, Franz was at his post in -<span class='pageno' id='Page_263'>263</span>the office of the railroad. He felt it incumbent -upon him, so to speak, to show that he did not -presume to take any liberties because of his new -religious status, but that he still intended to -merit promotion through faithful performance -of duty. About the usual time the Herr Ober-Director -appeared and, with a friendly nod to -Franz, went into his private office. As his tall -form passed through the door, Franz speculated -as to how soon there would come through that -door the welcome message announcing his elevation -to the next higher post. He did not -anticipate that it could come very soon; and -when a half-hour later the Herr Ober-Director’s -special messenger approached his desk and -deposited upon it a huge envelope addressed to -him and bearing the official seal of the railroad, -he was greatly surprised. “So soon,” he said -to himself, as with trembling hands and palpitating -heart he tore open the portentous missive. -“This is far speedier than I could have -expected. How overjoyed Ottilie will be when -I bring to her already to-day the welcome news -of my preferment. I wonder what the post is -for which I am selected.” Hastily he read; and -as he grasped the contents of the missive, his -gaze hardened into a stare, his breath came in -short, quick gasps, all the color fled from his -<span class='pageno' id='Page_264'>264</span>cheeks and left them ashy pale. This is what -he read:</p> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c013'> - <div>“<span class='sc'>Anhalt-Diesterburg-Rickershofen State Railroad</span>,</div> - <div class='c003'>“<span class='sc'>Bureau of the Administration</span>.</div> - </div> -</div> - -<div class='lg-container-l c014'> - <div class='linegroup'> - <div class='group'> - <div class='line'>“<em>To Herr Franz Friedrich, Chief Bookkeeper</em></div> - <div class='line'><em>of the Second Secretariat.</em></div> - </div> - </div> -</div> - -<p class='c015'>“<span class='sc'>Dear Sir</span>: We regret to inform you that -after the end of the present week your services -will no longer be required. Thanking you for -your faithful efforts in the past, and sincerely -regretting the necessity of dispensing with your -services in the future, we remain,</p> - -<div class='lg-container-r c014'> - <div class='linegroup'> - <div class='group'> - <div class='line'>“Yours very truly,</div> - <div class='line in2'>“<span class='sc'>The Ober-Direction</span>,</div> - <div class='line in12'>“<span class='sc'>Schmidt</span>, <em>Sec’y.</em>”</div> - </div> - </div> -</div> - -<p class='c008'>Franz sat for a full minute as one petrified, -glaring at the curt official note which announced -the end of all his hopes and ambitions, hardly -able to realize its significance. Then a sudden -resolution came into his mind. He would face -the Herr Ober-Director; he would demand the -meaning of this utterly inexplicable and outrageous -action; he would reproach him with his -hypocritical professions of friendship at last -night’s celebration; he would shame him into -continuing his services. He rose from his seat, -went to the door of the Ober-Director’s private -office and knocked. His chief’s deep-voiced -<span class='pageno' id='Page_265'>265</span>“Herein!” was heard and he entered. The -Herr Ober-Director was seated at his desk, and -gazed at Franz with a grave countenance as he -entered.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Your Excellency,” said Franz, in a voice -almost choked with emotion, showing the fatal -letter as he spoke, “I have just received this -communication, which informs me of my discharge. -Is it correct? Am I really dismissed -from the road after a service of over twenty-five -years?” The Herr Ober-Director bowed in -corroboration. “Your Excellency will pardon -me,” continued Franz, “if I ask you, is this -just? Have I not always done my duty faithfully? -Am I not fully conversant with all the -requirements of my position? I believe these -reasons would have justified you in retaining -me.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“What you say is true, Herr Levy,” answered -the Ober-Director, “and I regret extremely -to have to dispense with your services; -but the fact is, the business of the road has -declined, and does not warrant us in retaining -so many officials. The Government is urgent -that I must reduce expenses. I am, therefore, -obliged to abolish the second secretariat altogether; -and since your post thus ceases to exist, -there is no choice but for you to go.”</p> - -<p class='c009'><span class='pageno' id='Page_266'>266</span>“Your Excellency will further pardon me,” -said Franz, with increasing agitation, “if I say -that this action comes with especial harshness -just at this time when I have joined your faith, -and been initiated into the church under your -kind patronage. It does seem strange, to say -the least, that during all these years, when I was -a Jew, I was retained, and no complaint or hint -of prospective discharge ever reached my ears; -and now that I have become a Christian, you -immediately discover that there is no need for -my services and I am summarily dismissed.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“That is the very reason, strange as it may -seem,” said the Herr Ober-Director. “You -see, we had already contemplated dismissing -you some time ago, as the need for your services -had really ceased. But there is so much talk -nowadays of official anti-Semitism, of anti-Jewish -prejudice on the part of the Government, -that we hesitated to discharge you, since you -were a Jew and an employee of many years’ -standing. We knew that if you were discharged, -it would immediately be made the basis of accusations -of anti-Semitic tendencies on the part -of the Government; and since the Government -has no such tendencies, and does not wish to be -considered as having them, we felt ourselves -obliged to retain you. But now that you are a -<span class='pageno' id='Page_267'>267</span>Christian, and a member of the State church, -no such accusation of anti-Semitism can be -made, and we therefore have felt at liberty to -dispense with your services, which, as I have -said, have really become superfluous. And, -now, permit me to conclude this interview, -which is time-robbing and unprofitable, and to -wish you a very good day.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>As Franz went out through the Ober-Director’s -door he said to himself, with grim emphasis: -“I think Ottilie will have to revise her -favorite quotation from Heine. As far as we -are concerned, not Judaism but Christianity has -been the misfortune.”</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_268'>268</span> - <h2 class='c005'>THE RABBI’S GAME OF CARDS.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c008'>“Rabbi, why do you not come to supper? -Everything is getting spoiled; and if you do not -come soon, your meal will not be fit to eat.