davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
La prensa. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1913-1962, 1920-04-12
CUENTO DEL Ola
La HERENCIA

SENORITA-exclamo con melosa
sonrisa Pablo Jordan, 81 notario diri-
gien6ose Z Natalia-- Teugo el honor
de poner en- SD conocimiento, que su
senior ito, Don Jose ORION, Ia falleci-
do, Y como segun mis- informeS es US
TED su unica parienta, hereda 81 in
mensa fortuna que ~consiste en- varlos
miles de duros. Ahora, espero que
Sc servira dictarme sus ordenes.
NaJala p~alidecio. Ella, Ia humil-
de obrcra. ]convertida n millionaire,
porQue Ia fortuna del ito Jose era IA
bUlosa segun oyera contar a su ma
Dire. Conteniendo los latidoS de 81
c~orazon, enjugo una lagrima que aso-
mo a >us ojos, murmurando dulce-
mente:
-;Pobre ito josef.
Pablo Jordan habia DECADE su SON
risa melosa para adoptar IN ARE com
pungido Y m~elancolico despues de to-
do su Gifunto cliente le habia proper
c.onado muy buenas urilidades y
~guardaba de q los m~ejores ~recuerdos.
Don Jose Orbron. un viejo solteron
: misantropo. viva retirado desde ha-
ia muchos amos en- una de sus pose
stones campestres donde le sorprendlo
a muerte, cast repentinamente.
Su unica heredera era Natalia. So
brina a Ia cual no ~conocia. Humble
obrerita, Hbraba 81 Subsistencia en- IN
taller de modas desde Ell fallecimlento
de su madre.
Casada por amor. Aiejand-Ina Or
bon Sc habia distanciado de 81 hernia
no porque este Sc opuso tenazmerte q
Su matrimonio con el padre de Nata-
la, IN honrado comerciante que IA
habia amado t~jernamente dejando!a
viuda ! Gesamparada q los cinco amos
de ma feliz union conyugal.
Alejandrina habia deSafiado vale
rosameate las ad~versidades de Ia suer.
.te. De 81 matrimonio quedole esta Ma
ITALIA. linda muneca de doradoS cabe-
los cue constitute 81 mejor encanto
= 81 unico c~onsuelo.
So herrlano a quien acudio en- soil
citud DC auxiIio, Sc nego redOndamen-
te q ~escucharla; lie habia de~sobedecido
: por 10 tanto, no guerra nj a~cordarse
del sarto dc 81 nombre. Don Jose
Orion, aferrado Z sus manias lie habia
dado con "a puerta en- las nariceS ne
g&rGose q ~ayudarla. Era viuda ' Il
5re Dor 10 tanto de hacer 10 que tuvie-
"a Dor convenience, en- Ia seguridad de
cue e. no le daria IN cenCimO de 10
suyo.....
Di@na ' a~ltiya, no lns.st!o. Aban-
donO la casa dc 81 hermano resuelta q
.uchar hasta el fin, para eGucar a 81
Mia de IN mo6o d~ecoroso : honrado
Poseyendo r S6Lda instruction Y
una i~rteligencia nada courIn. obtuvo
ma plaza en- una oficina donde mer-
ced 4 meritos, fue gradualmente
~ascendiendo haS.a ganar IN sueldo
bas,aure crecido que le permitia sub
renir ho!gaGamente q las n~ecesldaCes
de 81 hogan.
Joven, bonita ' LENA de attractive,
Alejandrina hubiera podfdo contraer
nuevas rupcias; empero habia amado
demas;ado q 81 marido ) estaoa decl-
dida 2 perrnanecerle fieI. Viva pues
dedicada exclusiyamente a. cuidado
de Nacalia que cada vez mas hermosa,
iba rapidamente adQuiriendo un asom-
broso parecido con 81 madre de IA
cual parecia hermara.
La prensa. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1913-1962, 1920-04-12

