The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-07-01

summons from Solomon.
what have you to say Of your wife's
oomplaint2'
Solomon leans back in the revolving
chair, twisting q rubber band, to fortify
himself In patience against the voluble
defence.
"What I have to say3 Ihave TO say, my
wife wants money what I haven't got"
The apathetio look In Isaac's eyes changes
to eagerness; the careworn burrows In bis
brow yield to the mobile play OF features.
He ~reoounts O sordid story Of how when
work was plenty his wife was satisfied, and
how she made life miserable FOR him when
the siaok season rot in.
what 10 your worlSf'
'oppraytor.'
sHow much do you earn2'
With difficulty Isaac confesses to ss q
week In the lively season, and with CORE
sponding eagerness declare he didn't earn
q cent for six months In the year. 4
sHow long nave you been married2'
-Four years."
'How long have you been In the country''
"Three years."
How long has your wife been here?'
Isaac stumbles In the answer; he oan-
not quite SEQ the point Of the question.
Solomon looks illumined when he finally
extracts the " about o year.
'Your wife says you have q maedel 10
grill
Isaac looks sheepish and shrugs his
shoulders.
"Nu, yes, before she came I went to a
ball now and then; but Jennie 10 married
now, and for why should my wife not live
with me2 II abe not live with me-
Solomon examines the wife's deposition.
aUm, he mutters, she says nothing about
refusing to live with him. Miss Shorthand,
| call the wife,
Enter wife and two babes; lips tightly
drawn, no glance for tho recaloltrant hus-
band.
Mrs. slobodin, you didn't say you re-
fuse to live with your husband. II you
won't live with him, you can't expect him
to support you"
sure / can expect. Didn't I bring him
$500 at the ohassenu Tw~edding!2'
Solomon looks helpless to explain to her
the i~rrelevanoy OF her interjeotion.
Now begins q series Of thrusts and parry
ings between husband and wife, which
Solomon allows to run on unchecked for
ONE time. He leans back, inscrutable,
afflicted, amused, weighing. balancing,
deciding. Finally he ~interposes to put
questions again.
"You say your husband has a maedel.
What proof
Isaac leaps in, eyebrows, shoulders, hands,
tongue In active play to denounoe the
falsehood.
1sohweig Isilencel, = says Solomon.
Isaac yields with deprecatory ehrug:
'Olleright.'
Don't you see," says Solomon to Mary
am, that your husband wants to be-true
to your" :
aLet him show it.
Solomon has to squelch Isaac again.
what do you want him to do?'
"Give mt support
-He will II you live with him.
Sure" says Isaac, as though the record
OF his relations with Marysm had been
spotless Of Jennies. Fannies and Sadies
before his wife's arrival in America,
Now, Mr.. slobodin,' says Solomon,
you didn't send"fo your wife to come to
New York from the old country. She
paid for her own passage. She found
you Keeping company with other women.
That's why she left you. Promise me-
n promise. I don't care about all the
others"
For the first time Maryam let's her glance
rest upon her husband.
Solomon surprises Isaac and Maryam
BY the following speech. He seems to read
their hearts and divine the events Of their
lives:
,sNow I will explain what the trouble Is.
Isaac, you married Maryam in Russia. Your
father and mother found her for you. You
did not love her at first, but in less than a
year you loved her much.
your baby-Shemuel, you say2-Shemuel
was born. You made no money in Russia.
You came to New York to make money.
You promised to send for your wife.
aAt first you made only "a a week: That
wasn't enough to support yourself and a
to take Jennie to a ball. Jennie wore new
clothes and seemed very fine to you.
sWhen you set Maryam alongside her
in your mind, Maryam seemed old fashioned
and stupid. You put Oh sending Tor her:
think brought her? Love for you, Isaac"
MAryam wipes ava the rolling tears,
Isaac looks hard at his | at, which he holds
between his knees and nervously strokes
at crucial points IN solomon's exPlanation.
ono who criticised her for wearing a sheitel.
1.-THE wig that Orthodox Jewish women
wear after marriagel and one who gave
presents to Jennie but didn't ouy clothes
for the baby
GUS ascent.
.Of course, then. she uuarrelled and found
fault and left you. She loves you still. She
will live with you in peace il
Il promise" says Isaac, on the rack.
Solomon has won the day. While a paper
ia being drawn up by which the couple
agree to certain terms Of mutual liberation
Solomon adds a few words of advice. Then
he is ready to take up the wages case, which
enters next in the form Of sleek shirt waist
manufacturer and depressed stitcher.
The manufacturer says the etitcher spoiled
a dozen waists and only $l.50 is coming to
him for a weeks work. Stitcher claims
SO. Solomon deity effects a-compromise
at 80.
Diagonaliy from the Office in which Solo
mon ats, across seward Park, the lungs OF
the East Side, in a dingy court building
there is quite q different procedure. Had
Mrs. Slobodin carried her troubles to the
Magistrate he would have issued a warrant
for the arrest Of her husband.
Mr.. Slohodin would have been hailed to
court by an officer Of the law, thrust into a
cell, received a salutary cuff or two for
falling TO understand orders and after
more or less delay would have been led in a
line of male and female Migrants to face
the Magistrate and accusing wife.