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>It was the voice of Rebecca the rebbetzin, or -wife of the rabbi of Galoschin, in the province -of Posen; and she was endeavoring to induce -her lord and master, Rabbi Akiba Erter, to -leave his sanctum, where he had been busy all -afternoon solving profound intellectual problems, -and to turn his attention to the less ideal -but equally necessary task of eating his evening -meal. It was nothing unusual for the good -rabbi to be so absorbed in his studies as to be -utterly oblivious to all other matters, and to disregard -utterly such insignificant trifles as a call -to a meal. Rabbi Akiba was a noble specimen -of the old-time rabbi. He was a Talmudic -scholar of extraordinary erudition and dialectic -keenness, a pietist of rigidly scrupulous observance, -and charitable in the extreme. Of the -three elements which go to make up the ideal -man, the head, the heart, and the soul, it was -hard to say with which he was more liberally -<span class='pageno' id='Page_269'>269</span>endowed. Whatever he did, he did with all his -power. When engaged in study, his absorption -was absolute and his concentration complete; -when worshipping, his whole being poured itself -out before his Maker; and, when engaged in -performing an act of benevolence, he had no other -thought in his mind until it was accomplished.</p> - -<p class='c009'>The problem which had engaged his attention -on this particular occasion belonged to the last-mentioned -category, and was knottier far than -the most abstruse ceremonial, legal, or theological -riddle he had ever been called upon to solve. -So troublesome was it, and so greatly did it -worry the good rabbi, that he presented quite a -picture of despair as he sat before his study-table, -upon which were heaped in picturesque -confusion huge rabbinical tomes, some open -and some closed, his black skull cup pushed far -back upon his head, and his hair and long venerable -beard sadly tousled and frowsed from the -constant pulling he had given it during the past -three hours, while his long <em>peoth</em> were from the -same cause all limp and out of curl. Supper-time -had come, but the problem was apparently -as far from solution as ever, for the servant maid -of the household had summoned him four and -five times to the evening meal and he had not -answered or even seemed aware of the summons; -<span class='pageno' id='Page_270'>270</span>and it was only when the rebbetzin -herself appeared that he seemed conscious that -he had been called, and answered abstractedly, -“Yes, wife, I am coming at once, at once.” -Impatiently muttering and grumbling to herself, -the rebbetzin returned to the dining-room; -and the rabbi, rising from his seat, directed his -steps to the same place, his face clearly showing -by its abstracted and absorbed expression that -the same problem which had worried him all -afternoon still engaged his thoughts.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Rabbi Akiba was usually a very pleasant -companion at table. He was in the habit of -telling amusing anecdotes and making witty -remarks in the course of the meal, and it was -his invariable custom to discourse learnedly on -some theme of the law before the blessing of -the food was pronounced, in order to fulfil the -rabbinical precept, “a man shall always speak -words of the law over his table”; but to-night he -was very poor company indeed. He ate his -food mechanically, taking everything that came -along without examination, although his usual -practice was to eat quite sparingly, and only -such dishes as were favorites of his. He put -snuff into his milk-soup and salt to his nose, and -would have eaten the soup with its snuffy admixture -had not Rebecca pointed out the error.</p> - -<p class='c009'><span class='pageno' id='Page_271'>271</span>To the remarks addressed to him by his better -half he returned only incoherent answers. -In a word, he was in a state of abstraction and -perplexity which was plainly visible to all, so -that not only his spouse and his three pretty -black-eyed daughters, Leah, Miriam, and -Taube, noticed it, but even the Russian <em>Bochur</em> -Hayim, whom the rabbi kept in his house out -of admiration for the latter’s profound erudition -and who was three-fourths blind, and as -a rule totally oblivious to everything that went -on in the world outside of the <em>Beth Hammidrash</em>, -dimly perceived that his master was not the -same as at other times. Suddenly the rabbi -paused while drinking a cup of tea, with such a -suddenness, indeed, as to make half of the hot -fluid go down “the wrong throat”; and though -sputtering and coughing, and with face fiery -red from the resulting tracheal disturbance, -managed to exclaim in triumphant gasps: “I -have it, I have it.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“What have you?” inquired Rebecca with -some acerbity. “As far as any one can notice, -all you have is a fit of coughing which cannot -do you any good. I hope what you have is -worth having.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Never mind, wife,” said the rabbi with a -pleasant smile. “What I have is indeed worth -<span class='pageno' id='Page_272'>272</span>the while. When all is accomplished you shall -know what it is. And now let us finish our -meal, for I am in haste.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>The rabbi then briefly discoursed on a religious -theme in order not to deviate from his -custom, and pronounced the blessing of the -food, in which all joined. “Now, my good -Rebecca,” said the rabbi, when these ceremonies -were concluded, “bring me my great coat, my -Sabbath hat, and my cane, for I have a certain -visit to make.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Why, what possesses you?” said Rebecca in -wonderment. “Why do you want to go out at -night, although you have often told me that the -disciples of the learned should not go out alone -at night, and why do you wish to dress in your -Sabbath state? Are you making a visit at court -or the palace of a noble? I am afraid all is not -right with you.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Do not be afraid, wife,” said the rabbi, who -was now in excellent spirits. “Everything is all -right. Now, quickly get me my things, for, as -I said, I am in haste.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>The rebbetzin was fain to be content with -this not very satisfactory answer, and brought -her husband his finest official robes, the great, -heavy satin <em>jubitza</em> and his broad velvet <em>streimel</em> -or Sabbath hat. Having arrayed himself in -<span class='pageno' id='Page_273'>273</span>these, and taken in addition a stout stick, the -rabbi ventured forth into the night, which, -although the hour was not late, was already, as -usual in those northern regions, intensely dark -and quite cold.