litEfrntorr,/onsmaiRONICUI
PAGE TEN
Fathers and Children
By MURRAY GITLIN
I
Sam Lerner was known as a pros- rate affairs—or your past. It is a i
peruus, progressing farmer. There peculiar psychology the mob exhibits.
were some who even called him well- There was a time when Lerner was •
is mis- like the general run of the Jewish
todo. This term, however
farmers: sold. body and purse, to
leading. In Cotton, for the Jew to Brodsky and Ratner, the king of the
i
crum-
be rich means nothing more than to
usurers.
be out of debt—or to have a running bling foundation. It woo ferreted out
that he had been a seltzer dealer in
account of only a hundred or no with
New York 15 years ago, that this was
Pincus Brodsky, the wealthy ,irrocer,
in second wife, that he had two sons'
butcher and grain dealer—or merely by the first one and a daughter by
not to be in the clutches of the host the second, that one of his suns lived
of money-lens,.who make a thriv- out 1Vest— that was all. In spite of
ing business t of catering to the prying eyes and eager ears, Lerner's
woes, of the farmer.
history was as opaque as an egg-
No sooner is a man out of debt plant] And then when he was pro-
thou he is immediately respected. To nounced "der reicher Lerner," people
be respected carries with it impor- willingly dropped further investiga-
tant honors. You are asked to arbi.
tion.
trate petty quarrels, you are intrust-
In the village, little was known of
ed-with the safety of various funds
which may be raised for the Aid So- his religious beliefs. lie never ap-
ciety or the synagogue or for the peared there on Saturday, and Con-
Schwitz Bad building. But above all sequently that was taken as a: sign
—people cease to pry into your pri. that he would not ride on the Sab-
Lions was retained.
h k knew was th a t PRUSSIA
A WITHDRAWS
"Fine—what is he going to be— gin infancy. All
Al they
U
bath. But those 12 farmers, who
Imanure had to be carted out, fields
As a result of this ouspenisonda sq
lived three to tire miles from the d id you say a doctor?"
AID TO SYNAGOGUES
ploughed and sowed with oats and
congregations in Prussia unable
town, knew otherwise. To them he
"A dentist."
: corn and potatoes. Then summer
to keep up their synagogu.
was apikores. Ile worked every day
at. Let him
"Good money in that.
' rushed in. Hay had to be cut. The
BERLIN.---(J. T. A.)—The sub-
The Union of Jewish c: ,olunities
in the week; there were even rumors
"
open an office in Ilartford.
: 12 farmers saw very little of each
sidy extended by the Prussian gov- in Germany has submitted .• demand
that his wife did not kep a kosher
"I'll see," replied Nathan, inma- i other. Occasionally one would tele-
ernment to synagogues of poor congre- t othe government to rest the sub.
house, but, nevertheless, he was very
iently. I phone the other to inquire about the
gations was omitted this year from silly. It is expected that IS • question
popular. Perhaps because he was t
They became silent. Lerner put ! progress of his work, to learn how his
learned in Hebrew and had a good
the budget, although the subsidy to will be taken up in NMI , - -nt
his pipe away, as if he were touching corn and garden were growing, or
dur-
ing the next budget dis.•u
singing voice.
a delicate mechanism. how successful a crop of hay he had. churches of poor Christian congrega-
The 12 held themselves more or
"Miller, from your children you
One day as Miller was returning
less aloof from the Jews in the vil- have nothing but nachos. t'roin '
from Weston with the empty milk
lage. In fact there was a brisk riv- mine- -" His voice became husky.
I
1 1 cans, Lerner hailed him. He was not
alry between the two groups. fhe
"Conte, conics Lerner,
::my children far from his house cutting grass with
members of the town synagogue replied as he faltered.
scythe near the road.
a
l
!scorned the "petty" minyan of the aren't such wonders. I have enough)
Nathan was glad to see hint at
"uncultured," and predicted they trouble with them."
close range.
Astonished at the
would not be able to keep it going.
"I wish I had your trouble."
change. A pitiful figure. His hair
But it was a flourishing affair. Each
There was a crucial pause.
one of them was assessed $3. Twen-
"Did you walk or ride?" he sud. haul become all gray now.
"How are things?" Miller asked
ty went to the Chazan for Rosh Ila- denly asked.
him.
shonah and Toni Kippur, 10 to Mr.
"Walked."
"Not so good. "
Goldstein—in whose house they con-
"Then I'll walk back with you,
gregated—for herring, wine, 'mech. Miller. I like to talk better outside."
"Why, what's the matter?"
"All the goyim are here."
lech and other delicacies with which
It was a fourth week moon. The
he provided them after the services, air was still. Occasionally a toad
"Goyim?" Nathan did not quite
the remainder was used for Simchas would jump aside, ur a sparrow rustle catch his awaiting.
Torah. On that festival wine and the dead leaves. Otherwise, there
"Saul and Alec—their wives and
whisky and song flowed as freely as was only the (lull sound of two farm- children."
•
the waters of the Jordan. Many a ers strolling and kicking the stones.
