davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1904-06-12


the erstwhile noisy synagogue-gloomy,
awe-inspiring. The ner-tomid (the
perpetual Light is glimmering before
the oren-kodesh (arh), casting its great
shadow upon the wall. To my left is
the large schoolroom, in which a small
light is burning; the shadows of the
suspended, slightly oscillating lamps
appear like so many colossal spiders on
the walls. What a babel of voicesi
Some Of the children on the benches
snore and groan and unconsciously
make broken complaint against the
world. There is a sudden shrieking
and screeching. know whose voice it
is-that of ''Yankle Snub nose" as we
call him; he is a little. hammered
down, small-faced skinny boy whose
size has been diminished by the con-
stant pounding Of the teacher. He has
just moved this semester from Gorgle's
class to Gazlen's, or rather from the
formers thongs to the latter's cane.
Nobody in the class knows as much
about the infiexibility OF Shlomka's
cane as does Yankle; only the other
day It broke on his back. He is now
probably dreaming that Gazlen is pull
ing his ears or that he is being hogged.
Suddenly he stops; the snoring OF the
slumberers becomes louder and louder.
The San Francisco call., 1904-06-12

cious deed, but he did not hesitate. He
began with the pupil nearest him and
caned each in order until he had fin
ished the round. and the whole class
was screaming and writhing with pain.
But as he was going to lay the stick
aside he heard one whisper: "Shrolke
did the work and everybody gets paid
for it."
"Ha! You-you-" he burst out, bear
ing down upon me, with the stick
raised ready to strike. ''You-you-
you you think you are like your
brother, who betrayed his father for
the smile of a shikse gentle GRID,
hey? You think you will also throw me
into prison, hey? You think you will
denounce me that use Christian blood
for the Passover, hey? You think you
will get the sledevatel against me, hey?
You think you will--on my head
and I'll say thank you hey?"
With each hey" there came a blow.
But suddenly the stick was arrested !;
Ephraim had jumped behind Shlomka
and seized his hand. stop beating
him!" shouted Ephraim in command
ing voice. He did not draw your pic
ture on the wall. I did it,
Shloml1a stood astounded: then the
arteries on his forehead swelled till
The San Francisco call., 1904-06-12

Hill" was the most prominent. 1 ran
diagonally across the fields, now laid
waste by hundreds of trampling feet
and by household goods scattered upon
them, and / climbed to the top Of
Bloody Hill" ! seated myself upon a
huge rock which crowned the hill, and
looked down upon my burning birth
place. The sky was clouded with heavy
curtains of black smoke that overhung
the whole region, and myriads OF
sparks and cinders flying around in
this floating vault tinged it with
FURNISHED gold and crimson and dotted
its zenith with constellationlike groups
All the people about me were weeping
poor mothers who foresaw starvation
for the babies in their arms; marriage
able maidens whose dowries were now
gone and who were doomed to spin
sterhood; fathers who had always
been penned in the pale by Russian
barbarity and could not clearly see by
what miracle they would be able to
rebuild their -four corners" 1 Joined
in the general grief. More than all of
them I had occasion to mourn; for
those poor people had friends and kin
dred to console one another. But
whom had 1? The Talmud- -Torah
burned down, my beneIactors and
day" givers ruined-whither could
turn? had no friend, no kindred, as
if were born of the rock 1 sat upon.
My head fell between both my hands,
and / wept until 1 could weep no
more. In my fancy 1 compared this
fire to that which reduced the Holy
City to ashes. and like a little Jere-
miah / sat by the ruins of my town
and 'bewailed the loss Of my people.
A few hours later the whole town,
with the exception OF a few houses in
the outskirts, was transformed to an
expanse of glowing ashes. Here and
The San Francisco call., 1904-06-12

