Evening star., 1909-01-10

brought him to table at the old side" for a
sup of coffee and rye bread and brie, and having
found this newly arrived nephew a lad pleasing
and of promise, the mellowed journalist set forth
to entertain him with the tale that had become
almost legend of the East Side.
Yet, as he began, Uncle Feltman, having no
supernatural psychic gifts, could not know that
within an hour he and Nephew Feltman were
marked to witness with their very own ewes the
most startling episode of all in the life of Ivan
kremof, uncanny, never by them to be
forgotten. In natural ignorance of what the
next hour held the journalist put down his coffee
cup deliberately, smoothed back his iron gray
mustache with his slender hands, tugged once
or twice gently at his beard, and spoke quietly.
modulating the ordinarily harsh Yiddish so that
it musical:
TN the making of homes and at the breaking of
homes he who sits over there-ves he with the
big white mustache of Colonel of Hussars plays
many part in the life around him; yet he him
self has no home, unless Uncle Feltman smiled
gently in deprecation,-" unless a disordered
room in the rear of dim old shop may be called
such But never l believe, would a man have
loved a home devotedly; never, certainly
have l known man who cherished the idea
OF possessing a home and good wife and
atfectionate children; never, am sure did a man
work harder to gain this end, than Ivan Kremloff
who sits over there-alone.
Uncle Feltman lighted long, thin yellow cigar
,tte before he continued
" He was a big, straight, powerful fellow when 1
lrst knew him, and that was thirty-fve years ago.
he wore the Dig muStaChe then, except that 1t was
brown instead of white. He had been a soldier in
he old country. But for all that the big mustache
appeared to be the only ferocious thing about him.
For the rest he was like boy-a mere boy-laugh-
ng and singing, morning and night This knew of
him. because in those days, my dear Noses l worked
n bookbindery long hours every day, and came at
hight to little room. and in the next room lived
van Kremloff. Before l made his acquaintance
vas often awakened in the morning by his singing
md whistling he went away to work, and again
1t night before he went to bed. He had learned
lphostering, very skilful at the trade and
armed fine wages This he confded very soon after
lie got to know me. Indeed like big boy he was
bursting to tell somebody all the good news about
lmself all the fair promise that the future held for
lim then. First when | met him in the hallway
1e had nodded to in friendly fashion, and then
frequently he would knock at my door to invite
ne-why, to invite me here, to this very place. for
;ake and cup of tea. He would always insist that
was his treat, and demand to know why it should
lot be, since he earning such fine money. He
showed me his savings bank book and it made my
yes widen when l that he had already five
hundred dollars on deposit.
In his big, laughing, kindly manner, he carried
contagious good humor. Over here, the walters
uShed to serve him and pass pleasant word with
linn. He could call them all by name and would
lsk after their children by name if they had any
The andlady of our lodging house. as Grabbed an old
mother lived, yet would bid in her croakng
tracked voice to do him the favor of darning his
oCks and mending his shirts. 1t made no difference
With him that | was Jew 1t was enough he would
ay, that was honest, pleasant intelligent little
elbow. He waved his hand in impatient dismissal
It the old home pre- JUDGES. They had no place, he