Ash tran~scurrieron placidamente al
gunos amos. NataIia convertlda en-
una hermosisima joven, constitute Ell
orgullo de Alejandina que cifraba
en- ella sus legitimas esperanzas. Sem
ella, jovial, educada IN los mas altos
preceptos de moral c~ristiana, podia
competir EMBELLISHMENTS en- educa-
ci6n Y en- belleza, o las senoritas
mas ricas de la ciudad.
Por las noches, cuaudo ~regresaba
de su trabajo IA amorosa madre, con-
templaba con tristeza a su hija entire
gada a las rudas faenas domesticas
' IN hondo suspiro dilataba Su pecho;
ELLA una debil mujer sc veia obi
gada a ganar IN sueldo para atender
a Il mas perentori&s necesidades,
mientraS su hermano rico y solteron,
nadaba en- Ia abundancia. Decidl-
Gamente. el destino era IN senior muy
injusto....!
R~ecordando sus crueles palabraS,
no 50 atrevia q pensar en- Ia rcmot2
probalidad de una reconciliation; har-
to conocia e. caracter de Jose, tesla
rudo Y hurano.
Tn dia nefasto, Alexandria cayo en-
ferma; una congestion pulmonar que
le vino de IN resfriado, Ia llevo a Sc
puicro en- tres dias. Por aquel enton-
ces ell ito Jose estaba ausente en- el
extranjero y la moribunda no pudo
confiarle q 81 hija en- espera de una
protection a Ia Que tenia el mas legl-
timo derecho. Natalia era su sobrl-
IA Y siendo e., soltero y rico, bien po-
dia velar por ST. ~porvenir.
Cuando Ell humilde feretro s2lio de
Ia casa. IA huerfana creyo MORN de
desperation Y &c augusta. "A quien
voiver los ojos en- aquelIa amarga no.
ra de prueba? Su madre "a habia eGu
cado tan austeramente. que solo sa-
la los domingos a or misa Y pocas,
muy pocas veces asistia a algln tea
tro, acompaNada siempre de Alejan-
drina.
Una vez que Su do!or Sc hubo cal
mado IN tanto, Sc dijo a 81 misma,
que lie era precise tratar de solucionar
eI ~conflicto de 81 existencia. Saba
coser delicadamente Ia mas fina len
ceria Y Sc dirigio a una centrica casa
de modas en- solicitud de trabajo que
lie fue otorgado en- e. acto. Natalia
cada dia mas hermosa, era r~equebra-
da continuamente por una corte de
! a~doradores 4 los cuales no Sc dignaba
hacer case. VIVA modestamente en-
una vieja casa dc huespedes donde la
patrona, una solterona carinosa y a.
mable, le habia colorado verdadero
afecto.
En- el testero principal de su pc
Quena habitacion. IN hermoso vetrato.
de Alejandrina parecia velar desde eI
fondo del obscure l~ienzo, por Ia blan-
ca pureza de 81 hija: = Natalla a. a
brir los ojos por las mananas sonreia
a la dulce imagen msterna! colocada
trente a 81 lecho.
y he aqpi que en- esta clara mana
ma de Septiembre, Ia Diosa Fortuna
llamzba g Ia puerta de Ia humiide
huerfana, venia a ~resarcirla de las pa
sadas ~escaceses en- Ia forma de una
herencia fabulosa que deslumbraba
Ia almita candida y virginia. dc Ma
talia....
Pablo Jordan, de pie, parecia aguar
dar III 6rdenes. Comprendiendo asi,
La prensa. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1913-1962, 1920-04-12
ST PERNITE La EXPOR-
T.ACION DE LOS ANTI
GUOS PESOS