self from the hair-splitting reasoning
for and against the parties to this
. action.
Suddenly wild shrieks reached my
ears: Fire! Fire!"
Nothing is more terrifying to Lithu-
anians than fire. To these poverty
stricken inhabitants 1t means alb
solute destitution. Few have their
property insured; most OF them have
nothing to insure but their decayed
-four corners" as they call their
novels, for which they can scarcely
spare the premium.
Every Lithuanian town is visited at
least every twenty years by destruc-
tive fire which literally wipes it out of
existence, so that these disasters have
become distinct epochs of each towns
history. The Lithuanian calandar
dates back to- the first fire, the second,
or the third.
At the terrifying cry, followed by the
tolling of the sonorous fire bell, seized
the Old Testament which my mother
had left me, slowed it safely in my in
side coat pocket, and rushed in fright
out of the Talmud-Torah. A vast
NOtulhS VI SiiChc o"cPI ONCl the SCHoOl
yard. Before l was halfway to the
original fire score of houses were
burning, and in an incredibly short
time half the town was in flames.
I ran toward the marketplace-a
large open square which the fire could
not reach. The streets were filed with
frantic people. Men were groaning
and shouting: women were wringing
their hands and weeping bitterly; chill
dren, holding on to their mothers
skirts. cried and screamed; cattle
roamed about, lowing and believing.
Mothers rushed with their children in
their arms; men staggered under the
heavy loads, which they carried to
The San Francisco call., 1904-06-12
l mentioned The names Of my bene-

I mentioned the names of my bene-
factors.
"Oh, my A fellow could get rich on
days Ike these. They often give ten
copec6s instead Of supper, and you
could easily save nine"
We let the synagogue door bang be-
hind Us, and before we parted he said:
This is my worst 'day,' potatoes in
the morning. black bread and barley
for dinner, loke CHE gravy CT herring)
and bread for supper. They don't even
give a glass Of tea as dessert. Regular
pigs. and they are rich-Barn, the
money loaner."
He shrugged his shoulders and
started for his supper, but turned once
10 call: 'Shrolke. you can sleep with
me on the oven; there IS Jlenty of
room there. I like you. You ara a
good fellow"
Ny heart suddenly warmed over
these words, and tears Of JOY rose to
my eyes. loved Ephraim dearly from
that instant. 1t may be because he
said ] was a good fellow, but am sure
that I loved him with that pure, un-
selfish love which a homeless orphan
gives 10 his first friend.
The San Francisco call., 1904-06-12
IN HIS <ET

Another sleepy voice is heard. 'Ze-
mach, give me one bite-a bite a
little bite. Hold ii between your hands
and see If 1 don't take a little bite"
hear the boy kick the bench; perhaps
because he cannot get bite" 1 hear
several voices at once Hit him-hit
him, you pigs snout!" III knock the
stuffing out Of youl" II only had one
slice of bread and onion!" "Abii Zone
Of the Talmudic authorities) says it
must be divided in halvesi" "Ha! hal
ha! Catch him-catch him-hav' Che
rolled off the bench)! And so 1 lie and
think until I decide to pull the blanket
over my head and wander away also
to dreamland.
Another summer and another winter
glided by, with the same monotonous
day eating" sleeping on the comforta-
bic Dutch oven, receiving Of occasional
raps from Shlomka's stick, diving in
the Talmudic ocean, and soaring high,
high into the spheres whittier Isaiah,
Ezekiel and King David transported
me. Although my physical being was
confined within the narrow walls of
the dirty Talmud-Torah, my fancy
took fight to Mount Lebanon, Mount
Moriah, to the realm Of Judea, and
sometimes descended to the Valley of
Sharon, where 1 plucked the sweetest
Of roses. In our leisure hours Ephraim
and 1 would read the Memorabilia
moer," a book abounding in legends
and mystic tales, and other cabalistic
books that told of devils and flying
angels and seraphs.
The following summer Ephraim de-
cided TO leave the Talmud- Torah and
go to some other town.
Listen, Shrolke," he said to me one
summer evening. II am already a big
boy, and can read a page of Talmud
without any assistance. Why should 1
stay here when / can go to any town
and get days and see the world?"
His words filled me with dismay. But
1 sympathized with his desire to leave
this place, so I agreed that his plan
was a good one.
But before 1 leave 1 must take re-
venge on Shlomka."
I hated the idea OF vengeance. Be
sides, Shlomka was our teacher. and I
thought he had a right to beat US
begged Ephraim not to do any harm to
the schoolmaster.
"Oh, you are like a girl-always
afraid of everybody" he answered al
most contemptuously. why did he
pull your ears yesterday? Couldn't he
tell you to sit down without slapping
your face first?"
/ was silenced.
The following morning, when Shlom-
ka came to school, he found on the wall
a cGal-drawn cartoon Of himself in the
act of spanking a pupil.
The class was silent from fear, but
satisfaction could be read in their
countenances.. The teacher glanced at
the wall and then looked threateningly
at his pupils. He was puzzled as to
who was the perpetrator Of this afro
The San Francisco call., 1904-06-12