</p> - -<p class='c009'>While he is on his way to his destination, -whatever that may be, let us see what was the -matter which had so greatly troubled the holy -man all day, and which had driven him forth -into the darkness and rigor of a northern winter -night. That morning there had come to him -Mosheh Labishiner, one of the constant worshippers -in the synagogue and an unfailing attendant -at the rabbi’s Talmudic lectures in the -house of learning, and had poured into his ears -a pitiful tale of woe. It was not exactly a story -of destitution, but it was one which touched the -rabbi’s naturally soft heart, always open to every -plea of distress and ever ready to sympathize -with all that suffered and sorrowed, in a particularly -tender and sensitive spot. Mosheh told -Rabbi Akiba that his daughter Deborah (whom -Rabbi Akiba knew as a dutiful and God-fearing -maiden and pretty withal) had been betrothed -to a poor but very worthy youth, Samuel of -Kempen, for more than two years; that the two -young people were ardently devoted to each -other, and desirous, as were also the parents on -<span class='pageno' id='Page_274'>274</span>both sides, of sealing their love by the sacred -bond of wedlock, but that prudence forbade the -union until the youth would be the possessor of -a business of his own, and able properly to maintain -a wife and family. He, Mosheh, in accordance -with the invariable custom in all good -Jewish families, had promised his prospective -son-in-law a dowry of a thousand gulden, which -would be amply sufficient to establish a modest -business; but that owing to various misfortunes -and losses he had been unable to accumulate -more than two hundred gulden, which would -barely suffice for the expenses of the wedding, -but would leave nothing for the dowry. The -young people were to have been married a year -previously; but as Mosheh did not possess the -requisite amount of the dowry, he had continually -deferred the marriage, on various pretexts, -until now it was impossible to defer it any -more. His poor wife and his daughter, the -<em>Kallah</em>, were in the utmost distress and wept -unceasingly, while his intended son-in-law and -<em>Mehuttanim</em>, who knew nothing of his financial -embarrassments, were beginning to grow suspicious -and to think that he was opposed to the -marriage, and did not really intend to permit it -to be consummated.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“And now, dear rabbi,” Mosheh had said, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_275'>275</span>“help me, I implore thee. Unless I can procure -a thousand gulden within a day or two I -do not know what misfortune will happen. My -poor wife and daughter will surely die of broken -hearts and my name will be blackened forever.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Rabbi Akiba was not intimately acquainted -with Mosheh. All he knew of him was that he -was an “honest Jew,” a good, straightforward, -religious man; but that was sufficient to gain -his sympathy, and especially the sorrows of his -wife and daughter touched him to the quick. -He at once offered to go and collect the money -for the dowry among the wealthy members of -his flock; and he added that he was sure there -would be no difficulty in obtaining the required -amount for a young woman of such excellent -repute, who was a daughter of such eminently respectable -and pious parents. But here he struck -an unexpected difficulty. Mosheh objected strenuously -to any public collection in his behalf.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“You must not breathe a syllable of all this to -any living creature, dear rabbi,” he begged. “I -could never endure the thought that all the -Kehillah should know that I had been obliged -to depend upon the charitable gifts of kind-hearted -people in order to obtain a dowry for -my daughter. I have always been an independent, -self-respecting merchant, and have myself -<span class='pageno' id='Page_276'>276</span>provided for all the needs of my family. I -could not endure the thought of appearing as a -<em>Schnorrer</em> for any reason. And then my wife -and daughter, do you think that they would -ever accept a dowry which had been thus gathered -together from the offerings of pity? They -would sooner die. They do not even know that -my circumstances are so straitened. The mere -report that contributions were being solicited in -our behalf would destroy whatever happiness -they have. No, rabbi, you must get the amount -needed in some other way, in some way which -will not even raise a suspicion that we are being -helped, or else I shall have to ask you rather to -do nothing and to leave it to the All-Merciful -One to deal with us as He sees fit.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>These words, while they greatly increased the -respect which the rabbi felt for Mosheh, also -added immensely to his perplexity. They -seemed utterly to shut the door in the face of -any attempt to obtain the required sum. Rabbi -Akiba himself was not the possessor of any -considerable amount of money. His income -was not large and he never had any difficulty in -disposing of it, there being plenty of claimants -on his bounty outside of his own family. If, -therefore, he could not go to the wealthy householders -in the Kehillah and openly ask them for -<span class='pageno' id='Page_277'>277</span>donations, he knew of no source whence he -could derive the assistance needed. It would -not do to request of them the gift of such a -large amount without stating the purpose for -which it was to be used. They might give it to -him, such was their respect for his character and -their trust in the purity of his motives, but they -would be apt to speculate on the use to which -he intended to devote it, and very likely they -would find it out, too, and that would be directly -contrary to the explicit desire and request of -Mosheh, Hence the perplexity and the mental -struggles by which the poor rabbi had been -tortured all day until at supper he had found, as -he thought, the solution of the vexatious problem. -The simpler solution which would have -suggested itself to many a modern cleric, to -shrug the shoulders deprecatingly and politely -to inform the suppliant that he regretted extremely -that under the circumstances it was impossible -to do anything for him, did not occur -to Rabbi Akiba. He was narrow in many ways, -limited both in views and experience to that -which could be acquired in the secluded recesses -of the Beth Hammidrash, simpler, indeed, than -many a modern child in worldly ways; but on -that very account his moral fibre possessed the -old, unspoiled Jewish sturdiness. He knew that -<span class='pageno' id='Page_278'>278</span>Mosheh was deserving of sympathy and help, -and he determined to help him if there were -any possibility of doing so; and believed he had -now found a way to attain that wished-for end.