The Jewish herald. (Houston, Tex.) 1908-1914, 1911-02-09
A HOUSE OF CARDS.
(By Mrs. B. Lurie.)

A deathlike stiffness fell on the three. They
could hear the merry voices of the children at
their lessons in the next room. The sound was
gall and NORWOOD to Bessie. AT last she
looked up and said with ptiful smile: I'm
certainly sorry for my relatives. You know
then that | am n z-" her lips refused to
utter the awful word. The muscles of her face
stiffened leaving the features distorted in agony
Mr.. and Mrs. Jacobs looked at each other in
profound commisseration. They dreaded the eff
feet of the disclosures yet to come, were Bessie
to persist in her questioning. They hoped
against hope that she would ask to be taken
home TO get the shock she had received.
But she glanced up and said: May | please
open the windowl 1 feel as if I'm smother
ing" Her uncle sprang with alacrity to do her
bidding. The late November air had bracing
chill in it that made indoors feel very comfort
able, but Bessie rose and leaned far out of the
window, seeming to revive by contact with the
fresh air Her aunt and uncle sat absorbed in
thought. At last their niece resumed her seat
and said in tone as if the thread of the con-
versation had never been interrupted:
"Of course, il / have been living in------
hesitating as if searching for an adequate phrase
TO express the ugly truth, and finding it at last,
she commenced again bravely. IT I have been
living in state out of wedlock, that makes my
chiIdren----'
An emphatic gesture from her uncle stopped
her before she could complete the sentence.
mo no." he exclaimed with startling en-
phasis, Hush, Bessie, don't torture yourself
further. The Jewish law may appear merci-
the unoffending offspring of your sin. Con-
verted to Judaism, they take their place among
any other Israelites under the proselyte
class No honor is denied them that is ac-
corded full-blood Jew. The women are barred
from marrying among the 'Kohanim' (the priest
hood) alone. Other Israelite women not born
of the priestly line may, of course, marry into
the priesthood
"Then what does constitute bastardy according
to the Jewish acceptation ~ she questioned, in
amazement
"The offspring of an adulterous connection,
crims participated in by II Jewish man, married
or not and a married Jewish woman, an
"A 'shesh-ish, the most degrading term that can
be applied to Jewish woman"
Good gracious uncle exclaimed Bessie, her
grief forgotten in her establishment, for the time
being What a world of distnctions Why, it
would take quite time to get that much UNI
tangled"
''And that much isn't a fraction of the laws
regulating marriage among us, answered Mr.
Jacobs
1.-THE marriage regulations constitute about
one-ten thousandth part of the remainder Of the
code formulated for the conduct of the jew
SIS that sol Then man can never stop
studying, can he?"
"A Jew is supposed to study the law with
out wasting minute. You don't know anything
about laws Hebrew, but j think you
still remember the phrase that you heard when
you went to Temple 'Sh'ma Yisroel.'"
Bessie nodded. Her uncle continued, did
you ever read IN the translation peyohd the hfsp
lne2n
Be sic answered readily, ~ read near
ly all the prayers out of curiosity
Her uncle and aunt both smiled at her
candor. out of curiosity That's pref
ty good. The prayers spelled no mes
sage to you. You Wern't trained to feel
the direct, appeal they carry to every
understanding Jewish heart, because we
hold that without knowledge and I'M
Outstanding Jew Is no better than the
beast of the field. Now, you'll remem-
Der In the translation that it says dis
tinctly. that Israel is to think Of These
words, which / command thee this day
without cessation. The thought OF them
shall be with us throughout the day, the
first on rising, the last on retiring.
This doesn't mean simply a mumblng
cf prayers, but that the study of the
aa@ ana ts sat Ing Is 70 anate du
injunction. forget or neglect 1t, is not
the fault OF the truth to be found there
in, but the fault OF the jew Now, ]
never go to the shop without having
some question to unravel in my mind