The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-12-30

Ao"uu mIuuiSuC ne SnOOk Ruchul
gently by the shoulder.
"Ruchul. woman, wake up! NV
cough, 1t is bad, my throat is as the
dust; this air stiles my breath"
She sat up, startled.
What What?" .s. .....
. The air, it chokes me; it is very
hot"
Yes. It is hot, Aaron; but what can
1 do?"
Let us go up on the lower deck
and breathe some fresh air."
on, by such cold night? And
Habakkuk- can we leave him alone?
Also, 1t is forbidden to go on the out
side at night, ai-yo?"
Forbidden, yes-of course! Every
thing is forbidden! Still, let US go.
| cannot sleep; l am choking. Come
with me, Ruchul, woman, and we will
carry the little one; that will good for
US all. Perhaps we shall sleep better.
after that. The night will not be cold:
for few minutes, at least, it will not
be cold.'
The wife, drowsy, timorous, argued
little, but her husband would not be
gainsaid. She yielded finally, and they
crawled noiselessly out of the bunk,
cramped and disheveled Rabinowicz
gently lifted the boy in his arms; even
that small weight was heavy to him
as he held the lad against his hol-
low chest. The steerage was quiet, al
most empty; here and there a tremb-
ling light, turned low, hung swinging
gimbals. No steward was visible as
they dragged up the companionway
stairs.
They found themselves on the lower
deck, well aft on the port side, in a
narrow runway between the second
cabin and the rail. AS they moved
toward the rail a gust of roaring sea-
wind staggered them, but Rabinowicz
turned his back to it, sheltering his
wife and the boy. Their thin clothes
tapped about them like fails.
'Brr-r-r-rr!" shivered Ruchul, her
teeth chattering. Come back in. It
is too much, the cold-it cuts like
knives! Little Habakkuk will take
cold. and it is not good for your
cough, the night ART"
But Rabinowicz, staggering with his
burden and the roll of the vessel, only
pushed her toward the rail- The boy
opened dull eyes and began to whim-
per, half-awake.
Come back in!" pleaded the wom-
an. He restrained her.
Look, Ruchul! Look, Freedom,
strength. There is no Jew or Chris
tian or inspector or czar-nothing but
the sea as it came down out of Jah-
veh's hands,"
She covered back, shivering vio-
lently. Alongside the speeding ship
green-black waves swirled astern;
they could hear the slide and hiss of
foam that tumbled out, away into
darkness. Far, far over the unmeas-
ured dark Atlantic burned pin-points
of white flame, the free, calm, beauti-
full stars of God. -, .
See, mein Teure!" said the man
again, as Ruchul stood half-stupefied
OFF back there somewhere is the
Eden where they turned us out Some
where ahead of US is Holy Russia
again-off there in the dark-with all
its priests and ikons, the Black Hun
dred, the torn flesh, bleeding faces.
There waits dishonor for you; there
waits death for Habakkuk and me, in
Russia-Holy Russia. See, is not free
dom better?"
He strained the little son in both
arms; kissed him on the forehead,
cheek and mouth "Oh, my SOM" said
he. 'Geh, und gieb' define Schumme
zu Gott!" eco, give thy soul to
God!') The boy, terrified, clutched
at him, screaming: Father! Fa-
ther!" but Rabinowicz raised his face
to the night, said: God, this soul
was mine and it is Thine!" and flung
the fraii body out, down into the
creamy rushing slather. The body
splashed; there was glimmer of a
white face, of hands that battled; then
the surge caught little -HabaF TX. and
he faded into nothingness, like some
forgotten dream.
"Gott. Gott!" screamed Ruchul,
A~oPth0 ~ IhS al, hCi IOuS nan
ping round her face
She felt a hand over her mouth,
heard a hoarse "Adye!" and then was
lifted, suddenly-she was whirling
down, down-something was icy cold
something tossed and strangled her
gave beneath her, choked, bubbled,
annihilated.
Rabinowicz, alone, peered over the
rail with bloodshot eyes.
There, they are free. 1t is WELL"
said he, without emotion He care
fully took off his coat, folded it neat
ly, laid it on the deck, and placed his
lamb's-wool cap on top.
"Those are good for some one," he
said. Some one may use them.
They cost me eight rubles in Kherson
or was it eight and a half? for
get"
He clambered with an effort over
the rail and stood outside it, holding
on with his left hand.
The ship rolled surgingly to port.
Now, God, go, too" he remarked,
as to friend. Then he let go, not
jumping at all, Just falling outward,