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Rabbi Akiba hurried through the streets of -Galoschin, brilliantly lighted with the bright -illumination of early evening, presenting a singular -enough figure, as he hastened along, to -be the object of the wondering stares of many a -passer-by. Galoschin was a city originally Polish, -but which under the influence of Prussian -culture and discipline had become thoroughly -Germanized, and which strove to reproduce the -manners and the external characteristics of the -German metropolis. The Jewish inhabitants -in particular had, as a rule, dropped all the old-time -Polish characteristics. <em>Jubitzas</em> and <em>peoth</em> -in particular were utterly banned, and were conceded -only to the rabbi to whom, as an example -of rigid conservatism and unswerving piety, -they were deemed appropriate. As Rabbi -Akiba hastened through the streets he presented, -therefore, a most extraordinary contrast -in his long, girdled robe, his strange broad-brimmed -hat, with long, dangling ear-curls and -the stout cane in his hands, to the ladies and -gentlemen, attired in the height of modern fashion, -who sauntered along the elegant thoroughfare, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_279'>279</span>stopping before the brilliantly lighted -windows of the shops or entering the theatres, -concert halls, cafés, and other places of -amusement which abounded in this vicinity. In -front of a large and splendid edifice, through -whose windows and great portal floods of light -poured and loud strains of gay dance music -were heard, the rabbi paused. Over the gateway -was a huge sign, which bore, in letters composed -of shining gas flames, the legend, “Galoschiner -Casino und Vereinshaus.” Rabbi Akiba -glanced at this sign a moment and then boldly -entered. His entrance was the signal for great -excitement among the persons standing in the -hall and among the visitors who were entering -at the same time, and who had come to attend -the annual ball and reunion of the Galoschiner -Gesellige Verein, the fashionable club <i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">par excellence</span></i> -of the town, to which belonged all those -who could lay claim to wealth and social station. -It was an unheard-of thing that an old-fashioned, -conservative Jew, who clung to Polish costume, -beard and ear-locks, should set his foot within a -place dedicated to the dance and the new social -practices which had come from the West. To -such a one they were all un-Jewish abominations; -and the sight of swallow-tailed, bareheaded -men and half-clothed women, shamelessly -<span class='pageno' id='Page_280'>280</span>exposing their naked bosoms and arms to -the gaze of strange men, was hateful and loathsome. -That Rabbi Akiba, the holy man, whose -name was a synonym for all that was pious and -austere, who stood for rigid and unswerving -adherence to the olden Jewish life and stern -religious discipline, and for uncompromising -opposition to all new-fashioned vanities and -worldliness, that he should actually in <i><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">propria -persona</span></i> enter into precincts given over to empty -gayety and folly, “the abode of scoffers,” was -more than surprising; it was bewildering, stupefying, -paralyzing.</p> - -<p class='c009'>Rabbi Akiba did not seem to notice the excitement -created by his entrance, but walked -ahead to the door of the main <i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">salon</span></i>. Here -stood several gentlemen in evening dress. -They were the reception committee, appointed -to welcome the arriving guests. They gazed -with amazement at the venerable figure approaching, -and bade him good-evening in subdued -voices. He answered their greeting and -strode into the <i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">salon</span></i>. The dance had just -begun, and the floor was crowded with gentlemen -in evening dress and ladies in handsome -<i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">décolleté</span></i> gowns and elegant coiffures. The -appearance of the rabbi gave rise to a scene of -extraordinary excitement and confusion. Both -<span class='pageno' id='Page_281'>281</span>men and women had no other thought but that -their venerable spiritual chief had come there to -rebuke them for their pursuit of unseemly and -impious fashions; that he would denounce them -in fiery words as recreants to the faith, as sinners -in Israel. In those days men and women -still trembled when the rabbi uttered bitter -words of reproof; and it was, therefore, only -natural that a sort of panic seized those who -knew that they had transgressed against the -strict rules of propriety of their faith, and saw -before them one who could call them to account. -Some of the women fled to the other -end of the room, followed by their escorts; -others endeavored hastily to cover up their bare -breasts and arms; others again stood as if -rooted to the spot and unable to move. But -Rabbi Akiba uttered no word of rebuke. He -stood still, gazing with a benevolent smile at the -scene of confusion which his advent had caused. -Several moments of embarrassment and constraint -passed before a few of the gentlemen -present plucked up courage to approach the -rabbi, bid him welcome, and inquire the reason -of his visit to the ball. At their head was Herr -Pringsheim, the banker and president of the -community, who, by reason of his prominent -station, acted as spokesman.</p> - -<p class='c009'><span class='pageno' id='Page_282'>282</span>“Peace be unto thee, honored rabbi,” he said, -with a low and reverential bow. “We welcome -thee to our festivity. But may I inquire what -has brought us the honor of thy presence this -evening? We had hardly thought that festivities -such as this met with thy approval.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Curiosity, merely curiosity, friend Pringsheim,” -answered the rabbi, with a reassuring -smile. “I wanted to know what our Jews are -doing in these new-fashioned days. One must -know everything. Our sages, of blessed memory, -tell us: ‘Know what thou shouldst answer -to the Epicurean.’ But how can one know what -to say to the Epicureans unless one knows what -they do? Just think: I have grown so old and -have never seen a ball and know nothing, except -by hearsay, of what is done in a casino or clubhouse. -Now, let the dance go on. Do not -interrupt your proceedings on my account. I -shall not scold you to-night, although what I -may do some other time I shall not say.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>A gasp, indicating wonderment and only partial -reassurance, escaped from the breasts of the -rabbi’s hearers at these words. There was -nothing to do, however, except to follow his -suggestion. Herr Pringsheim signalled to the -musicians, who had ceased playing, to resume, -and most of the dancers also resumed their -<span class='pageno' id='Page_283'>283</span>places, showing, however, by their embarrassed -air that they were ill at ease and not at all comfortable -under the rabbi’s gaze. It was a singular -sight, the venerable rabbi whose whole -appearance bespoke the house of worship and -the study chamber, and recalled memories of -centuries long past, standing in a modern ball-room, -critically inspecting the motions of the -gayly clad crowd, who bowed and <em>chasséed</em> and -changed partners and swung around in the most -approved style, but who could not help showing -by their sheepish looks how keenly they felt the -absurdity of their position.