The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-11-09
A Tale Of the Ghetto
BY WALTER HENDERSON

OLD Ell Strsssky was tired and worn
out with his long days tramping. Al
he turned into the bystreets Of the
Ghetto his steps faltered and . heavy
sigh came through his heavy patri-
archal beard.
"Sull there 10 no relief from the
merciless hand Of the tyrant." he
muttered. as he passed along the mar.
row. deserted thoroughfares. Are
my people to be forever the serfs and
footstools of these God-forsaken des-
pots? Are they never to be released?"
He shook his head mournfully, and 3
tear started to his failing eye. ut IL
impossible to believe that God has
abandoned them." he said. Some
day-and yet"
Presently he paused at the door Of
one OF the houses in q dark street
close by. Raising his hand to long.
narrow piece of metal nailed to the
doorpost he touched 1t reverently.
then raised his fingers slowly to his
lips. With that he passed through
the doorway.
L ~ vShCA0 OAC 0OO-ASOAAAo AASOsS"p
Ell Strassky was of the best known
and most respected dwellers in that
wide and densely populated district of
East London which 10 known AZ the
Ghetto. He was an alien. driven from
the land of his birth through the bit.
terest tyranny and oppression. exiled
by the might of his so-called masters.
he had sought freedom and refuge in
the land of liberty. the land to which
20 many of his forebears had been
driven. He had not come as poor
man. for he had been thrifty and OF
fairly high position In the country he
renowned. With him he had brought
his wife and daughters. the latter
two handsome girls with wonderful
dark eyes and raven black tresses.
They had settled among their compa-
triots in the Jewish City of the East
had lived and thrived there, and be-
come respected for their generous as
sistance to new arrivals from the land
of oppression.
Ell had only one wish now. His
daughter Ruth had left behind in Po-
land the sole JOY of her life-one Gre
gori Zarmoff, an overseer Of her faith
er's late property. ELI had not known
Of this attachment when he left for
England. az Ruth had been afraid to
approach him on the subject. Since
he had learned the truth. the old Jew
longed in his own way. to see them
como together. There could be no OBJ
lection to the attachment: on the con.
trary. Gregori was tall. upright, hon.
est young man. with every right to
ask for his daughters hand. The
young mans father. too. had saved old
Ell from the wolves In the forest Of
Sukhona, and they were the stanchest
friends. But Gregori had had to wait.
In order to come to England he must
have money. and only hard work
could win It for him.
| After many years Of waiting Gre.
gori was at last on his way to Lon.
don-to London-that great city OF
the unoppresseds the free! What Joy
for Ruth there was in the prospect OF
reunion only lovers know. She had
waited long and patiently. and now
0regori. her loved one. was leaving
Poland with its cruel despotism. its
tyrannical masters. its pitiless
slaves, for England-would be with
her on the morrow. when the great
ship sailed up the Thames and emp.
tied its human freight upon the docks
That evening Eli had bought his
newspaper and learnt therefrom that
another massacre among the Jews had
taken place at Sukhona. Homes had
been plundered. houses rased. sicl
and aged men torn from their beds
and tortured. strong men forced te
witness the ruin of their wives and
daughters. and lighting all. great RED
flames caused by the hand Of mad in
cendiaries. dancing over the devilisl
work. Ell knew the district. H,
knew it, ruler and his tyranny. H,