En- las oficinas de la Comision No
netaria Sc informa que en- los Estados
Unidos nuestro peso. el del antique
cuno. esta cuotizado a un dollar, en-
vista de que vale mas como pasta cue
como moneda. Con este motive indica
la misma oficina cue cl Jefe del Eje-
cutivo va a periuitr que Sc exporter
los antiques pesos con entera libertad.
>niendo simplemente como condicion
que su alor sea importado en- oro.
los antiques pesos hace mucho
cue desaparecieron de Ia circulation
en- todo ell pals. pero Sc tiene la Sc
guridad de que hay acaparadas gran
des cantidades, muchas de las cuales
no han sal:do al extranjero, a pesar
de los contrabandos de que Sc tiene
noticia Y que no Sc han podido evil
Ia, Gebido a "a complicidad de altos
e~mp'eados del gobierno, segdn Sc in
form6 en- pasadas epocas.
La prensa. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1913-1962, 1920-04-12

Homhre ~prevenidO:
-Su seora dc listed csta en- los ba-
nos. ~iverdad?
ST. senior.
-SSeria indiscreto que lie hiciera
a listed una ~pregunta?
-Cuantas listed guste.
For cue en- lugsr de girarle una
cantidad. le envia listed ~frecuente-
.nente SO pesos?
No veo Ia relacion en- que.
DE este modo estoy SECURE de
u no vuelye de improviso.
La prensa. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1913-1962, 1920-04-12
NECESITAMOS 1000 IRA
.BAJADORES PARA LOS
CAMPOS DE BETABEL
DE MICHIGAN

Sabemos 10 que decimos. Necesi-
tamos hombres con sus familias, que
quieran ganar dineTo.
Tenemos Dos mil boletos de las es-
t~aciones del NJ. X. & T Y del !.
and G. ". listed puede informarse
de este con los agentes de los ferro-
carriies.-Nosotros somos en- San An
tonic, los unicos autorizados para en-
War trabajadores para la Michigan
Sugar Co, quienes son los que lie pa
garan mas dinera por su trabaio. Ell
10. de Mayo proximo, estaremos lis
tos para salir de San Antonio, Hous-
ton Y Fort Worth, y 81 listed no tie
ne empleo actualmente, alistese para
que vaya con nosotros. =. -. 49,.
NJ. L. Osborn Employment Co.
1923 ". Houston St
San Antonio, Texas.
La prensa. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1913-1962, 1920-04-12

I'm dia 81 coraz6n desperto. Tn
apuesto militar que rondaba celosa-
mente bajo sus BALCONIES, cautivo 81
coraZon hasta entonces virgen de TODD
afecto. Igual que su madre, am6 por
entero al que considerable como e. ele-
gido de su alma. Pronto Sc compren-
dieron. Oscar Anderson, q tai era e.
nombre del militar, era huerfano de
padre V 81 madre, Ina anciana sonora
que adoraba en- e., no puso obstaculo
alguno a suS p~retensiones. Cuando Ie
hubo communicate su resolution de pc
dir Ia mano de la linda Natal;a, 81
buena madre sonrio:
-;Es digna de ii, hijito. puedes ca
sarte con ella.
y depositando IN carinoso beso So
bre su frente, Oscar repuso:
-iQue buena eres mama. y cuanto
te quiero,....
Fiiose la fecha para la boda. Ac-
tivamente, numerosos tapiceros proce-
dieron q la tarea de renovar el vetus-
to mobilario por otro mas moderno.
Los obscuroS a~poseGtos que tanto
amara e! to Jose, fueron completa-
mente decorados de alegres tonos en-
un esplendidc y moderno palacio.
Una tarde. Natalia entro en- la alco-
ba del difunto con objeto de retirar
algunos cuadros que deterian ser res
taurados. Al levantar una magnifica
copia de las 'MeninaS" de VelazQuez
que adornaba e. angulo principal, ca
20 al suelo IN papel amarillento cut
dadosamente doblado. Que estaba SUI
jeto al marco. por I hendidara cas-
invisible.
Natalia 10 levanto con IN respeto re
l%icio5o; descorrio las cortinas para
iar paso q Ia luz Y sus oios conmo-
vidos leyc-on en- desvanecidos ca
r~lcteres:
"iPerdonare, Alejandrina,.- He
sido cruel contigo Y harto castigado
ME veo en- esta soiedad que me TO-
dea. He sufrido mucho y el dolor
agriando mi caractter. me torn6 MI
santropo Y hurano. Muchas veces he
querido llamarte pero el orgullo, csc
orgullo, que hoy maldigo, ahogo en-
mi, Ia voz de la piedad...."
Natalia rompio a llorar. Segura-
mente el ito Jose escrioio esta carta
bajo el imperio del remordimiento y
por una cruel ironia del destino, no
lego jamas a manos de Ia destinata-
Ta....!
La noche iba cayendo. Frente a
la huerfana, el retrato del ito Jose
parecia mirarla Embellishments des-
de el fondo del lienzo; Y fue una ilu.
si6n?. .creyo yer dos larimas des-
lizandohe por sus mejillas. Murmur6
una oracion, suspiro desde el fondo
de 81 alma:
-iEn nomhre de mi madre. yo te
perdono, ito Jose....!
RosarioSANSORES
La prensa. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1913-1962, 1920-04-12
LOS TRABAJOS EN- FA-
VOR DE LA AGRICULTURE

