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

= WAS born on May %, 1869. in a very small
village called Nescherow in the Government
i OF Kiev in Southwest Russia. My father
David Bells, unfortunately became very poor In
the days OF my youth. and had not suipcient
means TO give me n proper education Inc pese
he could do for me WAS to engage h Jewish
teacher living la the village, who knew nothing
az the Russian language and had but very
poor knowledge Of Yiddish
/ studied on and OF with this teacher until
was nfteen years old. but, TO my great regret. !
benefited very little, not so much on account OF
my own poor abilities as for the reason that my
teacher knew so little,
ASH my readers to pardon the poor way IN
which tell the story OF my life. for am only
a moor warkman who never learnt much, ana
also because the hardshlps have had to bear
through no many years have scarcely htted me
10 give from my history as should have liked
remember very little OF the early days ~
Neseherow Only one incident remains really
clear In my memory. ! can remember, Just as
though IL was yesterday, often meeting ittle
boy, the son OF rich RUSSIAN iNINs ~ . gu.
village coming home from school saw thht
he carried n hag full OF books with hlm, ana
wore beautiful school uniform which ehVied
greatly.
yentured TO ask him 10 tench me some OF the
things that he had been learning lie answered
that he was unable To do this, put re gave my .
small book containing the russian hlphhpet'
For several days | tried hard IN secret 70
mhstcr this but then one morning, my JEWISH
teacher caught me with the book IN my hnhn.
AS an orthodox jew, having no use Tor the nus
sian language, he became very cross, sluncs s,'u
my face until the blood came. and then tore the
book 10 pieccs This was one OF the great sor-
rows of my early NE
At the time / was born my father, for Jew
In n Russian village, was rich lie owned "A
small dlstllery. and doing 80 well that he
was able 10 give my elder brothers quite good
private edueation but when ! was between
three and four years of age, my father was
-. lNHa
Zaitsen Everything went well Tor time, but
then my father sold out his interest In the Dus-
ness 10 Mr. Xaitsen with the intention or start
ing q similar business in Nescherow. men
tioned Mr. Zaitseff's name because in years TO
come he was 10 play a very important part in
my life
The Journey Beyond "The Pale"
Unfortunately. my father had not sufficient
capital 60 carry on successfully tho new busi'
ness and after two or three years all his money
had gone aud he was ruined man.
Al this time my parents had eight chudren-
four bows aud four girls. Without penis In
the world, my father did not know which way
10 turn 20 support u.s. Nescherow lett but lttle
opening for man without capital. and, there
fore, he made up his mind 10 leave the village
and try what he could do in a larger place.
Every one IN Nescherow loved him, Christians
ms well as Jews. All were grieved at the idea OF
his leaving. Our Jewish friends came and vol.
nnteered To lcnd him money. Numbers OF
Christians came to tho house and begged him 10
remain, Offering him both money and employ
mont. But my father was proud man; he
could not accept anything that had even the ap'
penrRnce OF charity and he declined All offers.
although most grateful for them. Soon after.
what remained of our home was sold, ana We
prepared for our departure.
well remember the scene when VIC left Al
most everybody in the place came TO Wish us
goodly Our Jewish friends embraced us one
BY one while the Christians most OF them in
tears kissed my fathers hand aud wished him
good luck" | have thought since that this
moment must have been among the proudeSt OF
my fathers life IL WAS 4 rare thing at that
time In n Russian village for Christians 90 go
81 far as To publicly declare their esteem for
Jew
We started on our Journey, but little knew
what Law before us At the moment we left, my
father Ind no idea OF what direction he would
take. but finally decided to make for Kiev. or
course, we knew that should have to walk,
but as | remember that prospect did not
brighten us much Our little party OF ten was
quite cheerful when 1t took the road for Kiev
some miles away.
But we could only travel vety slowly and It
was not long before our money was exhausted
Then. for the first time began TO feel the
pangs OF real hunger. We had 10 find food and
shelter as best We could The Winter cod
seemed to grow worse and worse as we went ou,
aud / do not think that during the last dav or
two OF that march We children ever ceased
from crying
Finally we reached Kiev. and here our mis-
fortunes began Ia earnest. My father hail fni
gotten that Jews are not allowed TO live in the
"huly" city. In Russia IL Is only lawful Tor my
race t. live 30 certain prescribed places called
1.-The Pale ~ settlement" and II We are found
outside OF that We are liable To be arrested on
the spot unless We can bribe the police - JET US
alone
We had scarcely set foot IN Kew before the
poice seized my father and took him awav 10
Rrison Tor being in TIE city without passport