The Denver Jewish news., 1919-03-12
4 "PURINr' PI4AYI.ET FOR CHI.
DREN.
by SAMUEL HOFFMAN.
N'rittnn f,r tho InyiSb Nn,ys,

rise Ol tne cuTtaIl, dTTillelnS ualilitS
an the table. Cheerfnlly) Oh, what n
nice party we will have. Now am
ready to go to school. Footsteps are
heard. n knock at the door Come in.
Mary: (Entcring) Good evening.
Judith: Good yontov. you mean.
Mary: Cpuzzlinsly, noticing the
dainties on the table, Good yontov:
Judith: Why sure. my dear. why
didn't you dress up. tonight2 All the
girls will come over soon 10 the par
ty.
sofu) \ party? What's This for?
Judith: (Joyfully) } Why we are
going to have masquerade tonight
when we come back from school. (rnt-
ting on the mask) Do look like n
queen. Mary? proudly am g"ins
to impersonate Queen Esther.
Mary: CATER n pause) Judith d"a {.
will you please tell me nn about this
holiday tonight? eSiftinr DOWN. on
my way to your house, as ] pnsstd the
synagOg 1t was so brightly lighted. ON,
do tell me about this celebration Il"
night? My mother used to tell III,
all about our holidays. but now since
my dear mother is dead and father
sent me to boarding schOol-Oh how
1 wished l could stay here with you
girls and see the masquerade.
Judith: Oh dear, you are wclcome
to stay. and I'll give you mask too.
Quitting her hand on her forehead
musing for while> oh yes, you'll
play as Miss Columbia. Embracing
Nary Oh Mary, well have such fun.
But let's go to shool first and hear
the Megillah. Everybody will be there
Sarah, Anna. Rcbecca (WhisI'crins
into Mary's ear) Sammy and little Mo
will be there too. (They both gigglc
Mary: But please tell me first.
what does Mcgillah mean? U.augbingl
Little Mo- will make fun of me If he
finds out that l didn't know that to.
night is yontov.
Judith: Uaughs) Ha! ha, hn. all
right. Now I'll tell you the story OF
this holiday. tSits down, drawing n
chair close to Mary. Thoughtfully)
You see, tonight is "Purlm," and we
remember it, because long ago the
beautiful Queen Esther saved her pco
pie. the Jews. from being killed. im'
see, before she WAS married, she was
just poor Jewish girl, and her kind
Uncle Mordecai raised her. MARY
gives a sigh One day the king saw
her. fell in love with her, and Rate
her queen of all Persia.
May: (Drawins her chair closer
to JUDITH Oh. what wonderful
story!
Judith: (SeriouSly) The king had
a wicked minister. Haman wis his
name. He wanted everybody I" bow
down before him. But Mordecai would
not bow down before any huinnI
being. Tint made Eaman very angry
and he made up his mind to destroy
all of Mordecais people, the Jews.
Mary: (Frightcned) oh. what ;
wicked man.
Judith: Wait. dear. the story will
come out all right. You see. Hamai
didn't know that Queen Esther WIS d
Jewess. All he told the king was tina
he was furnishing some of his unfaith
full subjects. Fortunately, Mordeca
found it all out, just in time, and tolt
Queen Esther about it, and she beg
ged the king, her husband. to proven
this awful crime. The king became 50
angry with Haman that he ordered hiu
to be hanged in the very place tina
he planned to hang Mordecai.
Mary: (Claspiug her hands, oh
what a wonderful story. Is that wh;l
the Megillah is?
Judith: And since then from yen
to year we celebrate this liolida!