Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-02-17

clerk to take an English lesson, re-
piled sharply:
81 don't know. Don't talk to me
now, please, I'm busy"
But Vasili, contrary to his custom,
when he was coolly received, per-
sisted:
"The Jews are very numerous in
Russia. They are much hated by the
Christians. They crucified our
Saviour and they sacrifice young chill
dren to their heather rites"
This was rather an extended effort
for Vasili, and, though it had a de-
cided Ollendorfian ring, there was
something in his manne that indi-
Gated a deeper purpose than the mere
desire to profit by his superior's Eng
lish.
"Nonsense!" exclaimed Hardy with
irritation. II have no patience with
any such folly. That is all an idle
superstition unworthy to be enter
tanned by a man of your intelli-
gence."
Nonsense, is it," sneered Vasili.
"My father hates the Jews, and my
uncle hates them worse than my ia
Their. Do the Americans love the
Jews?"
mo, they do not love them, neither
do they hate them. Some of our best
citizens are Jews. There is nc such
thing as religious persecution in
| An,arioo ANU MON 10 roenoafnI in
that country who earns his living hon
estly."
Vasili 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 seer SO much with the
Jew, Mordecai. 1t might be dangerous
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 neighbors, for
me-" he drawled, "that I am neither a
Jew nor a Choctaw Indian, and that
when I need their advice in my priv
ate affairs, l shall call them in"
II am a Russian" persisted Vasili;
"do you love Jews better than Rus
sianS?"
my dear Vasili, when you persist
in making a nuisance of yourself, as
at present, l am quite sure that l like
the Jews better than the Russians, or,
at least, than some Russians. If you
have anything to do, will you kindly
go about it? / never felt better able
, to endure your absence than at this
i very instant"
Vasili moved away, smiling, but II
was an evil smile.
Hardy returned to his accounts anG
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
ly required to him, and caused hin
considerable annoyance. He fancieG
that the retail trade had been falling
, off somewhat, and wondered if this
!, were a result of the Russian lessons
: with the Jew. The next morning hi
took a long walk with Mordecai, cross
, ing the ferry that is ingeniously rur
, by the force of the rivers current
. and struck out into the hills. Hitherto
' he had been deeply absorbed in tht
] Russian lessons, and ever there haC
3 been constantly in his mind thu
thought that this was her language
and that, if he should ever meet he
again, he would be able to talk will
; her in her own tongue.
Now, however, he was distracted b!
the scowling faces of the early vii
G layers whom he met on the streets
: The raft-like ferry was crowded, ant
he noticed that the passengers drew
, away from himself and Mordecai, al
: though fearing some ~contagion. Thes'
people muttered, repeating the words
2 "The Jew! The Jew!" with q loathini
/ and fear such as Hardy had neve
/, heard put into human speech before
r AS uttered by them the word itsel
become an epithet of hate and super
/ stitious horror, the most opprobriou
t insult that could be hurled at a fellow
n creature.
= Hardy glanced at Mordecai. Hi
t companion stood silent, looking down
d ~nervously clasping n hand in tn
Q other, the collar Of his long cloal
!, turned up about his ears. Once h
e looked up, a fleeting glance, and Their
was a baleful light, half hate, half feal
2 in his reddish-brown eyes.
d On the country road which the
took after leaving the ferry, the
passed several telegas, or Ion
3 wagons coming into town, and Hard
observed that the drivers of thes
also eyed him and his companio
}, with looks of loathing, and again h
: heard, above the rattle of the wheels
u that ancient cry Of hate, "The Jew
The Jew!"
y They sat down beneath a tree o
the side of a hill commanding a vie'
of the town and the winding Shilkt
u up whose rapid current a steamer wa
! now ~shouldering its way, leaving b.
/ hind a trailing plume of black smok
of Incredible size. They conversed j
Russian for awhile, Mordecai skill
fully leading the dialogue, without an
reference to the unpleasant incident
Of the morning. When, however
Hardy arose at last to return to tn
shore, the lew said:
e. you have made great progress, m
r dear pupil. You will now be able I
get along by yourself, or by the hel
Of a Russian teacher. who does nc
know any English"