</p> - -<p class='c009'>The dance over, Herr Pringsheim asked the -rabbi if he had now satisfied his curiosity. -“Oh, no,” answered Rabbi Akiba, “unless this -is all that takes place here. But there must -surely be more going on in a casino than merely -dancing, or you could not use so many rooms.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“But there is really nothing else,” answered -Pringsheim, “except the card-playing. Those -gentlemen who do not dance play various games -of cards until supper-time, which comes at midnight. -But I hardly suppose, worthy rabbi, that -you take any interest in games of chance?”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Ah, but I do,” answered the rabbi, with -sudden animation. “That is just what I want -to see. I want to know what there is about -<span class='pageno' id='Page_284'>284</span>games of chance which so fascinates men that -they will stake their money, their health, the -happiness of their families, even their lives, -upon the issue of a game of cards. By all -means bring me where they play cards.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>With a gesture of despair and an illy suppressed -groan, Herr Pringsheim led the way to -the card-room. The entrance of the rabbi into -the elegantly furnished card-room produced a -sensation similar to that which had been caused -by his appearance in the ball-room. A number -of gentlemen were sitting around the green-covered -tables, deeply engrossed in their hazardous -and exciting pastime; but no sooner did the tall, -venerable figure of the aged ecclesiastic appear -amid the thick clouds of tobacco smoke which -filled the atmosphere of the room than all -paused in astonishment and rose to their feet in -varying attitudes and aspects of amazement and -consternation. Like their companions of the -ball-room they were apprehensive of a fierce -denunciation of their ungodly doings, and half -expected to be peremptorily ordered home. -Herr Pringsheim hastened to relieve their apprehensions.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Retain your seats, gentlemen,” he said, “and -do not interrupt your game. Our honored rabbi -has come here this evening impelled by a desire -<span class='pageno' id='Page_285'>285</span>to see for himself how modern society amuses -itself. He does not wish to disturb or interfere -with you in any way. Resume your playing, -therefore, and we shall remain here as mere -spectators.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>The effect of these words was that the players -resumed their seats and began again their interrupted -games. The ban of the rabbi’s presence -rested, however, heavily on all, and the -playing, like the dancing in the ball-room under -the same influence, became spiritless and perfunctory -in the extreme. The players removed -their cigars from their mouths, the erstwhile -boisterous voices became subdued, and all animation -departed from the scene. After silently -watching the proceedings for a few moments -the rabbi said to Herr Pringsheim: “Do you -know, friend Pringsheim, I do not seem to gain -any insight into a gambler’s feelings from merely -looking on. To me the whole thing seems a -merely mechanical proceeding. One makes -one move and the other another move. I cannot -make out what it is all about, and I believe -that I shall never have any conception of what -card-playing is, or wherein the fascination lies -unless I play a game or two myself. Would -you mind playing with me?”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Not at all, rabbi,” said Pringsheim, highly -<span class='pageno' id='Page_286'>286</span>amused at the request. “What game shall it -be?”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“That is all the same to me,” answered the -rabbi. “I do not know one from the other. -You choose any one you please and you will be -kind enough to teach it me. I think I shall be -able to learn it.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Very well,” said Pringsheim, laughing -heartily. “I don’t doubt but you will make a -famous card-player. Where there is <em>Torah</em> -there is <em>Chochmah</em>.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“But one thing I must tell you,” said the -rabbi. “We must play for money. I could -never get the real feeling of the gambler, the -thrill and the tension which he feels, unless -there was the hope of gain and the risk of loss. -So we must not play a mere formal game, but -there must be a real stake involved.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Very well, rabbi,” said Pringsheim, still -smiling. “How large shall the stake be, a gulden -or five gulden?”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Oh, that would never do,” said the rabbi. -“I could not get the right idea with such a -trifling sum, which is of no consequence whether -won or lost. Let us play for a thousand gulden. -I shall put my five hundred gulden on the game -and you put in five hundred gulden also.”</p> - -<div id='Game' class='figcenter id003'> -<img src='images/i_b286x1.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>THE GAME WHICH ENSUED WAS HIGHLY INTERESTING<br /><br /><span class='right'><em>Page <a href='#Page_287'>287</a></em></span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c009'><span class='pageno' id='Page_287'>287</span>The effect of this proposition was naturally -startling. Pringsheim stared at the rabbi for a -moment as though he could not trust his ears. -But he was, to put it in modern parlance, game. -“As you wish, rabbi,” he said, quietly. “We -shall play for a stake of a thousand gulden.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>The game which ensued was highly interesting. -Writer deponeth not, nor is it essential to -the purposes of this veracious history to state -whether the game was klabberyas, pinocle, -skat, euchre, or poker. Pringsheim taught -Rabbi Akiba its rules and the game began. -With one accord all the other players suspended -their games to contemplate the spectacle of a -rabbi in <em>jubitza</em>, <em>streimel</em>, and <em>peoth</em> engaged in -a game of cards with a society gentleman in -swallow-tail and bare head. Of the result there -could be no doubt. Pringsheim, of course, had -no intention of either defeating the rabbi or -taking his money. After various more or less -intricate manœuverings Rabbi Akiba won.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Well, rabbi, you have won. Here are your -winnings,” said Pringsheim; and he took out -his wallet, and extracting therefrom five hundred -gulden notes, handed them to the rabbi, -who took them with great complacency and -stowed them carefully away in his purse. “I -think you must understand now a gambler’s -feelings, at all events when he wins.”