The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-12-20
CURSE OF THE MOYAI.
Ntricken Father Tells How Death
Has Followed Him.
From the New York Globe

From the New York Globe.
A boy 10 years old was run over and
Killed by an automobile yesterday at
the corner CT Park avenue and Ninetv-
eighth street. When the driver nick
ed up the body and started to carry
IL TO the curb, a woman's scream
echoed from the tenement nearbv~a
scream so high-pitched in its intensity
SO Iuil OF agony and frantic despair,
that IL struck sharp like a knife into
Inose VINO heard it. Women who had
[usheo from the houses, and the chill
Waro the machine when they saw the
BOY struck, stopped where they We're
Ihen Few women rushed toward the
sound of the cry.
olttlng IN the basement entrance to
Oh East Ninety-eighth street with her
arms folded tightly over her heart. her
eyes fixed blindly on the opposite wall
While she swayed from side to side,
ana moaning inarticulately, was Mrs.
Jacob Rudrisch, the mother of the
chllo' She would not be moved and
she would not be comforted When
ner husband returned two hours later
she Quoted a moment and looked up.
Moya! The curse! 1t still follows
u.s." she cried
1t was late in the evening before
she was finally persuaded by her hus-
band to enter the room where the body
of the boy was. This morning she
was still there, sitting in a chair by
the bed.
The father. who speaks English
signify, told the following story:
Il was married in Krohkino. Russia,
nfteen years ago, and went to live with
my father ten miles from there in the
country. The day of the marriage
cholera broke out. in the town. and
when we reach home that night it was
in the country. We knew that by
lights in one hut-lights to drive the
cholera away. 1t went faster than
we.
I'm month our neighbors were down
with 1t. We had it not at all. They
died; we went on happy and well, my
wife and /.
"One day a neighbor came. His wife
and two children We're dead. He want
ed us to keep him. His face was
black. My father gave him food, hot
tea, but sent him on. We would no
keep him. He said he die. But would
we live? He cried out, but we sent him
on sled away. In the night we hear
him cry once. That is all.
More neighbors die. We are all
"NA- hCS soy VIC pOiSOil Tie Wells.
Why, because we no die: that is all.
But the next year, just the day, we
wake in the night, and hear the cry.
1t is Moyai! the devil of the hill, the
black curse! Next day, my father die
Three years ago by like that. We
have two girls, babies, one and two.
The cholera stops and people well now,
like we are. Another year, just the
day, and in the night, while the wind
I.
The next day--awful-both girls die,
commissions.
when have all of us well again,
two years ago and four children. One
night the youngest boy he go off with
man on sled in the night. The man
come back alone and tell us about the
wolves.
Little while Ivan comes home with
cold. Two weeks on the night we
hear Moyai. the devil of the hills, cry
in the wind. Ivan die. Hedda die.
Only Jacob.
Then my uncles say go away. Don't
stay here, with the black curse. Go
away. Go to America. The rabbi, he
say, there is no curse, Only God who
does good. man curse is a word.
Stay in the church. The Bible say
that, says he.
"But my wife and / we go with
jacob. we get here nine months ago
with little money.
"Short for work ever since. I am
tailor. but can do, little here. Jacob
play outdoors on the bridge there, he
likes 10 watch trains. He don't like
other children for he can talk only
Russian. He plays there alone every
day. He wants TO work on the train
sometime. He grows fast.
Yesterday my wife sits at the win
dow. Jacob come up the street from
the bridge watching the last train go
by. lie have his back 10 her and a
big wagon come heavy. no noise. no
horse. The man waves. but he only
see the train. II comes on him fast.
My wife run 10 the door. she scream.
she scream. but--the wagon stop. ia
cob no heart"
While her husband was talking, Mrs.
RudriHch showed no signs OF hearing
him. She rocked back and forth In
her chair. now and then leaning her
face I'm her hands. mournfully.
Mr.. Rudrisch said he was going 10
see the rabbi and try 10 get some help.
I'VE have no money 20 pay anything
with" he eaid. The rabbi say there
n no curse"
nnIIur IAnufa aAU naIIaw