The Denver Jewish news., 1920-10-13
The Untouched Bread
BY Yeisher. in the Daily Forward


\ Translated from the Yiddish for the
Denver Jewish News by Jennie Ber-
kOwitz)
! As night fell. Bryndcl, pale, thin
woman of thirty-eisht. put her two
children, boy of four and girl of
six. to sleep. What else could she do?
They were cold and hungry. and to
put them 10 bed was surely the best
remedy TO forget their hunger.
There was no food in the house.
| For two or three days not crust
could have been found. anu tne chill
dren and Bryndel were weak and shiv-
ering from fever and cold. Bryndel
watched the sleeping forms of her
children. and. being chilled herself.
she lay near them and tried to warm
them.
! The children awoke and began beg
ging for bread. and in order TO dis
tract their thoughts she told them stor-
les of Elijah. the prophet. of how he
came to poor people and saved them
from death. and about the saints who
could withstand the wizard. She also
told them about the rabbi. his wife
and little son. Then she told them
how happy they would be soon, when
their father would come home from
the war and bring them toys. Pretty
clothes. little boots. and above all.
food
The children's imagination was
greatly stirred and they built bright
and rosy dreams. They saw their ia
thcr coming home with his arms full
! of things for them. and AS they lay
there thinking it all over. they fell
asleep again, with a sweet smile on
their wan little faces, radiating the
pleasure their rosy thoughts were Civ
ing them. Bryndcl. living near them.
was racking her brain to find a solu-
tjon to her problems. but as her tired
brain refused to think any longer. she
too fell asleep.
II was late. Suddenly she jumped
| up. Had she been asleep? She
glanced soundly Then she dressed
sleepiny soundly. Then she dressed
| herself In n few rags and cautiously
Stepped To the door. She turned back
| TO light the lamp. but then reconsidcrrd
| that IL she used the oil now. she would
have none later, and where would she
! get the money to buy more oil: In
the main her thoughts were for her
children. who she knew would ava.
I Ken II they saw light I'm the room
Bryndel then stepped over to her
sleepiny children and listened TO their
| uneven breathing. Walking slowly and
quietly. not to disturb them, she opened
4 he door and took another glance at
them. and stole out like shadow
Outside. everything was dark and
drcury, RryndeI locked the door he
hind her. hut as she did so. she nut
| her enr TO the door: NOT n sound could
! ie heard She stood a few moments
listening and waiting. What was it
thar yripped her heart and made her
| feel so uneasy: Surely she had often
before locked her children in while
t,uy were sleepiur, Yet never before
Ind she felt SO reluctant to lenye her
bohes How could she leave them
| on a night like thisy She must she
must he going. and with an aching
boor, Sb. turned away from tho door
and went slowly down the hall to the
Ignite where she waited for the iani-
tor to open il for her Bryndel rang
he bell, there was no answer, and af-
| tor ringing II ,paip and again the ian
| itor finally came out to answer the
call.
He carried a lantern in his hand
| which thrpw a very dim light into the