The San Francisco call., 1904-07-03
lsassag (2@&ae f9Eezs $3.50
~. I was moved to compass

into eternity. I was moved to compass
sion.
He began to roll about restlessly
and to talk incoherently. Suddenly he
opened his eyes and fixed them glar-
ingly upon me, and he gave utterance
to his raving in fiesh-creeping voice:
"Oh, Martha! Martha! Martha! look at
me-look-I did not murder your
father-did you not love me?-ah. that
Dolgoff-he told you everything-car-
rted you away-oh, Dolgoff-my money
-everything-but give me back-Mar-
tha-look at her eyes, her milky
cheeks, -Martha-Mar-''
He raved and talked in frightful
tones that made me stir in my seat.
Then he broke off and his raving took
another turn: II felt 1T all the time
the very image of mother-(some in
distinct babbling here). Don't, Israel
don't marry her-there hangs our
father-look how he stares at us-those
eyes drive me crazy-I killed him
Bialnick did it-Bialnick-oh, take that
cross away-ah, that cross, that-cross
-Israel-throw away that cross-fath-
er is nailed to it-ah, that cross-that
GRO"
His words became indistinct again,
then ceased. His breath was now COM
Ing with difficulty. / was damp with
sweat; my brain was whirling with
the tragedies of life.
Half an hour later he opened his eyes
There was consciousness in them. A
tremor passed through his body and
with an effort he moved one emaciated
hand over the Counterpart toward me.
1sroelke," he murmured feebly
Joseph, / answered, taking his
hand. My eyes began to overflow with
hot tears
That was his only lucid moment. The
avf 9youf III.
vulsiveiy upon mine and he began to
rave again.
Don't you see fathr's face there
nailed to the cross? The Christians
did it-they crucified father-they'H
cruelty you-Bialnick did it-you'll not
marry her-I am villain-I fooled
the whole world-everybody
body-but l am Jew-you are a Jew
once a Jew always Jew-don't
marry her" He struggled up on
one elbow and stared wildly in front
OF him. ok-father-mGther
ON the a-Isroel-adenoi-
-adenoichod-d-d-
He fell back in my arms, gasping.
An hour later he lay motionless, quiet
dead.
1t was little before daybreak when
/ left the hospital. The scene had
just witnessed stupefied my brain for
while; then recollections of the remote
past began to come back to my mind
as L walked home, thinking and breath
ing deeply, with vague hope of wax
ing and finding that 1 had only
dreamed. But l soon realized that 1
had had no dream; my brothers cut
ting words still rang in my ears.
L opened my room quietly; 1 feared
my own footsteps. A silvery glance of
the fading, vanishing moon fell upon
my desk. There lay the dog cared
Bible. My thoughts again Travelled to
my brothers delirious talk; l shud-
dered at his suggestion. Gradually my
mind came back to Katia, and the old
battle of creed and race and vengeance
ragged in my breast. why did fate
bring us together?" I wondered why
l put myself this question. Don't
marry her-don't marry her" My
brothers words passed through my
mind. "The blood of your fathers
murderer runs in her veins,'' a weird
voice seemed to whisper. And in
stantly a new feeling was sprouting
within me- That feeling of affinity
which binds the Jew to his race, to his
creed when all other hopes forsake
him, was waking in my heart. "Once
Jew always a Jew" My brothers
words again haunted me.
arose and walked across the room.
intervals the Gathering of the elevated
trains was heard, and then silence
again. / felt weary, and the burden Of
life weighed heavily upon me. In a
moment the structure of my happiness
seemed to be razed to the ground and
buried me under it's debris. My heart
was embittered, wretched, crushed.
Then 1 noticed on the floor a letter
which had evidently been thrust under
my door after had left for the hospi-
tai. l picked it up with a fretful heart.
1t was a note from Katia. She said
that her father was dying, and asked
me to come as soon as / reached
town. And forgetting all else, hur-
ried to my beloved.
When 1 knocked at Judge Bialnicks
apartment Katia herself opened the
door. "Bosje moi! papa is dying!" she
cried, and fell into my arms.
What's the matter with him, dear
est?" 1 asked
His heart. It's been weak for years,
you know"
Has he been sick long?"
He was quite well last night. But
a man came in to see papa last night
Papa knew him in Kieff. He left a
letter which he said friend in hos
pital had asked him to deliver and then
went away. l was not in the room
when papa read the letter. but when
1 came in a little later he was uncon-
scious in his chair The letter was
from a man who says he's your
brother. Do you think that would
have affected him so?''
1 shook my head. 1 saw clearly the
hand that struck this blow.
Katia led me into the chamber where
her father lay struggling for life. The
attending physician rose to leave. AS
he was going out he whispered to me:
His minutes are numbered. 1 have
been staying here for her sake"
A glance at the aged patient con-
vinced me of the truth of the physi-
clans statement. He was unconscious,
his long, thin, silvery hair was scat
tered over the pillows; his face was
wan and calm and his breath came
fast and short. Katia fell on her knees
at his bedside, took one of his hands in
both hers and sobbed brokenly.
Shortly after daybreak the patient
opened his eyes and turned them to-
ward me. l leaned over the bed and
felt his pulse. His eyes opened, closed,
and opened again. Something like a
shudder paSSed over his wrinkIed cOun-