El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-11-17
The Herald's
Daily Short Story
BONDAGE; A TALE
OF THE GHETTO

betn plundered, houses RACED. sick and
aged men torn from their beds and
tortured, strong men forced to witness
the ruin of their wives and daughters.
and, lighting all, great red waves OF
flame, caused by the hand of mad incen-
diaries, dancing over the devilish work
Eli knew the district. He knew its
ruler and his tyranny He guessed
shrewdly at the cause of the outrage.
This man Dimitri Marovitch's fierce
oppression had caused revolt among
the Jewish peasants. The Poles, neei-
ing only the slightest incentive to an
outburst, had taken immediate adj
vantage of the opportunity and fallen
on their neighbors like wolves on a
flock of sheep. Red ruin was the re-
sult-and still the nations shut their
eyes to the doings of these despots!
Would a time never come? Eli Stras-
sky Joined his family with a blessing.
How wonderful his daughters had
made the place! Surely they must have
spent hours in getting the little rooms
to look their very best. Gregori would
be there soon, and-but why antici-
pate.
On the table lay a cloth of snowy
whiteness. A double portion of white
bread, q little fish, a small decanter Of
raisin wine. with couple of lighted
candles in tall bronze candlesticks,
were placed upon 1.-THE latter to sig
nifty the number of his children.
Later they had eaten. Eli broke the
silence with his story Of the massl-
ere.
so many Of our friends must be
there" he said. "Gregori, too, but he
thank God, he had left before this
happened"
Ruth. a fine. handsome girl OF %,
shuddered slightly.
He will be here tomorrow" she
said, as If this was news. "Oh, father,
you cannot tell how glad I am"
Leah, ELS other daughter, sighed.
1t was sigh. just audible, but nobody
seemed to notice it.
Eli explained at length the details
of the terrible calamity that had be-
fallen his compa triots They were as
children to him, and the thought of the
awful fate tat had overtaken them
almost drove him to madness. If only
he had the power" he said, ''he would
deliver his countrymen from the hand
of the Oppressors as Moses of old de-
livered his forbears from the tyranny
of the Egyptians. The seven plaques
should not satisfy his thirst for venge-
ance; justice should be dealt them
swift and sure" Then he paused. This
was not his usual spirit. The event had
overweight his high strung nerves
He would be patient. waiting for tho
hand of God
On the following day Eli and Ruth
went down to the alien immigration
offices in Great Tower street, the girl
tripping with joy all the way. Every
thing now was ready for her lover;
feast had been prepared, their home
had been made to look its best-everE-
thing was ready to receive the lmmi-
grant as soon as the general inspec-
ton should be over. Ruth waited
anxiously, her heart beating wildly all
the time. They saw patches of fellow
countrymen going away with their
friends watched happy reunions, and
noticed the light step with which each
stranger reached the street. Yet Gre
gori came not. An hour passed and
there was still no sign. Then Eli pro-
posed that they should make inquiries.
A terrible shock awaited them
Gregori Zarmoff had been deported"
the officer said. from failure to COM