"Well?"
fernier could not find his way home
"I can't live here. I try to love
Miller let him begin the conversa-
then, and many a wife scolded and tion. Ile knew that the old farmer them like sons and daughters—but I
cursed until jeered off the floor by was eager to confide. , can't - -I can't. It's not possible. Mil-
the staunch husband. To give the
front
"Sometimes, when I forget about ler, I feel like going away, leave the
year a really happy and Bohemian my sons,
happy. But after that } farm, have them stay here—instead
ending there were five or six days of it's hell.
II of me."
I work on Saturday.
additional carousing—each day in a don't care about religion—but I'm al
"Come, come," a reassuring voice.
different farmer's wall-papered and Jew yet, Miller. A Jew and a guy "Forget what they've clone."
especially-cleaned-up-for-the-occasion can't be together in one man. And,
"I can't. I wouldn't mind it so
living room.
no matter how we don't like our sus.. much if they were happy—but no—
It was on the first of these jaunts tarns, we most cry bravo for the Jew- they quarrel--don't love one another.
Alec and his wife are it little better.
that Lerner broke down. Ile had ish spirit."
"Yes," the other answered. ''No liut Saul—he hates her—he'll have
been at the omud that morning, and
matter
how:
long
we
live
with
the
to
divorce her."
afterwards entertained the company
"Maybe it'll be better." That was
with stories of Russia and the seers Yankees, we'll always be Jews, be-
is
cause
the
Christian
and
Jewish
na-
all
Miller could say.
of the Talmud..while the others re-
"But I'm their father. I can't for-
galed themselves on a slightly less tures aren't made for assim—assimi-
commendable nectar. Someone struck lotion. You know what I mean-- got. How would you feel with your
up the tune of Ilatikvoh as there was growing together, becoming like own goyim in your house? I want
-a
to be a Jew. I don't care for re-
a lapse in the conversation. Sud- one."
"That's just right." His eyes lotion—but I'm a Jew. Who will re-
denly he began weeping. He had
been drinking heavily, and, no doubt, stared blankly. They must have been spect me now?"
"Nobody knows about it, Lerner."
was a. little dazed and stupefied by turned inward to his bleeding heart.
"Maybe they don't. But I know
the raw brandy. The room became "Sometimes, Miller, I feel that the
'that's enough, isn't it?
silent. Everyone looked at him with Zionists with their Palestine is what, about it.
we Jews need. Then, maybe, the And what will the minyan think
open mouths.
"Ah, we raise children, send them fathers would be happy with their about me?"
He persuaded Miller to go into the
to school, to college—and then they children."
"What's the matter with Amer:h. house
Did he mean to precipitate
leave. They don't want to hear about
a crisis!
ea?" Miller asked indifferently.
their father any more—"
"This is the matter: that the chd-
He had picked the right moment.
Ilia wife was there, but her en-
His two daughters-in-law were poised
treaties were of no avail against the dren marry goyim."
like bloodthirsty cocks. France was
"Only a few—here and there."
sub-conscious rambling of his brain.
"For you it's a few, for me it's all. pitted against Germany, just as Jew
"Sam!" she whispered to him,
abashed. "Sam, what are you say- Miller, five years before there wasn't was now pitted against both. His son,
a gray hair in my head. Now, you Alec, was trying to quiet the two
ing?"
"Let me alone," he retorted. "What see. Maybe it's my own fault-1 tigresses. But they continued their
are my children to you? Strangers don't know:. In Russia I was frumm. fracas.
"Shut up!" cried Lerner.
My father even wanted me to become
—strangers only."
The French woman turned on him.
She did not deign an answer, but a rev. But I knew: I couldn't do it.
I
didn't
believe
in
anything.
When
"What have you to say about it—
shamefacedly went into the next
I came to America it was the same, Jew?"
room.
"Blanche — keep quiet!" yelled
In 15 minutes his face became once and even worse. Nobody could tell
more stern and masculine. There was me what to do—so I rode on Satur- Alec.
"Quiet nothing—I have a right to
no vestige whatsoever of former day, smoked on Saturday, didn't go
to shoot. I never thought about re- speak."
weakness.
Lerner gave vent to a very expres-
An aging farmer, the father of ligion. I made money, and that's all
three children, must surely be beset I wanted. My children know how to sive Polish execration. Ile paused
by doubts and compunctions if he speak Yiddish, but what did I care. fora moment. "Where is Saul?"
could thus break down before narrow Then we moved on the farm. They "I'll bring hint here." Alec tried
and unsympathetic eyes. It was a stayed fur a few years, then went to be calm
"See, Miller—what respect I get.
scene productive of a philosophic back to New York, and then to the
temper. It suggested the most dis- war. Before I knew it, I had a French May God treat you better. Never let
your children marry goyim."
tant corners of the earth, wilderness schnur."
"French!" Miller exclaimed.
Saul entered—a really handsome
and deserts, slums and out-of-way
"A homely, good-for-nothing. If young man.
farms, where eves had been swollen
you
see
her,
you'll
wonder
how
Saul
"Saul!" Lerner addressed his son
and were swelling. The most insig-
nificant person guards a hallowed married her. Saul is big, beautiful, sternly. "You didn't ask me about
In its ownership you've the
like
a
picture.