they looked like blue cords, and his
face began TO work ominously. We ex-
pected to see him fall upon this revo-
lutionist and rend him.
But Ephraim was undaunted. 'I am
not your wife or any of these little
cowards," he went on. ''If you raise
your hand on me I'll break your fat
nose.'
Shlomka made a move for the stick,
which was trembling in Ephraim's
hand. But he instantly reversed his
apparent decision and sat down, shak-
ing his finger at his pupil. I'll not soil
my hands on you, you rascal" Shlom-
ka Gazlen said. painting and quivering.
''The gaboim (officers) Of the Talmud-
Torah~ Will settle my account with
you"
Without saying word, Ephraim
broke Shlomkas stick on his knee and
left the class.
He did not return until after evening
service, when he came up to me and
said in whisper: II am not done with
him yet. Tomorrow is my last day
here, and I'll leave him a token of
friendship
On summer afternoons at about
o'clock Shlomka and Gorgle would
grant their classes a recess of about
half an hour. during which Shlomka
would take a nap with his arms folded
upon the table and Gorgle would go
home to feed his goat. The next day
Ephraim did not appear at school un-
til this recess period. The boys were
all out In the yard, and Shlomka was
peacefully snoring, his beard spread
out on the cracked, worm eaten table.
Hold this" Ephraim said to me in
apparent haste, pulling candle from
his pocket.
I could not divine what was in his
mind, but did as he bade me.
He lighted the candle in my hand, and
said: Come, quick"
1 hesitated.
"Oh. you coward! Come" he ordered
angrily.
1 followed with a leaping heart to
where Shlomka sat asleep. Ephraim
produced a piece of sealing-wax,
melted it, and sealed Shlomkas beard
to the table.
ITO the Bloody Hill,'" he whispered
as he ran out of the Talmud- Torah.
The picture OF the teacher awakening
and trying to raise his sealed beard
from the table leave to the readers
Imagination.
At about the time Shlomka was pro-
bably arousing from his nap two boys
stood on the high hill" which over
lowered my birthplace. clasped in each
others arms. The taller one smiled
humorously, his face bright with the
smaller were filed with tears
Wen soon meet again." said the
taller Of the two hopefully. as he took
up his little bundle.
Wen soon meet again." echoed the
smaller one weakly; and he watched
the disappearing form Of his only
The San Francisco call., 1904-06-12

