Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-04-30

s i
yasili went about his work, but re-
turned later with the remark:
THE people of this town want the
Jews to go. They do not understand
why you are seen SO much with the
Jew, Mordecai. 1t might be danger.
GUS for you, If there should be trouble.
Some say that you are an American
Jew"
Hardy dropped his pen and looked
up with interest A slight flush, "A
red spot, crept into his cheek.
"You may tell my esteemed and
somewhat meddlesome nelghhors, for
me, he drawled, that am neither a
Jew nor a Choctaw Indian, and that
when need their advice in my prl.
vate affairs. shall call them IN
~ am Russian" persisted Vasili:
"do you love Jews better than Rus.
sians?'' 8
my dear vasili, when you persist
in making d nuisance OF yourself, As
I5at present, am quite sure that like
Jews better than the Russians, or at
| least than some Russians. IL you
have anything to do, will you kindly
go about it? never felt better able
to endure your absence than at this
very instant"
| vasili moved away, smiling, but It
was an evil smile.
| Hardy returned to his accounts anil
4 tried to dismiss his clerks remarks
from his mind. He succeeded for the
time being, as the work before him
was engrossing, but later in the day
the Russians observations persistent
lily REQUIRED to him, and caused him
considerable annoyance He fancied
that the retail trade had been falling
off somewhat, and wondered II this
were result of the Russian lessons
with the Jew. The next morning he
| took long walk with Mordecai,
crossing the ferry that is ingeniously
run by the force of the rivers cur
rent, and struck out into the hills.
| Hitherto he had been deeply absorbed
lin the Russian lessons, and ever there
had been constantly In his mind the
/ thought that this was her language.
and that, II he should ever meet her
again, he would be able to talk with
her in her own tongue.
Now, however, he was distracted by
the scowling faces OF the, early VII.
1 Layers whom he met on the streets.
| The raft-like ferry was crowded, ami
he noticed that the passengers drew
away from himself and Mordeeai, as
though fearing some oontagion. These
people muttered, repeating the words,
1.-THE Jew! The Jew! !" with loathing
and fear such as Hardy had never
heard put into human speech before.
AS uttered by them, the word itself
became an epithet Of hate and Super
| stitious horror, the most opprobriots
insult that could be hurled at d Eel:
1 low creature. 4.
Hardy glanced at Mordecai. His
companion stood silent, looking down,
nervously clasping one hand in the
other, the collar of his long cloak
turned up about his ears. Once he
looked up, a fleeing glance, and
there was baleful light. half hate,
half fear, in his reddish-brown eyes.
On the country road which they
took after leaving the ferry, they
passed several telegas, or long wagons
coming into town, and Hardy observ-
ed that the drivers of these also
/ eyed him and his companion with
| looks of loathing, and again he heard
4 above the rattle OF the wheels, that
| ancient cry of hate, THE Jew! The
Jew!" ,s.5 II
They sat down beneath tree on
the side of a hill commanding a view
of the town and the winding Shilka,
up whose rapid current a steamer
was now shouldering Its way, leaving
behind trailing plume of black
smoke of incredible size. They con
versed In Russian for while. Nor
decoi skilfully leading the dialogue,
| without any reference to the unplea-
SAINT incidents of the mOrning. When,
however, Hardy arose at last to re,
| turn to the shore, the Jew said:
You have made great progress
my dear pupil You will now be able
4 to get along by yourself, or by the
| help of a Russian teacher who does
not know any English
II do not desire to make change
replied Hardy, II am more than salts.
i fled with my present teacher"
Nevertheless, insisted Baruch
"the time has come when it will be
no longer safe for you to go on with
1 me- have wanted to speak of this
| for several days, but it has been so
4 pleasant to me to have the society 1f
| a human being here in this country
of wolves and dogs that have not
/ been able to bring myself to the
point. Besides, / need the money that
/ you pay me. / greatly fear that an:
other Jewish persecution is about to
break out I have seen the storm
brewing for some time II 1t were not
| for my old mother. for whose sake
| / came back to this accursed country,
III would quietly leave At any rate,
there is no need of your becoming in.
volved in our trouble, perhaps losing
your life. The people do not under.
stand your associating with me. IT
is even whispered that you are Of
| Jewish descent.
Hardy laughted.
.'My dear fellow" he said, ut is no,
bodys business whom employ for a
| Russian teacher. shall pursue the
course that seems best to me. and !
shall not allow these people to inter
! fere with my private affairs. II nee.
essary, we will warn the authorities
i that trouble is brewing"
Baruch sprang to his feet and look.
ed over toward Stryetensk, his eyes
blazing with hate.
ooh. the authoritiesl' he cried, "do