Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-22

thought Of nothing else but the Joy of once more
seeing my parents and my brothers and sisters
Alas! a great disappointment awaited me.
found that all my family had again left the
place. There was almost famine in the village:
work had stopped, and my parents had again
drifted out in the direction of Kiev. / was all
most hrokenhearted, but set out at once to try
and find them.
1 starved most of the time on the journey, and
was repeatedly thrown into prison. Eventually,
however, / arrived at Kiev.
Here another disappointment awaited me-
found out through friends that my family had
left for some of the nearby villages. was de-
layed in following them because the police once
more arrested me, and after keeping me in
prison for some time brought me before Judge
who sentenced me to fine of three roubles or
two days Imprisonment for wandering In the
town without passport. / served the two days.
After my release l was given special pass
ing certificate" on condition that left the city
at once. I went to Vasikovo because heard
that work might be obtained there, and also
that my parents might have gone to the same
place But 1t is poor hamlet and there was
no work to be found. wandered from there to
several other places doing odd Jobs here and
there but could find neither my parents nor
regular work.
Finally, after several months Of hardships,
during which 1 spent most of the time in the
open air. despite the cold nights and also went
for days without food, thought would risk
everything and return again to Kiev. There
was overjoyed TO find my parents, who had Just
returned. In our happiness we all cried. and
we sat up all that night and talked My parents
had thought never to see me again, and they did
nothing but embrace and kiss me.
With the aid Of some relations who gave us
their savings my family scraped few roubles
together and bribed the police to let me remain
in the town for time. My father by now
too old to work, and he and my mother were
being supported by some Jewish charities, and
they were more comfortable than they had
been since We first left Nescherow.
II osGse Il I Il -
l started once more on my hunt for work: but
It was more difficult than ever. l was not edu-
Gated enough to do the work 1 should have
liked l had no trade, and was too old for the
odd jobs in shops that had done before going
into the army.
This search after work went on for some
months, until young and strong as was, fell
Ill as the result of privation and exposure. I
had no home at the time, never enough to eat,
and l slept anywhere could. could feel my
self growing weaker every day.
One day met Jewish doctor. He saw how
Ill l was and told me to come to his house and
be examined. He had examined me, and found
that 1 was in the first stage Of consumption.
This news made me very sad, because 1 thought
l could not live for more than a few months.
My relations wept bitterly when 1 told them
and my parents fell Ill with grief
few days afterwards my parents came to
me and said: "Mendel, you must come and live
with us. If you do not you may die at any mo-
ment"
Such an idea had never entered my head.
said to them: you have scarcely enough bread
for yourselves, or clothes to keep you warm 1
cannot take from you"
you are our son." replied my father. Come
to us. The good God will provide for us ALL
But, as 1t happened, the Jewish doctor had
spoken about me to famous specialist This
good man had me taken to hospital and at
tended to me himself. 1 remained there nearly
a year.
With good food and care soon began to Inn
prove. But the constant worry Of my life the
anxiety Of not knowing where the next meal
was coming from, had destroyed my nerve
Often | would wake up in the middle of the
night in great misery, and I prayed to God:
'Oh, God, send me death, take my life while I
have no wife and children, and relieve my
soul from the awful suffering that I have to
endure Death seemed to me the only way out
of my troubles.
Nearly year Of the hospital put new life
into me- l felt myself growing stronger all the
time and l began to look forward to trying
once more to make my way in life. Then came
an event which changed everything for me.
few days before l was due to leave the hos
pital, girl whom had known all my life came
to see me. | thought she wanted to tell me that
She was glad was better, but this was not so.
Mendel," she said what are you going to
do when You leave here?"
II shall try again to find work." answered.
But what can you do? You have no money,
no powerful friends. You will suffer Just as
you have suffered in the past"
had to admit that what she said was prob
ably true, but all the same replied that was
going to do my best.
Now why don't you try and marry a wife
with a dowry?" she asked.
why should try to make another human
being az unhappy myselfT' answered. Be
sides, what girl would have me-such poor,
unfortunate man?'
A Romance" in Russia.
Listen. Mendel,' she continued, cas- you
know, have n sister. She is not very old-only
twenty-six-about the same age yourself. She
is pretty and lots of young men want to marry
her We think 1t is time she was married and
We have chosen you for her husband because we
know you are honest and will be good to her."
was taken completely by surprise-I did not
know what to answer. At last l said:
you know already it is impossible. could
not possibly keep her. At present do not
know how to get food for myself. You know
that have education and that. up to now,
l have been unable to find work that a good
Jew, the son Of respected parents, could pos
sibly do
"Mendel." she said, I'VE are going to give you
a dowry with my sister. You shall have $50
roubles when you marry her. What Is more we
will get you employment. MY uncle owns some