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The Southern Israelite
From the Frying Pan Into the Fire
A Story in which Love ami Laughter Meet
Adapted from the (German
(All Right $ Reserved)
Ily OSCAR LEONARD
Chapter 1.
“What pests ‘Piety’ and ‘Wisdom’
are!” grumbled Benzion Goldhaber,
a stubby little man with a bristly
beard of sordid appearance. “But it
all depends on how one uses them.
To me both of them shall be useful.
I have already made a good beginning
with ‘Piety’. The match he is trying
to arrange for my Esterka is after
my own heart. As for ‘Wisdom’, the
time will come. Patience, the time
will come, and we shall find some use
for him.”
That you, dear reader, may not be
lieve for a moment that in the pious
town where our action takes place,
‘Piety’ and ‘Wisdom’ are marriage
brokers, we shall explain forthwith
that it is a question of two persons,
who acquired these curious nicknames
in their little town. Pension Gold-
haber himself, who spoke so respect
fully of ‘Piety’ and ‘Wisdom’, laid no
small claim to the possession of both
these qualities and was ever ready
to prove his claim by “thousands of
witnesses”, namely, the hundreds of
thousands of gulden which were his,
together with other valuable posses
sions. His qualities, however were
not unmarred by a fault which made
him disliked by his fellow townsmen.
He was hard-hearted or rather miserly
toward the poor, and even toward his
own children. More than all the rest
of his children, who were married, his
youngest daughter, Esterka, had to
suffer from his ill temper and parsi
mony, as she was near him all the
time.
In spite of the hard atmosphere in
which she lived, Esterka grew into
beautiful womanhood, both in body
and in mind, and to the surprise of
all, developed views for her future
that could not have been suspected in
the proximity of such a father. She
was determined that the man to whom
she was to give her hand and heart
was to be entirely different from the
husbands her father had chosen for
her sisters. First of all, he must
possess the ability to earn an honest
living by his own efforts. But while
these thoughts revolved in the brain
of his lovely daughter, Reb Benzion
had his eye on an entirely different
sort of life partner for her. His
choice consisted of a greenish, inex
perienced, boyish-looking being, who
would have to be dependent on his
father-in-law forever. Such a son-
in-law was to his taste, because he
could be obtained for a trifle, and be
cause he was certain that in this way
Esterka, whom he wanted near him
all the time, would never leave the
little native town. Intelligent, wide
awake and educated as she was, Ester
ka was her father’s right hand in his
business, and when he was away from
home, as was often the case, she took
entire charge. Should she marry a
man who had the ability to earn his
own bread and butter independently,
Reb Benzion thought, he would either
have to renounce Esterka’s useful
services or part with some of his busi
ness earnings by employing his son-
in-law'. At this his selfishness re
belled.
As a rule Reb Benzion never re
ceived any one at his home. He said
that entertaining was costly. But
two guests he w’as always ready to
receive. These tw r o were not ordinary
persons, and then it was not easy to
refuse them hospitality. The two
w'ere the proud bearers of the nick
names “Wisdom” and “Piety”. “Wis
dom”, who was, incidentally, called
Itzek Hersh, the Red One, was well
liked in his towm. He was distinguish
ed on account of his long red beard,
which some persons insisted could be
seen for miles, and w'hich changed its
appearance in accordance with the
mood of its possessor. If he was an
gry the beard projected forward,
threateningly, like a dagger; if he
was sad, it hung down dejectedly; and
if its possessor was in a happy mood,
the object of his distinction encircled
his face, peacock like. “Piety” was
of clothes-pole slimness. All except
his right shoulder. This was thin and
served to indicate the moods of Ben-
gamin Hoeker, as he was known be
fore acquiring the proud nickname.
If he was angry the shoulder rose
higher and higher like a menacing
ocean wave. In case of its owner's
joyful mood, the shoulder tried to ap
pear as innocent as the shoulders of
all other mortals. “Wisdom” had a
full bass voice, while “Piety” had a
thin piping one. “Wisdom” had for
a life guard the motto, “A man must
always leave a little back door open
for himself.” “Piety” rolled up his
eyes, saying: “For myself, I do not
care, but I do everything for the glory
of God and the good of the commu
nity.” They hated each other deeply,
and the hate of each extended to those
who were in any way on terms of
intimacy with the other, so that if
one associated with “Piety” he could
not escape the poisonous tooth of
“Wisdom”, no matter how one tried
to avoid it. Where one had any busi
ness outlook, the other sniffed in order
to do damage, and no one could escape
them. They both knew how to & b
sorb the most intimate family secrets
of their fellow men in the J e *i,k
community.
Even Reb Benzion was unable to
keep the two from his door. But he
was more fortunate than many of the
others in that he managed to make
use of both “Piety” and “Wisdom”.
He managed to get “Piety” busy on
making the match for his daughter, a:
the same time keeping “Wisdom” from
interfering. In the light of these
facts it is small wonder that the par-
simonious man found words of praise
for “Wisdom”, as we shall soon see.
One day while Reb Benzion was
busily assorting some notes, a red
flame suddenly caught his eye in the
door. It was the appearance of Itzek
Hersh.
“Good day to you, Reb Benzion,"
came from the lips over the red beard,
as the man, worming his way in.
came nearer to the man who was
counting money and assorting notes.
“ ’D evening,” grumbled Reb Ben
zion who did not seem everjoyed a:
this unexpected visit. He~became more
interested in his occupation, in order
to make his visitor understand that he
was busy.
“You seem to have no time for me
just now,” said the “Red One”, stand
ing near the door.
“Of course—just now—” murmur
ed Reb Benzion.
“Well then, I shall wait,” decided
“Wisdom” as he sat down comfortably
on the sofa, and began to stroke his
beard and forehead.
Reb Benzion hurried to finish his
•work so that he might try to rid him
self of his uninvited guest.
“I am ready,” he growled, as he
pushed several bundles of notes into
the safe, which he locked carefully.
“How can I serve you?” he asked as
he turned to the “Red One” with ap
parent impatience.
“You serve me?” smiled “Wisdom
“Just the opposite, I want to serve
you.”
“Very well”, grumbled Reb Ben
zion. “In what way do you want to
serve me?”
“With something good, natural!}
Only good.”
“And what do you call good?’
“A match for your Esterka.
“Oho!” called out Reb Benzion in
astonishment, “since when has "is*
dom” begun to mix with match nia'-
ers ?”
“For your sake, my dear Reb Ben
zion,” the “Red One” smiled sweety
‘Wisdom’ would go even into t
fire.”
“And w'hat kind of match do y -
propose?”
“We have not reached that poj D
yet. Let me first ask a question.
“As far as I am concerned, y° u ma *
ask. Let’s hear it.” ,
“My question is,” began Itzik He**
slowly and deliberately, “do you ^
my nephew, Sigmund Reifman,
is the head book-keeper in a
business house in Berlin?
(Continued on page 18)
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