the mighty forest. This weird concert
stirred all my senses and made me for
get all else in the world. Every thrill
jerked and tugged at my heart as IL
those dwellers of the woods had inves-
ible strings attached to it.
But soon the disaster OF the preced-
ing day flashed through my mind 1
realized anew that / was a friendless
wanderer. Again 1 asked myself.
Whittier should 1 go? My native town
was no more, and what did know Of
the rest OF the world? I thought OF
Ephraim-but where was he? At
length I arose, washed my face In a
little brook near by dried it with my
arba-kanfas, and started through the
forest, giving myself blindlY over to
chance.
After a long walk, which almost ex-
hausted me-for had had nothing to
eat since the previous morning.
family heard hilarious shouts
turned into the direction from which
the voices came, and soon found my
self nearing the edge OF the forest.
Now the cries sounded very distinctly.
'Tu-ha! tu-ha! tu-hat" and I knew
was approaching a group OF swine
herds. My heart began to throb fret
fully. crept forward cautiously and
peered from behind a bush. There were
five Of them, lying on their stomachs in
the grass, with several lean and
shaggy dogs stretched beside them. As
1 watched them they took up their
pipes, made of willow bark. and in turn
played their peasant melodies-sweet,
a1onnanf Will els
could read in their rustic airs their
peoples history, their character, their
manners. their hopes and aspirations.
As they played they knocked their
heels together as if beating time to
their music, and their dogs. as II In a
kind Of ectasy, rolled their tails and
leaped about restlessly'' opening and
swapping their jaws, or barked at
nothing in particular.
Envy filed my heart. 1 wished I, too,
were a swineherd rolling over deep
grass in the shade Of trees and piping
melodies. I wished I had never been
born a Jew. but a gentle like these
boys. rs it not enough toy bear the
burden Of man, that must in addition
bear the burden Of the Jew?" 1 said to
myself bitterly.
Despite the innocent happiness OF
these boys 1 feared them as possible
enemies. I was going to slip away un-
observed, when 1 happened to think OF
Ephraim. He is right am a cow
ard" 1 said to myself. This reproach-
full thought lent courage to my nerves.
and 1 stepped into the open and walked
toward the swineherds.
They beheld me approaching them
slim boy Of fifteen. my untrimmed
dark-brown hair hanging down my
neck. the four fringes Of my arba-
kanfas dangling about me, hatless.
coatless, my breeches tattered and
patched, my boots so mended that the
patches needed patches-ragged hun
CRY. exhausted. They beheld all this,
yet they saw but one thing-the Jew.
"This is a Slid "a slanderous name for
Jew)," 1 heard one remark
1 was Immediately surrounded by the
peasant boys, among whom I stood
half-paraIyzed with fear. They were
dressed in unbleached linen shirts and
in trousers OF the same material. Their
feet were bare, and their faxen hair
hung around their shoulders Ike
fringes of raw hemp.
Certainly a Slid" said the biggest OF
them. Cant you see his black
breeches?"
The San Francisco call., 1904-06-12
friend through tears that came faster
than they could be wiped away.
CHAPTER v.
"TIIE LITHUANIAN ERA,


After Ephraim had left me I re-
manned absolutely solitary In the midst
of my wretched schoolmates. 1 hoped
Ephraim would write to- me, but weeks
passed by without bringing me word.
Then misfortune fell again, and 1 was
again thrown out upon the world.
1t was on the first day of the Jewish
month of Allul, toward the end of the
summer. 1t was half-holiday and all
the boys were out. l sat alone in the
classroom before big folio of the Tai
mud, my whole attention concentrated
on a case In which ''the defendants OK
gored the COW of the plaintiff, and 1t
was found that. the plaintiffs COW gave
premature birth to it's offspring:Ai it
being unknown whether tha premature
birth had occurred before or after the
defendants OK gored the plaintiffs
COW. Defendant claims that it oc-
CURED before. and the plaintiff alleges
that the birth was given after the gor-
ing and by reason thereof" Bright
little jurist as 1 had become, it was
quite puzzle for me to extricate my
The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1904-12-10
LeWiS-Clark Fair Rates

The Northern Pacific has made
official announcement of special rates
to the Lewis and Clark exposition at
Portland, next year. In addition to
Portland, these rates will be appli-
cable to Tacoma, Seattle, Victoria
and Vancouver, The round trip
figures are: From st. Paul, Duluth,
Minneapolis, Superior and all Miss
ouri river terminals, including Sioux
City, $45; from Chicago, $3.50; and
from st. Louis, $3.50. Dates of
sale are: May 23, "a and %; June
13, IA, Is, 27, % and 20; July 6, Z,
8, II, II, 13, 25, 26 and q; August
Is, 16, II, 20, 80 and 81 and Septem-
Der II, 13, IA, 26, n and 20. Limit
of expiration, ninety days. These
rates also apply to the annual con-
vention of the American Medical as
sociation, both of which meet in Port
land the one on July II, the other
On September 4.
The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1904-12-10
FRANK GOTCH MAKING A RECORD

Half sheet posters distributed
throughout the county and in neigh
boring cities announce that the WIN
ner of the Gunderson-P Person wrest-
ling match, to take place here Dec
ember 23, is ''to wrestle Frank "A.
Gotch." who is now in the east and
is reported to have thrown with
comparative ease every man who
has tried to down him, He lately
threw Rogers at Buffalo and is now,
according to the P.-I, looking for
Tom jenkins, the Clevelander, al
though, as he puts it, tom should
be running after me. Jenkins is one
of the best wrestlers of the country,
but has always been afraid OF Gotch,
and will not think of 60 unless it is
held in his home city. Gotch prefers
a neutral place of meeting, but Will
in all probability accept Jenkins de-
mands. Since Frank has gone east
he has made a fine impression among
the sports of that section, and they
are now numbered among his support
ers by the hundred Parr and Rog-
6rs both went down before him last
Month. Both matches were won by
easy fails. AS no very strenuous
material is tobe found in this country,
the leader is thinking of making a
trip to Europe, and, if possible,
arrange a match with Hacken-
schmidt, who is at present in Aus
tralia.
The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1904-12-10
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONE RATES

