Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-12
CRACK IN THE BELL
A STORY OF POLITICS IN PHILADELPHIA
p XVIII (Continued)

14AAr En- ANVIL tSOntlnued)
0UTSIDE Becky Aurentsky had lis
tened stolidly to the sounds of argu-
mt within. When her husbands voice
lifted high. what he said was the
~ of thing he and Levene had been
*YayJng for a year, and II had come to
Ian no more to her than the sad,
4~Qnotonous chanting of the family mis-
perfumes. When, on the other hand.
Jacobs voice was lowered to that grave
note in which he communicated to Sylvy
the chastity details of an actual plot,
q could not hear what was said, In
fpqsequence. though she knew that
0y1vy had given way to tears. she un-
dsrstood nothing of the cause. and only
noted with satisfaction that her hus-
bands tone had become tender and
~epologetic.
However. Mrs. Aurentsky's concern
tonight was not with such trifles as
the occasion of strife between her hus-
and and her eldest daughter. Her
youngest child's fever had risen through
the day, as 1t had for several days, but
tonight, judged by the feel of the back
Or her maternal hand, which was the
only clinical thermometer she. possessed.
4 was higher than before. The lad was
weaker, too, and his eyes burned like
Goals of fire. Greatly alarmed. a coun-
eel of the neighbors had been called
and had adjourned just before SylEy $
return. All voted the necessity OF a
doctor; but doctors were an expense.
And an expense which the Aui tilNoNS
family had seldom afforded in the days
Of Its prosperity. Now a doctor was
- far away as the moon.
But %neighbors will talk among them
selves, and as a result of such talk,
rood Mrs. Lillienfeld had gone out to
the social settlement on the big street
around the corner. She came PACK,
labored ponderously up the two nights
fully sympathetic face through a crack
q the door, just a few seconds after
the interview between Ruth and her
father had settled into its softer anti
climax.
1.-The settlement lady said a doctor
should come to Isadore right away q.
Mrs. Lillienfeld whispered; then she
slanted an eye at the sufferer on me
cot. and. after another glance at the
mother, freighted with as much OF nope
and comfort as a neighbor's glance
might carry. shut the door soitly NJ
tiptoed back to her own domestic proo-
lems. which were numerous ana grave:
while the mother-heart in Becky
sAurentsky leaped at the prospect or
medical aid for her stricken son, me
housekeeper-heart in her sank at Ine
1houeht of any stranger coming into
the apartment. Small. overloaded Win
furniture and humanity, stitiing Win the
heat of late June, reeking Win me
steam and stencil from tenemenLs oetom
srd the fact that the Observation-Disclosures
neruitted no adequate rentllatlon, the
place could hardly be made enduraoie'
n was nevertheless orderly ana as
6tean as the state of its household. equip
6ncnt and the lack of water-suppIy per
Knitted. Sylvy, of course, herself inlnlaGu-
1ate, could have endured nothing else
and Mrs. Aurentsky was slaNlsnlS laitI.
m to her domestic duties. Yet Una
Solf-respecting woman had a nalura,
wish now that it should be cleaner ana
more orderly. She left the fan and niue
Issdore for a moment and went softly
to the closed door. ~
Jacob :" she called softly. jacob
doctor Is coming"
y The doctor? Aurentsky turned from
the contemplation of the palpltatlns
- of Sylvy. The doctor? That must
mean for Isadore Isadore-his only boy,
nd pride of his heart when once his
had contained pride-why, lsadore
muat be very sick then. He, Jacob
his father, had been too alb
Gcrbed with the affairs of society and
~ world to notice much OF to inquire,
taking it for granted that the little lads
fndisposition was due to some childish
(Heahgement out of which his mothers
~6oddling would soon bring him. With a
terrible sinking in that heart, which
Nylvy's breakdown had so freshly
humanized. Aurentsky stood a moment
Terrified, and then turned toward the
4oor.
ssThe doctor - Sylvy also had echoed
the word and she sat up quickly. her
face whitening round the tear splotches.
Jacob went out and stood by the bed
side looking down at little Isaqore, hol-