Ei senior Don Luis Tornel Olvera,
empleado de Ia Direction General de
Agriculture, Ell esta capital, envi6
III informe detallado de los urabajos
Gesarrollo en- Ia Villa del Mar.
ce. ana al puerto de Feracruz.
Dice ell senior Tornel 0lvera que
hizo r~epetidas experiencias cor los
tractores y demas TITLES de labranza
mciernos, en- ~presencia de mas de
cinco mil personals, que quedaron con
rencidas de Ia inmejorabilidad de los
implementos modernos. Varios agri-
cultores del puerto Sc acercaron al Sc
La prensa. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1913-1962, 1920-04-12
MERRITONE MEDICINE CO..
1920 Clark st. - Houston, Texas.

Para libros en- espanoi diriJass
listed a Ia Casa Editorial Lozano.
115 N. Sta. Rosa. Ave. San Antonio,
Texas.
La prensa. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1913-1962, 1920-04-12
al cnganoS.

Para 1ioros en- espaEoI d,rjass
listed a Ia Casa Editorial Lozano,
lis \. Sta. Rosa. Ave. San Antonio.
TEXAS
La prensa. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1913-1962, 1920-04-12
jDeje Ud.DeUsar
BraguerOs!

DESPUES DE 80 ANOS De EXPERIENCED
HE I~NVESTADO UN APARATO PARA
HOM8RES, MUJERES Y NINOS
nIrE CLIP A I A HERNIA
La prensa. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1913-1962, 1920-04-12
la linda heredera sonri6 graciosamen,

la linda heredera sonrio graciosamen-
tie.
-Espere,-insinu6-que Sc sirvlra
listed prestarme sus valiosos serviclos
igual que hiciera Q mi difunto ito;
81 no ie es Modesto le agradeceria qt"'
manana a primera bora, viniera listed
a buscarme para conducirme a Ia casa
de ito Jose.
Ell notario Sc incline cortes.
ST Ia seporita Sc digna otorgarme
su c~onfianza. promote velar por sus
asuntos. con ell mismo interes con q
atendi los de su senior ito.
Y tras un ult;mo saludo, Sc retro
visiblemente encantad" de su hermosa
cliente.
La prensa. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1913-1962, 1920-04-12