</p> - -<p class='c009'><span class='pageno' id='Page_288'>288</span>“So far, so good, friend Pringsheim,” answered -the rabbi; “but this is not quite experience -enough for me. I want to know how a -gambler feels when he risks the possessions he -has gained so easily. If you do not mind, therefore, -I should like to play one more game, staking -the amount I have just won.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“I shall have to beg to be excused this time, -worthy rabbi,” said Herr Pringsheim, with an -amused chuckle. “You are too good a player -for me. Let some one else take my place. -Herr Commerzienrath Hamburger, perhaps you -will oblige our honored <em>Rav</em> and play a game -with him on the same terms as the first one.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>Herr Commerzienrath Hamburger, a stout -man with a bald head and a smooth face, who, -like Pringsheim, was one of the <i><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Vorstand</span></i> or -trustees of the community, came forward, somewhat -reluctantly, at these words and signified -his willingness to do as requested. The issue -of the second game was the same as that of the -first. The rabbi’s good luck did not desert him, -and a few moments later he rose from the table -with the handsome sum of a thousand gulden in -his purse. He thanked Messrs. Pringsheim and -Hamburger for the instructive experience which -they had been the means of affording him, bade -the other gentlemen good-night, and turned to -<span class='pageno' id='Page_289'>289</span>depart. He was escorted to a private exit by -Herr Pringsheim, who had him placed in a carriage, -and the rabbi was whirled to his home, -leaving behind him a much puzzled and mystified -company of his congregants.</p> - -<p class='c009'>On the following day Mosheh Labishiner -called on Rabbi Akiba. He was in a state of -wretchedness bordering on utter despair. He -had been forced to yield to the repeated entreaties -of his wife and daughter, and had permitted -the date of the wedding to be set, and had assured -his intended son-in-law that the dowry -would be ready a few days before the marriage. -But he had not the faintest idea whence he -could derive the needed funds; and he did not -believe that Rabbi Akiba, in view of the restriction -he had placed upon him, would be able to -assist him. His visit to the rabbi was more with -a vague idea of obtaining some comfort from -the rabbi’s friendly words than of anything more -material. As soon as the rabbi caught sight of -Mosheh’s distressed countenance he cried out: -“Mosheh, don’t look so black. A man who is -going to marry his daughter to a fine young -<em>bochur</em> must look happy. Have you set the -date of the wedding yet?”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Yes, rabbi, but the <em>Neduniah</em>?”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Oh, don’t let that worry you. Here it -<span class='pageno' id='Page_290'>290</span>is.” And the rabbi drew forth his purse, and -taking therefrom ten hundred gulden notes, -placed them in the hands of the bewildered -Mosheh.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“O rabbi, a thousand thanks! But how in -the world did you get it, since you had not the -money and I had insisted that you must not -collect for us?”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Oh, that was easy. I won it at cards.”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“At cards!” and Mosheh stared at the rabbi -with a look of blank amazement and non-comprehension.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Yes, at cards,” said the rabbi. “I am a -famous card-player. Whenever any of my good -friends cannot find the dowry of his daughter, -I go and win it at cards. Why not? Do I not -cause the card-players to do a <em>Mitzvah</em>? And is -that not in itself a <em>Mitzvah</em>?” And the rabbi -laughed long and heartily.</p> - -<p class='c009'>“Rabbi, I do not understand thy words,” said -Mosheh; “but I know thou hast been my saviour, -and the saviour of my family. I would fain -show my gratitude. How can I thank thee?”</p> - -<p class='c009'>“I want no thanks,” said the rabbi. “All I -want is that thou shouldst respect my ability as -card-player and give me the privilege of a <em>Mitzvah</em> -dance at the wedding.” And the rabbi -laughed again.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_291'>291</span> - <h2 class='c005'>GLOSSARY OF HEBREW AND OTHER NON-ENGLISH TERMS.</h2> -</div> - -<table class='table0' summary='GLOSSARY'> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Abaye and Raba</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Two distinguished rabbis of the Talmud.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Angenehme Ruhe</span></span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Pleasant rest.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Ani Yehudi, bo immi achi</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>I am a Jew. Come with me, O my brother.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Apologia pro Libro Suo</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Apology or defence of his book.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Auf Wiedersehen</span></span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Good-by; au revoir.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Bachurim</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Talmud students.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Bochur</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Talmud students.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Boruch Hashem</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Praised be the Lord.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Baal Hab-bayis or Baal Ha-Bayith</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Householder, burgher.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Baale Batim</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Members of the congregation.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Bauerngut</span></span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Peasant estate, farm.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Beth Ha-Midrash</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>House of study, where the study of the law and worship are conducted.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">Chaussée</span></span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Highway.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Charif</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Sharp, keen-witted.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Chaver</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Friend, companion.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Chazan</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>See Hazan.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Chochmah</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Wisdom.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Deitch</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>German: Polish-Jewish term for a Jew who has adopted Gentile dress and ways.