The San Francisco call., 1904-06-12

and a charitable house for the poor was
commonly designated as the hekdesh
Sanctuary. So when Jacob the bea-
die" came up to me a few days after
my mothers death and told me to go
with him to the Talmud- -Torah, 1 un-
derstood without a moments hesitation
that l was going to be enrolled. not in
a theological seminary. as the name
might indicate, but in the school for the
poor.
The beadle had a quick step, and
toddled along as fast as 1 could. At
the sight Of the nt-looking,
weather-worn, red-bqck synagogue,
with a rickety outside staircase that
led 10 the women's chapel. my heart
began to throb with premonitory fear.
for knew that the womens chapel was
also the Talmud-T We pushed
our way through scores Of ragged.
barefoot boys who were rolling in the
sandy yard below the stairs, and
struggled up the stairway through
dozens OF other little wretches who
laughed and shouted as they wrestled,
fought and played pranks upon each
other.
within the door while the beadle carried
on a whispered conversation with one
OF the teachers. who all the time was
blinking his watery-blue eyes and
stretching his neck, like a goose after
taking a mouthful Of water. The room
in which 1 found myself was high and
spacious, but was most slovenly kept
At each end stood two tallow-smeared
tables placed at right angles, and upon
crippled benches beside these sat boys
Of all ages and sizes. their heads COW
cred. Dog-eared prayer-books and
tattered Bibles were promiscuously
scattered over the dirty floor Coal
drawn caricatures and sketches dis
figured the once whitewashed walls,
now brown from age where not black
from charcoal; and wheels OF spider
webs slightly oscillated around the cor
ners. The odor OF mildew was almost
suffocating.
His talk with the teacher ended, the
beadle turned to me. This VIII be
your school. Isroelchickle," he said
kindly; and then he bade me be good
and departed, leaving me to begin my
new life.
where he had left me. 1 was naturally
very shy, and the appearance Of this
schoolmaster filed me with foreboding.
So. fearing to move, I stood nervously
against the wall, waiting till / was told
to take a seat.
''Zalmen. what do you call the letter
with head and neck OF goose stand
ing on one leg?" asked the teacher,
continuing with the lesson which our
entry had interrupted. His name was
Getzel. but he was better known as
G0rgle on account OF his habit Of con-
stantly craning his ''gorgle," which is
Yiddish for larynx.
"A iamed Hebrew '1'o," the boy
nearest him answered in a small pip
ing. tremulous voice.
Find onei" ordered Gorgie, stretch
ing his neck awkwardly and rolling his
bulging eyes with impatience.
The youngster hesitated, and his
searching eyes and fingers wandered
over the book before him. Finally he
pointed at the similitude Of a goose
standing on one leg.
And what do you call the one like a
worm with little wings?"
AN aleph," returned the boy.
"Silencei Silencei" Gorgle shouted,
aroused by the general din, and rolled
his eyes threateningly.
For an instant my attention left the
teacher and fastened upon the boys
around the nearest table, who were
showing a peculiar interest in me.
Some were rolling their eyes and pro-
Jecting lips, others were thrusting out
their tongues. and still others were
twisting their faces into all sorts OF
wry designs.