Una vez instalada en- el viejo pala-
clio del ito ose, Natalia Sc procure dl-
versos p~rofesores, dedicando Ia mayor
parte de su tempo 4 perfecclonar su
education. Sencilla en- la o%pulencla
como 10 fuera en- la pobreza. no dejo
nunca de consular con ell retrato de
su madre. sus preocupaciones mas ie-
YES. LIE hablaba como a un ser VlVo
que pudiera comprenderla y cuando
eiecutaba una acci6n meritoria. los
ojos de la muerta, parecian contem-
plarla con una larga mirada de amor.
Dotada de una esplendida figura, pa
recia que siempre hubicra vestldo las
magnificas galas de Ia riqueza. Pa
rece una reina. exclamaban las gentes
al verla pasar. -.
La prensa. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1913-1962, 1920-04-12
1Y#A
0I fQazEIE11EEHnf|=sI|HHzgkf 81
Murio I'm d~iiplomatico en- Madrid.-La r:queza de la isa de
Cozumel.-Los productos mexicanos en- Nicaragua
Juicio de varios ex-Magistrados.-S permitira la ex-
portacion de los antiques pesos.-Protesta del Conf
te PRO lMoneda metaIica. "-Otras noticias.

nor Tornel Olvera en- demenda de in
formes para ~introducir en- u fincas
mejoras de importancia, c~onvencidos
de la utilidad dc la maquinaria.
UN MEMORIAL DEL CONF
TIE ~"PRO-MONEDA
METALICA',
Fl Conlite -Moneda Metalica.
que Sc ha tornado en- esta capital
con Ell objeto de no d~escansar hasta
obligar al gobierno a que retire de la
circulation les wales Cabrera pro,
test6 contra una declaration dc Ia
Secretaria de Hacienda, hecha por e.
scnor de Ia Cana, quien dijn que el
memorial envicdo por los obreros ei
Jefe del Executive no Sc habia reel
Dido en- las oficinas de Carranza.
Los miembros del .Comite dicen
haber entregado ell documento en-
'cuestion y que de clio da prueba Ia
firma de un Official de guardia, que
fu6 quien recibio el memorial Y a
quien Sc suplico que lie diera entra-
da deSde luego.
4 pesar de TODD, el citado Comite
acord6 enviar IN nuevo memorial a
Carranza, exponiendo las anteriores
razones que ticnen para pedir que
ell papel Sc retire del mercado.
The Jewish monitor. (Fort Worth-Dallas, Tex.) 191?-1921, 1920-09-10

The publishers of The Jewish Mon,
itOr extend to its readers, advertis.
ers and friends, best wishes for a
year of health, happiness and sue
cess. The year just ending has been
one Of growth and success for the
Monitor, and for this we are indebt-
ed to our friends. II our wish will
be fulfilled, every one who has helped
Us will be rewarded a hundred.fold.
II is our prayer that our land may
be blessed with peace and plenty, and
that the whole House of Israel, wher-
ever its members be, may he blessed
with peace and joy. Happy New
Year to all
The Jewish monitor. (Fort Worth-Dallas, Tex.) 191?-1921, 1920-09-10

he pleaded. 1T amt like when we
first got married and every cent
counted. | am making good at the
shop now and"
with the rent going up even If
that gonoph Of a landlord don't give
me any repairs, and milk costing so
much feel like telling the children
not to drink it," she broke in. You'd
see us on the charities with your ex-
travagance.
He hesitated, for they had GOV.
cred the same ground so many time,
before. Then he faced her defiantly.
minnie" he commanded, "sit down
Il want to talk to you. I've got
something to tell you"
She shivered. Although she hated
him for his treachery. still she dread
ed to have truth between them. She
wanted at least one more Rosh ha
Shana for herself and the children.
After that-"You'd better get washed
and dressed" she told him, trying to
speak naturally. "You don't want
TO be late to Shul. do your"
His boyish face grew sullen. First
want to tell you something. It's
Rosh ha Shana, and I'm not going
TO begin n new year like the old one."
Minnie bowed her head. After al
Ben still had some shreds Of decen-
cy; he would not 20 to hear the Sho-
far blown with this sin upon his soul.
Well. then, she would have to listen.
"wait a minute" she said, and
wondered that her voice was so calm
and even. ~ want to shut the door
the children don't need to hear"
"They won't understand" he half
smiled, but she shut the door just
the same. In after years, she told
herself, she would at least be spared
the recollection that the poor inno-
cents had listened to their father de-
stroying their home.
"well." she asked, sitting on the
little rocker her hands clasped tight
ly in her faded lap.
He faced her from the sofa, hi
boyish face resolute. Il know YOU'RE
going to make a fuss, Minnie" h
told her, "but I'm going to have m!
way. | can't go on like this"
"You said Il once before and
(Continuer on Page 2S),
The Jewish monitor. (Fort Worth-Dallas, Tex.) 191?-1921, 1920-09-10
Minnie Reforms Herself