They
have
two
chit-
marrying,
you didn't ask me about
compartment in his heart.
satisfaction of having an in-
To one man Lerner raised a legion dren, John and Thomas. Miller, I coming here — but I'm boss here.
strument whose high quality
of sunpositions and questions. Na- haven't seen my son for three or four When I needed you; you had no lath-
is everywhere recognized—
than Miller, his favorite neighbor, sat years. Sometimes, I think I don't er. Now I haven't any sons. I don't
there all agog amidst an ignorant want to see him any more. But he's want you. All of you get out—right
of knowing you can depend
now—"
my son—"
crew.
upon it permftently for
"Get out?" Saul murmured.
"A son's a sun, no matter what he
It was Friday evening. Miller had
boundless musical delight.
"Get out! Did you come here to
finished the chores some hours ago, does," a voice added.
"But as if that wasn't enough. One make me a Christian? Do you think
Give to your home NOW the
had eaten supper. His wife and her
son
married
a
French
woman.
Alec
I
can
love
you?
You
insulted
me
sister were in the ktichen confuting
greater beauty and distinc-
their troubles and joys. He bade had to marry a deitschke, when he enough as it is. No more—I can do
tion and charm the exquisite
the m good night and trod along over was in the occupied territory in Ger- without you--goyim."
Vose Small Grand will so
"But, father," Alec interceded.
many."
t he muddy road to Lerner.
"A
deitschke!"
the
voice
again
ex-
"You,
too.
Do
you
think
you're
surely impart.
Ile felt like a guardian angel going
better? Get out—all of you."
t o administer a mental sedative to a claimed, mechanically.
"Two sons. They don't want to
"I told you not to conic here,"
t roubled bra' . His body seemed to
be grown taller, more dignified, hear any more of their father. My Blanche snarled at her husband and
ethereal. Almost could he see an wife isn't their mother anyway. They walked away.
Saul bowed his head—
aura of biblical figures hovering never come to the farm. I can't go
"Father, what's past is past. I can't
thered"
around his head.
Catiiiiig Mailed On Request
"Lerner,
make
the
best
of
it,"
Mil-
change
it. I've cursed myself hun-
Miller's farm was not very for
from Lerner's—only a mile and a ler encouraged as he saw his friend dreds of times—but I'll go."
Lerner weakened. "My son, my
quarter. He knew that road as well weaken. "They're married—that's
Ererything in the Retain of Music.
as a blind man knows every little the end of it. You must be broad, son—" Ile stopped. "Maybe it's
minded
enough
to
forgive
them."
my
oven fault. I didn't give you the
nook and cranny in his birthplace.
"I've forgiven them," he shouted. proper training. It's my own fault."
here was the large rock which shakes
him up in the morning when bringing "Forgive them every night when I'm
the milk to the station, here the mud- in bed. But, Miller, I'm a Jew and
hole, there the watering place, a lit- I can't forget. I can't say: my schnur
tle further Prekopsky's house, then is coming to see me, my grandchil-
the sand, and finally Lerner's. Be- dren like me. I can't hear them say
sides being known as ''der reicher zayde. In six years already I lost
Lerner," he was unusual in another two sons. When your Dave gets mar-
way. There was a well-built, painted, ried, you'll see how it is. A father
picketed fence in front of the house, wants to have his family near him,,.
the lawn was well-kept, no pots or sometimes. Ile wants a letter, some-
cans strewn about. he had become times, with regards from his schnur
impregnated with the trend of mod- —from his grandchildren."
They had almost reached Miller's!
ern civilization.
Miller knocked. Mrs. Lerner an- house. It was in darkness already.'
swered. Iler husband was in the next Lerner politely refused the other's
invitation to a glass of tea. That
room smoking a pipe.
Ile looked up and greeted his night a middle-aged farmer could see
a wrinkled, tall man walking slowly
neighbor: "how is a Jew?"
"Well, thanks, well," was the an- and meditatively under a canopy of
dazzling stars, a waning moon, sursj
neer.
rounded by the hum of silence and!
"I hear your silage is rotting."
"Yes," Miller confessed. "I can't the gauntness of maples and oaks.
Ile had d'scovered Lerner's secret.
understand what could have hap-
But no matter how hard he tried to
pened."
The unmannerly hostess had left visualize his neighbor's troubled heart
the two farmers to themselves. Mil- he could not feel the pain of a dis.
ler could unhesitatingly come to the appointed father. Miller's children
had given him nothing but happiness
point.
"Silage or no silage, I'm happy." —and so, in a way, had made him
"That's good," Lerner quietly re- blind to unhappiness.
The bleak, desolate winter had
plied. "For a Jew to be happy is al-
passed. Spring came. The farmersj
ways good—and strange."
"David is getting finished with col- had not time or opportunity to ad-,
mire its beauty, its innocence, its vir-
lege in February."
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"Return, 0 Israel, unto the Lord
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plea,
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And Egypt's hosts, in whom you put your hope,
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The strangers' cult and armament to woo,
Forsaking your ancestral Gout, the fount
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