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Ethrogim</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Fruit of the citra species, used on the Feast of Tabernacles, Lev. xxiii. 40.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Eingelegte Gänsebrust</span></span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Goose breast preserved in fat.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Erste Dame</span></span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>First Lady; Prima Donna.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Eternal House</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>English rendition of Beth Olam, one of the many touching Hebrew names for the Jewish Cemetery.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='pageno' id='Page_292'>292</span><span class='sc'>Fulda Rav</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Officiating rabbi of Fulda.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Galoschiner Casino und Vereinshaus</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Galoschin Casino and Club House.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Gan Eden</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Paradise.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Gebirge</span></span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Mountain range.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Gefüllte flanken</span></span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Stuffed flanks or navel pieces.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Gemara</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Main portion of the Talmud.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Gesetzte Bohnen</span></span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Beans placed in the oven on Friday and left there till the next day.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Gesetztes Essen</span></span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Food treated as preceding.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Get</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Divorce.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Gruesse Gott</span></span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Be greeted in the name of God.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Gruenkern Suppe</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Soup made from a peculiar kind of green kernels.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Guten Morgen</span></span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Good morning.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Guten Tag</span></span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Good day.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Gut Woch</span></span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Good week.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Haftarah</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Prophetic portion.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Hakamim</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>The sages, the rabbins.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Halachah</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Religious rule or decision.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Hazan</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Reader or Precentor.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Herein</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Come in.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Illuy</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Bright scholar.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Jubitza</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Long robe worn by the Polish and Russian Jews.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Kaddish</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>A prayer recited by sons during the eleven months after the death of a parent.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Kallah</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Bride.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Kehillah</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Congregation.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Kiddush</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Benediction by which the Sabbath or festivals are introduced.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Kiddush-Beaker</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Cup containing the wine of the blessing.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Ketubah</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Marriage certificate.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Kosher</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Ritually clean.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Kretchm</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Tavern, inn.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>“<span class='sc'><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">L’Etat, c’est moi</span></span>,”</td> - <td class='c016'>The State, I am it.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Lebe Wohl</span></span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Farewell.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='pageno' id='Page_293'>293</span><span class='sc'>Lef</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>A heart.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Link</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Irreligious.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Loeffel</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>A spoon.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Maariv</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Evening service.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Maggid</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Preacher.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Malach</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Angel.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Massig gevool</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Interference with the business of another.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Mazzol Tov</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Good luck, a form of congratulation.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Mechulleh</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>A bankrupt.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Mehuttanim</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Relatives by marriage.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Melammedim</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Hebrew teachers.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Mesholim</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Stories or parables.