Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-05-25
B ECKY
By OWEN KILDARE
Author of "A Limb of the Law The
Level of the Sudden" etc.

| ence between the leaving ana the GULF
| ing of Meyer RabinovitZ. 1t could not
have been otherwise. In Wilma, al
though the business had been lost, al
though the son had died just when
great things were expected of him,
and the wife had soon followed, wear
led and worried into death by con-
slant misfortune and persecution, he
had still been the rabbi, and shred
of venerable respect had always been
his share And when it all became
impossible and when nothing except
America, the promised land of the OPP
pressed, seemed to hold out future,
even then they showed him honor I'M
til the very last moment, and escorted
him to the train, which was to carry
him and Rebecca to their haven OF
new hopes.
At Ellis Island it was all different
There was a multitude of people,
noise, pulling and shouting; but in all
that hubbub there was no one to bid
him welcome.
Without much fuss he knuckled to
his fate and set about to make a liv-
| ing for himself and Becky.
This old clothing business is not
very profitable, even if some of the
younger men, especially those born
here" by means of their agressiveness
and shrewdness, leave the streets
after few years to open, first, cellar
shops, then, regular stores. Meyer
realized all this; but as it was not his
/ intention to stay in the ''old clio les"
| business, he was satisfied to exc out
some sort of living at it for himself
and Becky. He had well-defned
ambition and hoped to put it into eff
| feet some day.
Home, in Wilma, liberalism of
thought had not been tolerated and
accentuated orthodoxy had reigned
supreme. Here, all was liberalism,
even verging on sheer radicalism. To
! combat this dognatic reform move
ment with the age-weatbered wisdom
of the Talmud was Meyers hope and,
to do this, he intended to found a
small, but thorough, school, where
sound doctrine and inspired teachings
would fight the renegades, or lead
| them back; and, though the realiza-
ton seemed still far off, Meyer felt
| himself nearer to his goal with every
sale effected. 1t was this hope, and it's
nursing, that smoothed somewhat the
harshness of the old mans life.
In the meantime, Rebecca Rabino-
vitz had utilized her opportunities and
was quickly adapting herself to the
process of growing up with the coun-
TRY" To care for the two dingy rooms
| did not take much time, and many
hours were left for getting acquaint-
] ed Then the Educational Alliance
| opened a splendid institution for
learning, and, prompted by fad or sin
certify, the young people of the neigh
borhood fiocked there, sweeping Re-
becca along.
Aided by inherited qualifications
and the fund of early culture, Rebecca
mastered her lessons without great
effort and progressed with ease
| through the curriculum At the Edu-
cational Alliance she made the ac-
quaintance of young people whose par
ents were more prosperous than her
own father, and was invited by them
to their homes. These visits and her
increasing knowledge disturbed Re-
becca's peace Of mind. She became
dissatisfied with her lot and longed
for a share in that otker world of
| which she had only occasional
glimpses. Not that she attached any
blame for her present unenviable con
dition to her father. She loved him
with utmost devotion, admired him
for his struggles against adversely
and resolved to become the medium
for their mutual elevation.
To win scholarship was an easy
matter, and then there seemed to be
no other obstacle to prevent her from
preparing herself for her chosen
career. Graduation and examination
came in turn and, after a reasonable
wait, an assignment in an uptown
school followed.
This appointment brought the first
change in their domestic arrange
ments The school was at least four
miles from Chrystie street, and to
travel back and forth twice daily
would have been foolish waste OF
time. During very short discussion
in which Rebecca took and maintained
the lead, it was decided that they
should move farther uptown.
The fiat selected was of diminutive
size, but the many contrivances, the
dumb-waiter, the electric bells and
other appliances which were under
stood by Rebecca and not by him
proved another incongruity between
Meyer and his daughter.
At the evening meal, Meyer halt
ingly stated his ultimatum. He would
not move up to the fiat, but would
stay in Chrystie street. Rebeccs
would not hear of it. She loved her
old father, and, if she was ambitious
he was included in all of her ambi
tions But against her remonstrances