Evening star., 1915-02-14
By JOHN S. LOPEZ

man; but I've noticed that it kept people from
taking advantage of cut prices Besides, Nichelsten
was clever workman. 1 recall how cunningly he
manipulated dress suit that belonged to and Naury
jointly. We wanted the suit to fit both of u.s. which
manifestly impossible, since bit bigger. But
Nchelsten solved the problem by fitting it in between
that is to say, tr1e too tight for and trle
large for Maury. And really it did surprisingly well
for both of us.
Nichelstein made lots of money; but knew
what he did with it. One who declared he him
spending nickel anything but the bares necessares
would have established reputation rredeemable
liar So they had him placed miser and there
much talk of how he in the of his shop goating
over boarded gold.
TT evening in late October that Firetop Nc
Carthy, indignant because Levey the shoe man had
dunned him for bill owing less than MONTHS
began to enlarge what he called the vampire instincts
of Levey and his whole race. Mccarthy something
of poet, especially when swayed by emotion. Aiia
ricous, selfish, aiserly hearess of the desg
nations he applied. And then Maury Green, anky
stoopshouldered, and near-sghted, courted sudden
danger by defending Levey. 1t is terrible tempta-
tion you'll admit, for ame-thatched Irishman to
speed his fist in such circumstances but averted muir
der by leading him away.
@Mac is all wrong he said pleadingly, ito take the
externals of man as the index of his race-wrong
to judge the by what he be- 1t is the pur
pose of man. not his actions, that counts. There
despised despicabe by world measures whose lives
actually epc!"
He would have it that he could convince me; and
whom, of all people, did he name as his example but
Moses Nichestein?
Scofing did not shake him. Nichelstein was every
thing charged he admitted but it because he was
eager for money! Then he mser-worse yeti
No. that was the story: he wanted the money for
someone ese-it a form of restitution-it to
make another happy! Then he told his story.
Years before, in Russia Nichestein had loved
Christian girl of good family, and she had loved him
So they had run off and been married Of her
family cast her off, Then came one of the periodical
raids the Jews, and in the wife was killed Michel
stein broken man. mentally, physically, finan-
caly unable to for their baby daughter Ruth
So he had humbled himself, and the mothers parents
had taken the chd-provided that Nichelstein would
leave Russia forever, would attempt to
the little one, would let her know she was half
Jewish.
N1chelstein had reserved the right to pay for the
childs upbringng; then afterward pride had made him
deny himself, that the amounts he sent would be
large. The old man held himself responsible for the
Christian wifes destruction. 1t had become his OBJ
session to repay by assuring the happiness of her off
spring That why he squeezed the pennies and had
made beast of himself In the old country they
thought him prosperous.
1t too pretty tale to be true STILL Green was
earnest that he had been anything but reporter
should have believed. Evidently he was talking COPY
Green was pnde-stung to loquacity. Why, he had
attended to keeping the deception! He wrote the
convincing letters that went to Russia regular
walls; had started to do so when he was schoolboy,
keen for pennies. And of late he had been spreading
himself Lord! the things he had written! And if 1
still doubted, he would furnish indubitabe proofs He
would take me to Nchelsteins!
TT bitter cold when reached the front of the
shop, and stopped outside to peer through the
curtains the church bell opposite began to peal The old
mans head lay to his shoulder with the unmstakable
droop of sheer exhaustion. And now at the clang he
reused with shudde forced open his eyes, and finished
stitch that drowsness had stopped halfway in the coat