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Meshummad or Meshummed</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>A renegade, a pervert from Judaism.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Minchah</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Afternoon service.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Mishnah</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Portion of the Talmud.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Mishpochoh</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Family connections, relationship.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Mitzvah</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Meritorious action, good deed.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Neduniah</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Dowry.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Nefoshos</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Souls.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Niggun</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Melody.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Ovel</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>A mourner.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Parnass</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>President of the congregation.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Parnoso</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Livelihood, sustenance.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Peoth</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Ear curls.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Plett</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>A ticket.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Raconteur, fem.</span>—<i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">euse</span></i>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Teller of tales and anecdotes.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Rav</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Official or communal rabbi.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Rishus</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Wickedness, enmity; Hebrew term for anti-Jewish prejudice.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Rosh Chodesh</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>First of the Jewish month.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Rosho</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Wicked man, Jew-hater.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Scheitel</span></span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>A cloth or wig with which religious Jewesses cover their heads.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Schlafe wohl</span></span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Sleep well.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Schnorrers</span></span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Beggars.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Sedrah</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>The part of the Pentateuch read in the synagogue.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='pageno' id='Page_294'>294</span><span class='sc'><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Shabbos Kugel</span></span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Sabbath pudding.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Shammas</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Synagogue attendant; sexton.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Shidduch</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Marriage.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Shiur</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>A selection from the Talmud or devotional books.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Shivah</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>The prescribed mourning period of seven days during which the mourner sits on the earth and does not leave the house.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Shool</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Synagogue.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'><span lang="la" xml:lang="la">Sopher</span></span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Scribe.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Taanis</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>A fast day.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Tallethim or Tallithoth</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Robes or shawls worn during services.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Tephillin</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Phylacteries.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Proselyte of Righteousness</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>English rendition of Ger Tsedek, a Gentile who enters into the covenant of Judaism in all sincerity and lives a consistently pious and religious life.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Torah</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>The Law.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Trefah or Trefoth</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Forbidden food.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">Vis á vis de rien</span></span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Over against nothing—<em>i. e.</em>, at a loss, unable to do anything.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Vodka</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Russian whiskey.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Yehudi</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>A Jew.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Yehudi Attah</span>?</td> - <td class='c016'>Art thou a Jew?</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Yeshibah</span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Talmudic Academy.</td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Zwiebel Tätcher</span></span>,</td> - <td class='c016'>Onion cake.</td> - </tr> -</table> - -<div class='pbb'> -<p> </p> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -<p> </p> -</div> -<div class='tnotes'> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE</h2> -</div> - <ol class='ol_1 c002'> - <li>Silently corrected typographical errors and variations in spelling. - - </li> - <li>Retained anachronistic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings as printed. - </li> - </ol> -</div> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> -<hr class="full" /> -<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FROM THE HEART OF ISRAEL***</p> -<p>******* This file should be named 60189-h.htm or 60189-h.zip *******</p> -<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> -<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/6/0/1/8/60189">http://www.gutenberg.org/6/0/1/8/60189</a></p> -<p> -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed.</p> - 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