Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-12-24

SAID to me. Will you take it7 have
many other things of hers. This want
to give to you. could think of nothing
else.' And here it is"
Paul held up his left hand. On the
slender little finger, that magician which
drew such wonderful throbbings from
the fretted strings. was the ring--a
modest, lustreless circlet of plain silver.
"I have taken things like that for
eighteen CENTS" remarked the pawn
broker, calmly. But there is something
glistening in his honest eyes almost like
tears.
eyes," kept on Paul, not unmoved
himself, Z" I took her gift. How should
help it2 Her mother brought it from
Brussels with her, she said. Poor child.
have great sorrow for her. Her heart
was all lead this evening. I asked her
trouble. She told me with frsnkness.
when 1 came up fremont street to-
day. the little one said, sand saw all the
lovely sleighs and lovely windows, and
the ladies, and looked on girls not at all
older than l am with braids, and nice
hats and gloves, and fine, warm shoes
and brown stockings, I had to look at
my own shoes, and--I had to cry. [ am
SO poor and miserable. The good God
has forgotten me. l do not cry much,
and work hard, but-but I can't keep
it up all the time And then, Aaron,
she curled down upon the bench and
wept much. Iwept ALSO"
A prolonged snort from the old Jew
alone broke the silence.
Paul continued eagerly: "Se I slip
ped away, and came here to you. have
asked of you, my friend, many favors,
Your ear is never closed to me. Thus I
ask of you another. There is not much
luck for me. have only a very little
money. What l have shall go, every
kopec, to buy for her dress. l have
enough. I have looked at the dress q
hundred times. 1t is picked ouv already,
Aaron. But / have nothing for the
shoes and for the stockings. These ]
came to ask of you. We will give these
things together as a Christmas present.
What could be more pleasant Does
this please your
The Pole rose as he spoke and stood
with his back to the CRATE. He knew
Aaron's good heart well-indeed had
proved its generosity many times when
he was in need. He had no doubt of
the result of this appeal. He waited
for moment, then turned with second /:
elbow does this please your"
Then he saw that Aaron's fists were
clenched on the arm of his chair, and
that his brow was knitted in scowl. A
fash shot through bis mind.
ooh, I ask your pardon, I ask pardon"
Without motion, or even change of
eye, the pawnbroker said:
"You are Christian; I am a Jew.
l do not give Christmas gifts"
Paul bit his lip. He felt himself
turning red to the top of his skull. He
had never been quite so awkward before.
There was nothing for him to say that
would help matters. So the two kept
silence-the young man staring into the
darkness of the further corner, and
cursing his stupid tongue; the old man
frowning at the Goals, and turning many
things over in his purturbed mind. So
twanged eight, and the curfew bells over
the great city began to toll out their
mighty warnings of honest peoples bed
time. The sound aroused Aaron. He
held out his hand to Paul, saying:
MY friend, you have not meant to
wound me. With any other man in a
hundred of my race, you might say what
you did without care. l have been diff
ferent. / have been called strict Jew
"a Jew according to the spirit and the
letter of the law. l have been this to
myself, even more than to my fellows.
have carried all the SORROWS of my
people upon my back. They have not
bowed down my head, nor broken my
spirit, but they have made my heart
sensitive. 1t is because am student
of my races history, and realize what
the name you revere has wrought in it,
that WINGED at your words. am not
angry. Twas wrong to forget for Sec
ond your friendship"
Paul seized his hand. The curfew
bells rang on, but they had a gladden.
sound. There was no scowl on Aaron s
brow. "Come," said he, cheerily,
"drink another glass of the good Sau-
terne, and let us take walk. It is early
yet" The two went out.
The night was still warm, although
RlCde COdlS WCIC uCcOSO, 4u0 UlS udk6S
had conquered the wet salt air by force
of mild persistence, and now lay hand
thick upon the streets, a noiseless velve
carpet. As they neared the Row, and
saw the lights faring outupon the snowy
purity of the square, over which the
passing crowds threw grotesque and gil
gantic shadows, Paul stole a glance at
his companions face. 1t was glowing
with internal warmth. As the two pass
ed, many person turned to see again
the strange couple-the tall, straight
youth with the long hair and the foreign
features, and the short, dumpy Aaron
Ashermayer, whose broad face mad been
TRANSPORTED by something.
" Where is this dress you spoke of ?"
asked Aaron. Laboski led the way up
fremont aud down a side street to an
unpretentious store, the front of which
he had haunted many times of late.
They entered, and Paul, with conscious
pride, bought the dress, paid for it, and
had it wrapped up in bundle. Then
it was Aaron's turn. The old bachelor