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The Southern Israelite Page 17 From the Frying Pan into the Fire A Story in which Love and Laughter Meet Adapted from the German (All Rights Reserved) By OSCAR LEONARD CHAPTER 4 Over a broad Stubblefield, which widms un'il it loses itself in the mountains, bathed in the torrents of licht emanating from the rising sun, a heavy wagon was making its way noisily. In the wagon sat a young man in his twenties whose handsome face bore signs of prolonged vicisi- tudes of travel. Tired and hungry for sleep the young man’s head fell from time to time wearily on his breast, and his eyes closed only to be fright ened open every time the wheels nick a rock and almost bumped the •uung man out of his seat. After each nterrup ion he tried to fall asleep again, until finally he determined to gather his powers and remain wide awake. He rubbed his eyes and said: "Are we far from town?” "One short hour and we shall be there,” answered the driver as he applied the whip to the horses backs. "One short hour,” repeated the young man joyfully. “Thank God we are so near.” Ho looked about to convince him self hut could find nothing so far. Minute by minute his impatience grew. He tossed about in his seat, or<‘t<hed himself, stamped his feet, as if all these motions would speed up 'he h oses. Suddenly he jumped from >■ wagon and ran for a few minutes. Then he jumped up again and took th>' seat near the driver. But still he v nothing to indicate that he was near his destination. As the wagon r "lhd noisily over the field, the ming man started suddenly to yell: "The church steeple, the church eeple!” Sure enough in the dis tance the sun was bathing the high ■ in gold. The horses, as if In y understood the young man’s feel- g>. became more lively and quick- i'd their pace. When the border of e town was reached the driver had knock several times the window "here the toll collector lived. After lK 'h knocking, a little girl, half deep, came out to collect th,e toll l! d draw up the bar. The young n an was somewhat surprised for he thought he heard the girl murmur: He is here. He is here.” I - unny,” thought the young man as he smiled to himself. Meanwhile the wagon brought them d’hin the city. The shutters of win- were already open everywhere jt d out of some of the windows bed- ning and bedclothes hung. Here and ere head of a woman or a child ?een through the windows. On the 'jivets men carrying “talis” (prayer -..a,-. 1) under their arms were walk- u° s y na g°g u e. In the nrddle the street barefooted boys played • ■ he mud. Some men came near the '■atmn j n vvhjch sat our young man “ 1 looked sharply at it, then follow- the wagon with their eyes as it ‘ '"d them by. Then the young man K° ne man Sa ^ an °th er: ivt that it is he, yes no one else out he.” (J h there is no doubt of that. It s no °ne else but he.” As the wagon made its way, people stopped on both sides of the street and looked at it in astonishment. “What in the world is the matter with these people today?” the travel ler ask^d himself, lookmg carefully about his clothes and his person to ascertain whether there was anything wrong. But soon he heard a yell as if in answer to his questioning gaze: “The ‘meshumed’(convert), yes, the meshumed is here!” “The ‘meshumed’,” came a cry from a hundred throats. These yells caused mobs to gather on the streets and made men and women look out of windows and open doors. The young man looked with won dering eyes at the great mass of peo ple, still doubting that he was the cause of all the excitement. These doubts, however, soon disappeared when a missile flew through the air and landed on his feet in the wagon, bespattering his clothes with mud. This was the signal for other missils to follow, and the poor man at whom they were aimed did not know what to do with his hands, whether to pro tect his eyes, his nose or his head with them. This bombardment was accompa nied with loud yells, “Meshumed”, “meshumed,” “meshumed.” At last the traveler who was ten dered this reception and who by this time has been recognized as Sigmund Reifman, breathed freely as he found himself in front of the little house occupied by his mother. With much difficulty, using his hands and feet, he made his way through the howling mob to the door and rushed into the house. Unfortunately no better recep tion awaited him in the house. “Get out of my sight, you miserable wretch,” his mother cried as soon as he crossed the threshold. “Mother,” appealed the unfortunate young man looking at the woman in astonishment, “are you not my mother and am I not your son?” “No,” sobbed the mother holding her arms outstretched that he might not touch her, “I am not the mother of an apostate. Oh, that I may have died before I brought such a son into the world!” “Meshumed, meshumed, meshumed,” came the echo from outside as if in accompaniment with his mother’s words. The unfortunate man pressed his hands to his head as if to keep him self from becoming insane, as he cried out in despair: “But, mother; I came here to—” “To make a church out of the home of your parents,” she interrupted. The man stared at his mother like one about to lose his senses. “What?” he muttered, “you know already that I want to sell the house to the Church Committee?” “All. I know all. I know every thing—” “Meshumed, meshumed,” came the yells from outside. “For goodness sake, is the world crazy today? Is it really a crime that I want to marry the girl to whom my heart belongs? May—” PHONE 2644 PHONE 7373 Headquarters for Building Material of Every Description We invite you to take advantage of our estimating department High Point Builders Supply Co. South Main Street Extension HIGH POINT, N. C. — • v 422-24 No. Liberty St. Winston-Salem, N. C. Prompt, Courteous Service READY-TO-WEAR MILLINERY SHOES HOSE MEN’S FURNISHINGS NOTIONS PIECE GOODS SILKS FREE DELIVERY SERVICE Minute Service Call Any Phone Wholesale Gasoline, Oils and Greases SERVICE STATIONS Address Phone No. I—So. Main St. ... 3841 No. 2—22nd and Liberty St. .._ 2200-J No. 3—2nd and Main St. 3210 No. 4—W. G. Boulevard and Summit 3840 No. 5—W. 4th and Poplar.. 3989 No. 6—No. Liberty and Main Sts.. ... 824 No. 7—W. 1st and Hawthorne. —5429 Winston-Salem, N. C.