married life. 1t seemed that from
the time they were married she had
either been expecting or nursing
baby. So Ben had fallen into the
habit of going out by himself. He
was young-just twenty -five-and,
enjoyed an occasional holiday. Min
ME, who was two years younger,
looked over thirty.
A wall from the kitchen interrupted
her painful musings. She rose heav,
lily and went out to find the two
freshly-dressed children sitting upon
the floor in the middle of a pool Of
milk and broken bottles. 1t was her
fault, she considered duly, for not
remembering that Melvin could open
the ice box himself-and frequently
did it. She cuffed both offenders in
discriminatory, comforted both with
the same weary absence Of indiscrim-
ination, and began to wipe up the
floor Then, giving each Of the chill
dren piece of jelly bread, she went
back to her rocker and her own ter
rifying thoughts.
Just that morning, when she had
been pressing Ben's suit for Shul, she
had found letter in the pocket. Un-
fortunately it was written in Eng
lish, and Minnie knew only Yiddish.
She had been married in Galicia and
had come to New York with plans Of
night school dancing about her pretty
head. But she had been caught in a
slough Of housework and babies, and
only Ben had gone ahead. Now he
not only read but wrote English, and
no one dared to call him Greener;
Minnie, when she had spare moment
after the babies were tucked up for
the night, was usually too tired to do
more than glance over one of the
endless romances in her Yiddish news,
papers before she went to bed.
But she knew enough English to
spell out the name at the end Of the
letter. Rose, she had read with
painful exactness, before she had
folded il and put it back into Ben's
pocket, her face flushed, her eyes
smarting with unshed tears. Now
she knew why he had praised this
Rose Morris after meeting her on
the excursion. He had called he,
smart and American and pretty
Pretty! Minnie laughed Historically
Once people had thought her pretty
and now
Now she left her rocker and wen'
to the mirror over the mantelpiece
She tried to look at herself with the
cruel eyes of stranger and shranl
at her own picture; her tousled hair
dull from want Of brushing, her tireC
eyes, her sagging, sullen mouth Sh,
looked down at her corsetless figur
in its faded bungalow apron, realizing
for the first time how flabby sh'
had grown from maternity and lacl
of outdoor exercise. She lifted he
hands, once so soft and white an,
The Jewish monitor. (Fort Worth-Dallas, Tex.) 191?-1921, 1920-09-10

