The Jewish herald. (Houston, Tex.) 1908-1914, 1911-02-23
Third Year
A HOUSE OF CARDS.
(By Mrs. B. Lurie.)
CHAPTER ".

CHAPTER W.
1t was not many days till she put
herself in active touch with her re-
ligion. Every minutes she could spare
I'M her tes she oTerv to waa h
went to her uncle for instruction. Even
while at work she studied died When ,r, puz1
to her mother to help her out. Her
mother had been taught to pray in He
brew while yet in Austria and was of
considerable assistance to Bessie. She
was naturally overjoyed at this new de-
parture ON her daughters part and she
herself became more Jewish m consc-
quence. Bessie learned rapidly, mem
orized the first of the prayers in the
original and when she had mastered
these with any degree of fluency, she
commenced the work of teaching them
to her little boy Then her real trouble
began. At first there was her hus-
bands mild objections and later his
mothers more stormy opposition to
overcome. This only helped to fix Bes-
sizes resolve all the more firmly She
er-in-law's religion might in the end
gain the ascendancy over her children
She guarded them jealously letting
them participate as little as possible III
Christian Festivities. Drawing all this
opposition, she went on undaunted
Thus the first three years passed All
down with an earnest will; The. feeling
for him, for lack of fuel to feed on,
gradually died out and left her heart and
mind free to devote herself to her chill
drens' training. Her industry was so
far rewarded that at the opening of her
fourth year she was sufficiently con
VerSant with her theme TO translate with
ease extracts from the Talmud, the Sc
lections made for her at the discretion
of her faithful uncle. The !e, extracts were ere
enabling her to make comparisons be-
tween the New Testament and the orig
inal sources from which the gospeIa
We're taken. This line of study equipped
her to combat any arguments urged for
the superiority of Christianity over her
knowledge so soon did she transmit it
TO her children as they became old
enough to digest it. Any time that could
be sapred from their public school les
sons was devoted to their Hebrew. But
in this she had the wisdom to give them
a playtime for mind and body, having
which study was never allowed to en-
tor BY this course she, saw them,
with. joyful satisfaction, develop ply
sically, mentally and morally.
So absorbed did she become in her
'ralmmudic comparisons that a little
Of her interest frst w its hero
this had been replaced by a feeling bor-
dering on resignation, seeing ne could
way to perfect indifference. He never
troubled himselg about hers or the chill
dren's studies. In all other matters she
was most exemplary wife At times
he would study her in astonishment,
dwelling long on her loving watchful-
ness of her children as she merged her
as She did so, to gain her greatest bless
ing and happiness from the progre &
they made. She fostered every nno-
cent and pretty fancy in their little
brains. In return she received love
and loyalty which their father began
TO regard with jealousy.
Bessie rejoiced to note the look of in
terest he bestowed at times on her work
She had never obtruded her information
on him. Such a thing as calling hi.
attention to any point she discovered
never entered her mind, She left nc
duty neglected, going about her work
sweet tempered, srene. cheerful, but II
his presence, ever unsmiling Hel
laugh was rarly heard even when alone
win her children. Al nome, at hel
nncIe's or at her mothers she mani
tested the greatest compassion whei
Informed of any case of distress, gladly
Giving of her store to alleviate It, He
habitual unsmilng calm caused ever
her old enemy. her husbands mother,