Supt. Kent, of the British Colum-
bia and Internati tional Telephone Com
panies, has delivered tariff sheets to
all the offices in this county, giving
the rates to all points reached by the
companies lines in this state and
British Columbia. The rate between
Shaw and San Juan or Orcas islands
is 25c for one minutes use of the line.
Between San Juan and Orcas the
rate is 40c. Between all points in
this county and Victoria or Belling-
ham the rate is SOC. and the Vancou-
yer and Seattle rate is 60c. For fif-
teen seconds use of the lines over
one minute the rate is about half OF
the minute rates. There are also
message rates for ten words or less
but they are not very materially less
than the conversation ia tes, probably
on account of the expense of delivery.
The question of giving half rates be-
tween all points for use of the lines
after o'clock in the evening and
before 8 in the morning is now under
consideration, upon the recommenda-
tion of Supt. Kent.
The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1904-12-10

The secretary of the treasury in
his annual report renews his recon-
mendation for the removal of the
headquarters of the Puget Sound
customs district from Port Town
send to Seattle. The secretary also
says that ''two small steamers for
service in the waters of Puget Sound
are imperatively necessary to sup
plement the force already there in
its efforts to break up Illicit trade
and guard the public interests"
The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1904-12-10
GREAT VALUE OF
OUR FISHERIES
SOME EXTRACTS FROM FL III
COMMISSIONERS REPORT
Considers Diminished Sockeye Sup
ply a s. Blessing in Disguise y
Great Increase in Other Varieties
of Salmon.

The annual report Of State Fish
Commissioner Kershaw is very in
teresting and comprehensive review
of the fisheries industry of Washing
ton. It shows that from a CONNER
cial standpoint, the fisheries of the
state fell from So, 729, 626 in the year
1901, to $6, 731 $40 in the year 1902,
to $6,516, ,095 in the year 1908, and
have come up again in 1904 to 81, 315, :
921, an increase Of $798, ,s26 over 1908.
The great falling off in the industry
from the year 1901 to the year 1903
was an alarming state of affairs to
the ordinary observer, and to tile
pessimist conclusion that it was
only question of time when the fish
cries would cease to be one of the
great industries Of the state. But
no such apprehension may be feared.
With proper fostering and protection
there will be an annual increase in
food fishes, and it will always main
tain a prominent place among the
commercial industries of the state.
It is true in the last few years there
has been large falling off from one
variety of our commercial fish, the
sockeye, which in many respects is
one of the best varieties in our waters
But other valuable varieties of fish,
such as Chinook or spring, steelhead,
silversides, huinpback and dog sal
mon. are constantly on the increase,
the demand is greater and prices
are becoming frmer every year.
The increase the present year over
the last two years is due to improved
conditions in the Columbia river and
Gray's harbor and the extensive cod
fishing which should be credited to
the Puget Sound district.
The Puget Sound district, which,
in 1901 furnished 81 per cent OF the
capital employed in the state in the
fisheries industry, over ~ per cent
of the number of persons employed,
over 79 per cent of the earnings of
labor. over 36 per cent of the value
of the output, over 80 per cent of
the wages received by this Office, is
where the great falling off of the in
dustry has been, and has given such
great concern to the fisheries inter
ests of this state. Personally can
see nothing alarming in the situation,
and regard the falling off OF the sock
eve variety as blessing in disguise,
as a warning against the great
slaughter that has been going on in
this district for the last ten years
without in any way providing ade-
ouate protection or assisting nature
in it's reproduction.
The report deals at length with
the earnest efforts made to establish
an international hatchery on the
Fraser river, tells what has been ac-
complished by the various state
hatcheries, shows that the oyster in
dustry is fast becoming of very great
value. recommends the protection of
clam beds and touches upon various
other matters bearing upon the great
wealth of our waters.