tapering, and forced herself to ex-
anime the work-enlarged knuckles
and broken, stained fingernails. And
suddenly she put her head down up
on the mantel and cried, but very
softly, for she did not want to dis,
turb the babies, who once more
seemed to be peacefully playing in
the kitchen.
"It's just like the stories | read In
the Yiddish papers," she told herself.
"He's tired Of me. They get that
way in stories and 90 off with young
girls who amt tired and old look
ing She thought, too, Of all the
gossip Mrs. Malone, on the top floor,
used to relate to her on the stairs.
Mrs. Malone was fluent reader and
even more fluent orator; she loved
to tell circumscribed Minnie Of the
hair 'rg tales she read in her
nor D.. Divorces were her
pet then her talk one would
think that II Sc,n q hief occupation
of American btMf.%ss, IN to run
away with their ste.S''Sa2 .rs.
ats in the air in Ailoica," said
Mrs. Malone. Sometimes | thank
God that my man is safe in Purga'
tory. know where he is"
"TIe wouldn't have treated me lill
that home" sobbed Minnie. remem
bering Mrs. Malone and her vivid
sketches Of domestic life in America.
"Now he sees how ugly am and he's
going with her. He's planning some
thing-that's why he never mentions
her any more. Oh, God, il it wasn't
for the children I'd want to die"
She heard Ben's hand on the door
knob and hastily wiped her eyes. II
she could only run into the bedroom,
wash her face, put on a little powder
but he stood there in the doorway
and she could only look back at him,
realizing with pang how very young
and clean and altogether alive he
looked. For a moment she hated him
for helping to make her so old and
tired.
Hello, old one," he said, using the
Yiddinsh they always found easier
between them.
Minnie quivered as though from a
blow. "Don't call me that" she cried
harshly. ut amt my fault I'm look
ing twice as old as am, is it,"
He came toward her, the spring
gone suddenly out Of his figure, his
face also sagging into lines Of tired
discomfort. as il my fault that you
overwork?" he barked back at her
Don't | keep telling you to take II
easy
She laughed as woman always
laughs when confronting masculine
ignorance. "My God, he expects mi
to take II easy with the house ant
the cooking and the washing and th'
sewing and the kids. wish you''
try staying home just one day and tr,
doing my work."
Ben Resemblance gaze a hopeless
gesture. "Don't keep telling 20
! can make things easier for you!
The Jewish monitor. (Fort Worth-Dallas, Tex.) 191?-1921, 1920-09-10
A Rosh ha Shana Story.
BY Elma Ehrlich Levinger.
Copyright 1920 by Elma Ehrlich Le-
vinger. All rights reserved.)
Feature Story for The Jewish
Monitor.

Minnie Rosenkranze dropped into
rocker and looked about the parlor
Of her little Harlem flat with red
trimmed, discouraged eyes. Every
thing was ready for Yomtov: the
paint and the windows shone as
brightly as her cherished silver can
dlesticks; on the fresh white table,
cloth the silver and glass twinkled
merrily; there was a chicken in the
pot. Even the babies, two-year-old
Melvin and his sister, Bessie, who
had just reached the crawling age,
were a joy to behold from their still
damp curls to their blackened toes.
But Minnie Resemblance, looking
about her spotless parlor on that late
September afternoon, was not salts
fled.
Perhaps she was overtired. For
the last week she had been working
from morning till night to finish her
fall housekeeping in time for Rosh
ha Shana. There had been curtains
to launder and new clothes for the
children and q shirt for Ben to wear
to Shul. Ben had protested that she
was too busy to sew for him; he could
pick up a good shirt at the gents
furnishing across from his shop. But
Minnie shrilly insisted that she
wouldn't allow it. "When I get such
loafer that / can't make my poor
husbands shirts, I'll be ashamed be-
fore the neighbors," she had snapped
at him between stitches. "And for
Gods sake, go in the bedroom and
give Bessie her pacifier or something
to suck. Her yelling drives me
crazy"
But il wasn't the teething baby's
protests or even the extra scrubbine
and sewing that strained Minnie's
nerves almost to the breaking point
as she sat rocking in her little parlor
on Erev Rosh ha Shana. Too tired
to dress herself, her uncombed hair
struggling across her face, she rocked
sadly to and fro, torturing herself
with her fears.
She had made the discovery only
that morning, although now she told
herself II she hadn't been so busy
} with the babies and the house she
might have suspected something long
ago. Why, way back in June, wher
they had the coatmakers' excursion
up to Bear Mountain, and he hat
started to talk about that Rose Nor
ris. Trying to be just to her husband
Minnie reminded herself that Ben hat
begged her to come along. Sh'
hadn't enjoyed a single excursion
since the first few months of theiI