The Denver Jewish news., 1920-06-02
"Men and Gods"
From the Yiddish of Shalom Ash.
Translated by Hannah German.

rcInpf Win AHiolld 1dhlltoNHa III th'
little tumble-down house on the other
side of the river where the women wash
their linen. They have both been
widows for long time. Their chill
dren left them years before and went
ont into the world.
! GOlda's older son. Chayim. the shoe
maker once came home for festival
| from LODI, where he was working. He
began to make plans, in whispers, with
| Antonin's son. Antik. the carpenter.
The festival was over; but Chayim
made no sign of returning to his mas
ter. He went in and out of the house.
His mother locked up the bread and
quarrelled with him. One fine night
the two young men, Chayim and Antik,
disappeared They could not be found.
They had vanished, as if the sea had
swallowed them up. Coda quarrelled
with Antonio, AntOnia with Coda.
One said: Your son talked mine into
running away The other said the re-
verse. This went on for Il long time.
One fine morning Coda and Antonia
were standing at the door of their
little house opening thci, hearts one
to the other:
Where can they he now|
| Maybe they were drowned in the
sea-
Rear your children for food for
fishes!'
And. maybe they are alive said
the Jewess. optimistically.
And. maybe they are alive repeat
Ell the Gentle woman.
And, may he they have made their
fortunes
And. maybe they have their own
| fields and houses
And will help their poor mothers
in their old age
the letter-carrier.
.Goldalle. Goldalle, May you hear
good news. There's letter for you.
a letter from where"
"A letter by the boat from the other
side of the sea-
Clana handed her packet. For
the Gentle woman there was similar
packet.
They tore open the covers. First,
they took out two photographs of two
gentlemen in big hats. In his left
hand each held walking-stick. Their
right hands were claspcd i'm friend
ship.
| The women looked at the photo
graphs. Were these two gentlemen
their sons or not? Surely. they were
disguised.
My Chayim. walled the Jewess.
MY flesh, my blood walled the Gen
tile woman.
When the first excitement was over
they began to examine their newly
| found children.
My Chayim has not changed at all,
said the Jewess.
Neither has my Antik.'
Just look ut the chain across his
waistcoat: and the gloves. AS If he
were real gentleman
And see what big hat my son is
wearing, just as if he were Lord Den
kelv
.Ha. Jewish blood, SO. my son
had talked your son into evil ways!
| If it had not been for Chayim. how
would your son have got on" asked
the Jewess.
Il do not know yet of the fortune he
has made. He dresses himself up in
gold chain and has forgotten his Old
mother
We must go to Moshe the teacher.
He will read our letters for us
Both women wrapped themselves IN
their shawls and went off to Moshe
the teacher with their letters. Moshe
read that the writers were in good
health. and hoped to hear the same ot
their dear mothers. Then they wrote
that they had not forgotten their Old
mothers. They had had plenty Of
| troubles before they attained little
. prosperity. They We're both working
/ i'm the same factory and were earning
fifteen dollars week. But there was
not always work for them. And they
were sending their mothers pound
each. and would not forget them in
| the future. They finished their let
| tiers by saying that they had been
| writing the whole night and their lamp
| was going out. and they could not
write any more.
| In the packets were two pieces OF
blue paper for which Leipus' the
moneylender. after much bargaining
gave each woman seven rubles and
| fifty grOSchen,
That very day the two women went
| ia the craye-yards to tell their hus