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The Southern Israelite
Williams-Flint Lumber Co.
250 Elliott, N. W. IVy 1093
Kulail Drillers in
LUMBER AND BUILDERS SUPPLIES
Chicago’s
MORRISON HOTEL
Madison and Clark Streets
Tallest Hotel in the World
46 Stories High
Cht A/f» /Morrison, when completed. »ill hr the lorgest
and tallest hotel in the world, containing 1,400 rooms
SAM R GREENBERG, Ft—.
P. J. BLOOMFIELD, 9«c
Sam Greenberg & Co.
FUNERAL DIRECTORS
AMBULANCE CHAPEL
96 Forrest Ave., N. E. — Phone WAlnut 7909
ATLANTA, GA.
INVESTMENT SECURITIES
MUNICIPAL BONDS
CORPORATION AND GOVERNMENT BONDS
STOCKS
LOCAL SECURITIES
UNDERWRITERS OF SOUTHERN SECURITIES
,S-Sr„ COURTS & CO.-O-Ss-.
ATLANTA
From the Frying Pan into the Fire
A Story in which Love and Laughter Meet
Adapted from the German
( til Rights Reserved)
Ky OSCAR LEONARD
CHAPTER G
A message which brought joy
rather than sorrow suddenly spread
all over the little town. It traveled
from the parlours in the homes of the
well-to-do to the garrets of the poor;
it went from synagogue to store,
from market-place to wine-shop. It
was a message expressed in these few
short words: Benzion, the miser, died
in Russia.
People forgot their troubles, their
business cares, their trials and trib
ulations, as if by magic. Pension the
miser was dead! It rang in the ears of
all those who knew him and seemed
to prophesy a new epoch and a better
one for their town. Every one was
discussing it. everyone was philoso
phizing about it. The heirs of the mi
ser had a rather difficult task trying
to appear sad and mournful. The
paupers w-ere glad to he rid of the
miser who had never given them a
“kreizer.” The representatives of the
communal institutions were glad be
cause they felt that perhaps in the
last hour the parsimonious man
thought of the institutions and left
something for them. Reb Benjamin
Hoeker waited anxiously to hear what
Reb Penzion had done for the “glory-
of God and the good of the commu
nity.” Reb Ttzik Hersh’s face was so
crimson with joy that his flaming red
heard seemed somewhat faded.
The one thing which troubled the
representatives of the community, the
paupers and all other inhabitants of
the district, was the fear that per
haps the news was merely a rumor
that might prove unfounded. A few
days later, however, all doubt disap
peared. A letter came to the head of
the community from Berlin which
proved conclusively that Reb Pen
zion was dead. In this letter was en
closed Reb Penzion ’s will.
sa community head came a messaj
telling how Reb Penzion took suddei
ly ill an d died two days later. It w:
also recorded how he called the rab
to his death bed and dictated tl
following will:
“It is the will of God that I breatl
my last here, far from wife, childre
relatives and friends. May He is H
mercy give you all long life and ha
piness, and when the end comes mj
it come when you are at home wi
your families surrounding you, f
the presence of wife and child mak
death less bitter. The Lord, w!
knows the human soul, knows how n
heart longs for my wife and childr*
and for those I know. I wish to b<
>ou all to forgive me for whatev
harm I may have done you. If y<
could look into my heart now y<
would see how it craves forgivene
and you would gladly forgive me n
transgressions. As far as I can
shall try in my last hour to recti
some of my offenses against my fan
ly, against the community, ai
against the poor of the town I ho
that everything in this, my last sta1
ment, will be carried out as it
written down.
All my wealth, consisting of go
silver, properties and bonds, shall
equally divided among my children.
“Before the division is made, how.
ever, the following bequests shall be
subtracted: Twenty thousand gulden
for the building of a Jewish Hospital,
which shall bear my name; ten thous
and gulden for the establishment of
a home for aged and infirm Jews. For
this purpose the house in which my
family now lives shall be used.
“It is my last will that Sigmund
Reifman, son of the widow Sarah
Reifman, shall marry my daughter
Esterka. In my hard-heartedness I
wanted to tear asunder two souls
which were united since childhood. In
order to accomplish this I used un
worthy means and calumnies. It was
I who spread the rumor of his bap
tism, which nearly drove him insane
and almost broke his mother’s heart.
In all these things I had as a con
federate a demon in human attire
named Benjamin Hoeker, who drove
me to these unworthy actions which
I now regret. I would advise every
one to keep away from this creature,
so as not to fall into his meshes as I
have. Perhaps this sin caused my
death here among strangers. In order
to make amends for this terrible sin
I wish that the wedding of my daugh
ter Esterka and Sigmund Reifman
shall take place immediately after
the seven days’ mourning.
“I further bequeath to my wife the
sum of thirty thousand gulden and
close my eyes in the assurance that
my children will honor and obey her
all her life, as a mother should be
honored and obeyed.
“This is my last will and testa
ment, which I dictateed of my own
free will, while in full possession of
my senses, and I desire that no one
shall make any attempt to keep it
from being carried out. In proof
whereof I here append my signature,
BENZION GELDHABER.”
Astonishment filled the little town.
Every one was interested in the will
and the remarkable way in which Sig
mund was cleared before the commu
nity. Sigmund had left his hiding
place and now stayed with his mother.
All those who had hooted and stoned
him tried to make amends by being
very kind to him. They wanted to
forget the unpleasant reception. All
the women who avoided Sigmunds
mother when they thought that her
son was a convert, went out of their
way now to speak to her and tell her
how they wished their own sons * ere
as good men as was her Sigmund.
The heirs of Reb Benzion mean
while entered upon their seven days
mourning. The visits of sympatne 1
friends who came to offer the c _
tomary condolence almost transfer
ed the mourning into a festive oce
sion. Reb Itzik Hersh proudly
his red beard fanlike. As for e s
min Hoeker—never in all his life
he in such great demand. The rep
sentatives of the community wa .
him in order to ask him to a *- c ^
for all the moneys he collects
the glory of God and the gooi 0
community.” The “Shochet an • e
“chazan” sought him in order o^
vengeance on him for all the m -