The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1922-03-02
Mama :"
Just what l say Ilmean."


travellers cap smiled down at Miss
Lefkovitch blushing there beside her
mother the rich raspberry red of
shame.
Your mama's all right, Miss Els.
the1. She isn't going to let any of the
fellows on this boat get too fresh with
her, are you, Mrs. LefkOvitch?"
She would venture no reply, but
passed the field-glasses, via her ugh
ter, back to him. ,onl
Il tell you, Aaron. Colt sci = if
that black line what we see OF t.lere
is land under our feet. Just see how
far away it looks"
Mr.. LefkOvitch thrust forward a
face covered with a stubble Of black
and gray beard. A smile broke through
it like the white grin Of a faun show
ing through bracken.
"Humph!" he said. Mama, 1 tell
you but that is a sight for you"
Bent were his shoulders as if across
his back lay pack filled with years.
-Four decades previous there had been
pack there-a literal pack of the
small goods a housewife buys at her
stoop. Time and the inch-for-inch
doggedness that had stopped his Shout
ders had metamorphosed that pack
on the back into pIate-glass en-
porium with mahogany inners, occupy
ing twenty-five leased feet Of the most
expensive Broadway frontage in the
world.
But even Atlas relieved of his vault
would, for sheer physiological reasons,
have to face the world stoop-shoul-
dered. So Aaron Lefkovitch, with his
latter years light, still let his head
rest like a bah in the valley between
his shoulders.
THAT such a piece of string out
there. Bertha, should be land"
Il tell you, it amt none too soon
for me. Enough of sea I've got. Never
so long until 1 die can l forget them
three rough days, Aaron. Like my
own feelings wasn't enough, l had to
have you yet on my neck and crying
like a baby I should lay down by you
to die"
Zach now, Bertha, never in my life
did l ask such thing"
Enough to see is enough, let me
tell you. Like l say ten times a day,
if not for you wanting Europe and to
meet new people. Esther, your papa
and me would ten times over rather
be home in our comfortable fiat in
New York. Amt it, Aaron? Ten
times more as this! Amt it, Aaron?"
ia, Bertha, but-enough Of your
life you've lived on land not to be so
restless on sea few days"
"On land, Aaron, many things can't
happen what happens on sea"
The tail end of her glance, pointed
and dartingly quick, was for Mr.. Dan
Tiger and his arm, which lay along her
daughters in an approach to a caress.
Mr.. Lefkoyitch turned from the rail
ing and the white froth of water kick
ing out from the ships huge flank
and the quiet sWish-swash of a quiet
sea, and quirked his left eye with
lightning-quick and vulpine slyness
toward Mr.. Danziger.
Tonight, DanZiger, Officer Childs
says we can have our last little game
up in the homegrown, so through the
windows we can see the Gibraltar
when she comes in sight"
aaron, I"
Zach now, Bertha; tomorrow don't
we land in Naples for good? l ask
you, the last night does it make any
difference a little game more or lessT
81 wish already this minute it was
time to get off the boat in Naples"
Zach now. Bertha, my last night on
the boat! What you bet when l got
up today I put on my winning clothes?
got on today enough winning clothes,
Danziger, to beat you if you are ten
times so lucky like always"
THAT talk, Aaron, don't get no.
where's with me. Lose just SO much
as you like. l don't worry no more.
That's how disguised me and the
ladies on this boat feel about how all
you men lose your shirts off your
backs to Mr.. Danziger. Pull here my
chair, Esther; that's how disguised l
feel. The shirt off your back you can
lose"
Mama! :"
Miss LefkOvitch lowered maiden
eyes before the allusiOn, assisted her
parent to the steamer chair and
packed the rug close about her frank
ly distend6d ankles.
''Mama, yOu-yOu mustn't say such
things"
Mice talk don't go no more with
your papa, Esther. I'm ashamed
enough too, that even in front of you
got to talk to him plain, like 1 feel"
But such a feeling l got in my
bones for winning tonight, Bertha,
you should know"
'All the feelings what you got in
your bones, Aaron, is rheumatism for
me to rub"
"Eh, Danziger, tonight right off
your back 1 win your shirt. Eth, you
Boogher, your
Mr.. Danziger relaxed his straight
figure against the jutting end of life
boat, blew away wreath Of cigarette
smoke and gazed seward. He was
grOomed, full Of good points, nor lack
ing in the ready smile that wins. Gray
&c ,rrffh an Sc, So -