The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-29
YANKELE KEEPS OUT or JAIL
AND MS FATHER ALSO rs RE-
LEVIED or FEARS or PRISON.
Joseph A%brahams, VINO Rented q Han for q
Bar-MityVah. Essays an Argument with
the son OE the Covenant . N which nc
- Comes on Very Much the second Best.

The conscience Of Yankele schleifan
had been a M and delicate thing ever
since he became bar-mitzvah. Before 10
The sins OF the male are c~hargeable to his
parents. After that age they fall upon the
son oE the covenant himself. Which has
been taken to explain why the occasion
Of becoming bar-mitzvah makes every one
Of the relatives OF the lad SO happy. In
delibly marked on the memory OF Yankele
was the fact that he and his parents were
still indebted to the proprietor of the New
Progress. Equality and Freedom Hall in
the sum Of $llo. 1t may also be mentioned
that Joseph Abrabams. the said proprietor,
had not forgotten that either.
In fact, meeting Shaje Schlelfan in the
street one day. he abused that patient
and religious person for not meeting the
obligation. The payment had been de-
ferred by the extraordinary return to
health OF a wealthy relative OF the Schleifans
inhis and their home own In the old coun-
try. The ordinarily cold and calculating
Abrahams had even made mention to Shaje
Schleifan Of the courts and Of the process
OF Law to alright hat humble citizen.
Where he might be expected to get sIlO or
half that sum Joseph Abrshams did not
undertake. 70 say. All no did was to let
IT be known that he wanted his money
and wanted Il al once.
III I gave a. much time to every other
goneR az ! have given DO you. Schleifan,-
declared Abrahams. Il would be a ruined
man Not that ! am not one of the poor
est.' he added hastily. for fear the impress
sion might get abroad that he had money.
-And II you don't come up with it soon.
N It'll >~k --L ~ I-N-
mispochah In Jail for It. So that is all
that I have to say to you
DShaje Sohleifan returned home disturbed
In mind. He was a meek and trembling sort
of person whose EXTREMIST reliance was
in the law. not the law Of the police court
Magistrate. but the law Of Moses. He
could find little in that. however. to guar
antee him against the payment OF a just
debt. He was talking over the affair with
his wife when Yankele returned from the
days business.
The formulate respectful greeting hav-
ing been gon through with. Yankele took
- seat n prepared to listen.
Joseph Abrahams told me to-day that
II I didn't pay him right away for the use
OF the hall for the bar-mitzvah he would
have US all in Jail" said the elder Schleifan.
AiO 10 - bdluh Ndu WHCh ~ iii 10 IuOutY,
and we haven't much chance with him"
Il don't see how he could put us in Jail. "
said Yankele. We didn't try to cheat
him and he ant put us in prison for debt.
Abrahams threatens you because he knows
you don't know the law Of the country.
But the other day in the store | heard the
boss talking about a fellow who owed him
money. He said. i can't have him in Jail
for the money, because there wasn't any
cheating about 1t. and the law in this
accused country is that for debt you can't
put a man in prison So you see the threat
OF this Abrahams amounts to nothing"
He is a bad man" said the father. Il
wouldn't wan TO trifie with him"
This Is more my affair said Yankele
1T was my bar-mitzvah, and OF course
should try and untangle this affair. | will
20 to see this Abrahams. Perhaps we may
arrive at a settlement"
After the dinner and the blessing lankela
put on his cap and went out to see the hard
Of the New Progress, Equality
and Freedom hall. He found the fish eyed
sitting on the sidewalk in front
barge fat neck, fairly gssping for breath
In the warmth OF the evening. Abrahams
suffered greatly from the heat and was in
bad humor for that reason,
Good evening, Mr.. ~AbrahamA" said
Ysnkele politely. 1T is very warm to-
THAT / don't need TO be told" said the
proprietor savagely. What do you want?"
Il came TO see about the paying for the
YankeIe. Il am Shaie Schleifan's son"
yes, l know who yof are, well enough.
Have you got the money with your"
.well, then, I got nothing to say to you.
%swindlers. IL is too warm a night for that
eort OF thing. Either you or your father
gets here in two days with the $li0 You
owe me or I'll ave you both in jail, +" de-
Glared the proprietor holly.
"Sol 1t is written, Walk easily, that
you may go far" said Yankele. IF you
talk like that we won't pay. you at all.
Not pay me at alp" demanded Abra-
hams. "A fine chance you ave to get
away from it," and he snorted contemptu-
ously:
With all your talk Of iails and what not.
you must think you are back in Poland
again, said Yankele. 1T is easier to talk
Of such things than to do them. Now if
you are disposed TO let US pay UP on easy
terms we may talk to you. Otherwise
We will not pay at all"
A fine son Of the covenant you are" said
THE first thing you are bar
YnltZvan you try to cheat a man.
There you are wrong said Yankele.
All this business Of the hall was arranged
before i was bar-mitzvah. therefore the
is not mine: II is written, To the man
ain is chargeable; to the child. not There
fore | was a child until / was bar-mitzvah
after that was and l an nov a man in
Israel. So you cannot say l sinned.'
We'll, all that is just talk. As the goyim
Money talks That is what 1 want TO
hear. So you have two days in which to
the money for me-"
Now, listen sad Yankele. "In thisc oun-
try the law is that for debt a man may not
Toe imprisoned. The only chance to put US
In jail that you might have is hat we cheated
But we did not. We got a letter,
Mosche Levroff, my fathers boss,
saw, in which we were told that a rich rela-
tive in the old country was dying and when
he died We would have much money. On
he strength Of that you agreed to let us
the hall on credit. When the man re-
my praise be given. the bargain
nj an end. We we're to pay in the future
when this relative died. He is not dead yet.
in the course Of time az God wills il
he must die. AS IL is written, The days
n one are numbered; the days OF all are
numbered so the matter stands. When
he uncle dies in the old country you are
to get your money. Not before.
nccording to the terms Of our agreement.
II you cannot see that o are a stupid man
and not a hochum. as all your friends say
you are and Yankele wound up with a
smile.