Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1910-03-12

box the china and glass dishes,
and, after she had freed them
from their paper wrappings, she
placed them upon the table with
an expression of growing wonder
upon her old, but still very come
lyface. In the few short days
since her arrival in this country
she had not as yet found time
for resting her old bones from
the exertions of the long and
wearisome journey. Certainly
she would have preferred to take
a good rest, and her daughter
Rosie had coaxed and pleaded
with her not to bother herself
with the preparations for Pass
over. But she would not listen
to her demonstrations. Passover
is not the kind of holiday to be
intrusted to others; the least
carelessness in the cleaning out
of the ''chometz, and the soul is
loaded with a great sin, especially
as she was aware that her daugh-
ter and son in-law we're not par.
ticularly pious.
During the few days she had
spent in their home since her
coming to the "Golden Land, =
she had found that their sojourn
in this country had not tended to
improve them in the least in this
respect. This did not surprise
her much, as she often had had
cause to be displeased with Rosie
for her laxity in matters OF relig-
ion. Only yesterday, when the
house had already been thorough
~ cleaned, Samuel, her son-in-
law, asked her teasingly if it
would not be necessary for him
to have his pockets washed and
his mouth secured, for fear some
"chometz" would be left in them.
Her wouder grew with the un-
packing of each new piece OF
crockery. The Passover dishes
are generally bought once in a
lifetime. They are only used
during eight days Of every year;
the rest Of the time they lie
safely packed away, and though
her daughter was but a young
housewife and only eight years
in America, it was neverthe-
less surprising how very new
her dishes looked.
A wonderful land, really she
remarked to her daughter, who
stood near by sorting out the
table linen. People do not seem
to age here, and dishes do not
show wear, and a hardly per
ceptible smile of content appear
ed on her wrinkled face.
Suddenly the smile vanished
. her eyes grew wide, and hel
hands, in which she held a fry,
ing pan that had just Invested o.
its wrappings, remained aloft az
if suspended in the air.
Great God What is this ? sht
exclaimed, bewildered.
What is the matter, mother
Rosie inquired anxiously.
But the old mother did not re
ply for q while. Suddenly sh'
turned and faced her daughter.
How long have you been keep
ing house ?
Why, since Samuel brough
me over, of course!
That means that you have beer
using these dishes for eight years
in succession the mother asked
in a changed, dull voice.
But her daughter did not reply
She had bought the dishes only
that week, thinking that bel
mother would not know that sht
had not kept the holidays since
she landed; so she simply nod
ded her head and continued be-
work.
The old mothers eyes wander
ed once more to the pan she wa!
holding in her hands. Her fact
became drawn and gray, anc
looking sternly at her daughter
she said. So even Passover yor
have not kept! She uttered
these words in a low, dull voice
and stood some moments, tor
much shocked and confused tx
understand the full import 0.
what she had unexpectedly dis
covered. Suddenly the under
standing Of her responsibility fol
the observance of the present
Passover dawned upon her anG
swallowed up for the time being
her whole attention.
She was attached to hel
daughter Rosie soul and body
Even in such happy moments as,
for instance, on receiving The
happy tiding of her daughters