The Denver Jewish news., 1919-03-19
Before Dawn
4 Story of a Great Decision.
BY E. c. EHRLICH.

soIuief drafted INTO tile service OF
has country: sat hunched III one cor
ner of the darliened room waiting. 1t
seemed TO Reuben that he had sat
there for many hours, that it must be
long past midnight; in reality, it was
just a little after l 90; the ornate
clock on the mantclpiecc had struck
the hour. but Reuben had not heard ii,
The clock, Saudiiy cheap affair,
was still new and shining; so were the
vases thanking it on either side and
the unlighted lamp on the center ta-
hle, all wedding presents hardly year
old. The cheap but carefully chosen
furniture bought ON the installnient
plan was still fresh and unscratched.
Tor Rosie had been Il good hoisekeep-
er and the little flat had been the
pride of her heart That very evening
as she lay tossing in the tiny bedroom
off the parlor she had forgotten her
pain long enough to worry over the
plate Ruben had broken in bringing
hcr bite of supper. Remembering
the incident now Reuben felt how grot-
esque it all was; woman Drawing
death to bring new life into the
world should grow petty over bit
of broken china
Rosie's mother was with his wife
now, fussy woman of uncertain years
who has stoutly insisted that her
daughters child must not be born in
Il hospital, You and your hospitals
and your nurses ~ she had scoffed
Wien 1teuben had suggested the need
"f more comfortable quarters than
their little home afforded. Il had
ten children. four of them fine and
hcalthy to this day, 'imbreshrcier,' and
didn't need no hospital. If I'm
10 nurse. if you help me take care. of
her"
But if I'm in the Army-in camp
the young husband had faltercd
a fine country that takes man
away from his wife" was her grumb,
ing retort. ''You tell the gentleman
where you work to write to the Pres
ident to get you off"
But Reuben had been swept away
to war with hundreds of others. CRATE
ful enough for the furlouglis that he
might be will Rosie, Who needed him
80 .mdly. Now altho he called him
self coward for his desire, he wish
Cii with all his heart that he had
not been granted permission 10 CON,
home. He felt that if he were sent
across the seas it would be easier 10
face the German guns than TO sit in
the darkened little parlor listening to
the sounds that come from the bed
rOom-a voice that WAS not Rosie's
voice, ragged aud shrill with pain, her
mothers broken cndearmcnts, the crisp
quiet orders DR.. Fclser gave from time
10 time. He wondered helplessly why
the frail little woman had been called
upon to bear all this suffering, why all
mothers, his own among them were
doomed to drink the cup of torture to
its drcgs. ...
After what seemed an eternity oi
waiting to the young husband. DR.
tciScr stepped into the rooui. Rcu-
ben raised his head eagerly. but tn"
physician shook his head. Perhaps
five or six hours yet" he said: 'one
lever knows
Reuben made an inpatient gesture,
But my furlouGh expires by noon,
II was hard enough TO come for even
Giis long, for we may he sent overseas
any day now. | must lcav" for my
train in less than an hour" He sci
his teeth. And / can't leave her likg
ibis"
And if You are mol back on iime:
The guardhuuse and u mars against
me. SO far my record has been per
feet" The shoulders, stopped from
long hours oyer his lcdgcrs. straiGhten
cd. We Jews out at Rockford have
good records, most of us. IL should
not like to hurt the others
Rusics mother called from the 9th
rr room. her old voice thin and lucr-
IIlous. DIR. Felser returned TO his
patient. Loft alone, Reuben went TO
the window and stared down the
street, cold and dark and. damp. the
pale lamps Pickering like so many
.tnrS ready to go ont before the dawn.
Standing there in the chill darkness
the man fought the hardest battle Of
his life. He was not soldier by ma
iurc nor had the few months of camp
discipline sunk very deeply into his
soul. AItho not Il coward or II raci-
fist he would never have volunteered /;
Rosie needed him. WIS ms nlea, even
il her mother had money enough for
her daughter and the little grand
child uhru be anne :. there were Dleu-