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The Southern Israelite Page 19 jV r Reb Benzion felt the blood ris- swiftly to his head, and before his ,'.ve S S red dames seemed to dance, as he implored: ■■Have mercy, Keb Shmaye, dear Reb <hmave, kind Reb Shmaye—” but Reb <hmaye had by this time covered his hea ,i with his quilt while has teeth chattered with cold and fear. Are the people here crazy,” mut- vml Reb Benzion, ‘‘or do they take rpe for a fool?” -They certainly do. I never heard one talk that way to a wise man. Put any way, suppose you try' a few h, u<ec further,” suggested the driver a^ain. And Reb Benzion knocked at an- • h, r door. Here a head appeared at :h. window. On seeing Reb Benzion a m. called loud from within: Sh'ma Yisroel, Sh’ma Yisroel. Go hark to your resting place.” Keb Benzion wiped the large drops f jH-rspiration from his face with his - a* sleeve. He knocked at door after or. hut from everywhere came the Stay away from the living. Go r.aek to your resting place.” N< matter how well your neighbors may mean, Reb Benzion,” said the driver as he mounted his wagon and k the reins and whip in his hands, I cannot for anything in the world make up my mind to accompany you where these people send you. Giddyap, horse. Whoa!” The driver’s yell and the noise of •hr horses trying to pull the heavy wagon out of the snow, brought Reb Benzion back to his senses. Take me to the house of Rebbe Mendelle, whom people regard as a mder worker. He must still be up •"th his many followers, and I am ir« that they will not act like fools. I 'hall spend the night in his house.” “ W *• 11, I will try you once more. B i' don’t ask me to take you any oth- place. Whoa! Giddyap!” And the 'alt frozen animals were again pull- ‘heir burden with much difficulty trd the house of the wonder work- M' Rabbi. Through the shutters it could be • • n that Rebbe Mendelle with his ‘gahuim” (adjutants) were still Aa kReb Benzion knocked several ■ until at last a voice was heard '».ving: ""ho is knocking there?” Merciful brothers,” he implored, e pity and open the door. I am ’ * * zing out here.” Rebbe, whispered the elder "gabi,’ believe it is the voice of the de- eao-d Benzion.” Tho Rebbe became pale and the -ahi asked again: " ho is there ?” "It is Benzion.” "Benzion!” cried the rabbi and his •'• adjutants as they jumped from nr B* aces - The stillness of the room ^as interrupted only by the chatter u ir teeth. Finally, the Rebbe re- , 1 . a Bttle courage and said in a rf *mblmg voice: ow flare you Benzion, s< K ap ta Be. how dare you come 1 * J T’, you wbo * n y° ur lifetin ' brea d to the hungry, shel • meless, aid to the needy- art* sou come here, you w f hose ?rm K?T r c> F > ^ n to help a brotl t bl *‘ IX) you not know wh ! a m ? Who permits you to and disturb me at this hour of the night? Disappear. I order you to re turn to your resting place.” ‘‘Say, that Rabbi gave you a fine sermon,” remarked the driver with a smile. “You may remain here and listen to some more of it if you wish, hut I assure you I have no particular desire to do so. I am going to find a warm place for my self and my two breadwinners. Whoa! Giddyap.” With these words he cracked his whip and the horses began to pull the wagon away. Poor Benzion remained near the closed shutters, raving in power less rage, only to change his tone into one of supplication: “Holy Rabbi, have mercy. Open the door for me.” ‘‘Back to your rest,” came the voice from the house. “But dear Rebbe, I swear by my faith that I shall not leave this place unless you open the door for me. Have mercy, let me in.” ‘‘He probably came,” suggested one of the adjutants, ‘‘that you should help his soul find rest.” ‘‘Reb Benzion,” began the Rabbi who understood that it would do no good to speak in an angry manner, ‘‘forgive me a hundred times, go bark to your resting place. Be assured that I shall pray for you and do whatever 1 can for your poor sinful soul. Now vanish. Return to where you belong and be not among the living” ‘‘May hell swallow you and your adjutants,” murmured Benzion, and then added aloud: ‘‘But holy one, I am not dead. I swear you. may I live so, I am not dead. I am as much alive as you, as anyone else of our com munity. I am so cold. The frost is reaching my heart. Let me come in and get warm, at least.” “He wants to get warm,” said one of the ‘‘gabbis." “Did you hear, Reb be, he wants to get warm. Suppose we do the will of the deceased and let him come in. We have “mezuses” (prayer scrolls on door posts) and sacred books in the house. He can have no evil power over us. Let him come in that we may exact an oath from him not to molest the living.” For several minutes the wonder worker and his adjutants held counsel among themselves how to deal with the deceased one who was about to enter their house. They had reaehed the conclusion that he should be per mitted to enter the house. One must take pity on the dead as well as the living. The wonderworker being a stu dent of the Cabbala, advised his adju tants to wrap themselves in their prayer shaws and to take prayer books in their hands. As for himself, he wrapped even his head, hiding his eyes with the prayer shawl, and took the largest prayer book he possessed and held it open with both hands. When they were all armed for the assault that was about to follow, the meeting of the living with the dead, Reb Benzion ordered courageously: “Reb Fivel, open the door.” Reb Fivel, in spite of his great re spect for the one from whose lips emanated the order, remained glued to the spot where he stood. He seemed unable to execute the wish of the rabbi, and the latter turned to his other adjutant: “You open it, then, Reb Shmaye.” But Reb Shmaye, with all his re spect for the “Rebbe,” did not budge. He seemed to have even less courage than the others. (To Be Continued) >> Approved by GOOD HOUSEKEEPING and DELINEATOR INSTITUTES & NOW ALL STEEL Quiet and Automatic SI0.00 Down 30 MONTHS TO PAY •x ;j:j x : | X* » :•> :•:• x* South Carolina Power Co. 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