The Denver Jewish news., 1922-10-04
the TRUE STORY
OF Two ORPHANS

orphans beginning In Lithuania and
touching the shores of America. with "a
glimpse of the workings of American
immigration laws, comes to Its happy
ending" In Riga where II brings to light
one of the many philanthrOpies Of
Dad" Joseph SchOnthal. of Columbus.
Ohio. who is maintaining an orphan
home In one of the suburbs of kiga.
1t IL told by Miss s. Feiertag. New
York school teacher. and is one of the
most moving human interest tales
that have been told In many "A day..
Riga. Latvia, July IL
My dear Mr.. SchOnthal:
have to tell you story almost
stranger than fiction" On June l4th
left New York single and chil,lless.
Two weeks later landed in Libau still
sirgle but with two little children. five
n1d ten years old. And this is how 1t
happened.
Two days out Mt sea. heard, that
there were In steerage two little girls
travelling alone and evidently very
poor and. unhappy. I looked them up
and found two lovely children-in spite
Of their poverty and sufferings just as
sweet as the most fortunate sisters.
They soon won the sympathy Of the
captain and passengers and this is
their story; they came from Jossiy. n
poor Lithuanian village where their
father Is cobbler. as poor as Job.
Three years ago their mother died.
The father married again and "A tho
stepmother had two children Of her
own and there was not half enough
for all, the older girl (then only seven
years ODD was hired out az nurse
to an infant one year old and her sal
ary was 20 roubles-fOur cents month
she contributed towards her little sis.
ter's board. for the sepmother threat
ened to turn that child ont too! Thru
friends their mothers sister In Brook
lyn heard OF their sad life and having
no children Of her own she applied for
and got permission from Washington
to bring the children over. ,s +,
'unfcrtusately While they were On
their way the authorities learned that
the aunt was not able to support them.
that they were liable to become public
charges and as soon as they landet,
they were mercilessly deported. SO
within six weeks these two little waits
crossed the ocean twice.
Az they were half naked and bare
foot, We passengers arranged a little
entertainment for their benefit. We col
lected $500 and this money and the
children were entrusted to me rs I
was one of the few people going to
Libau, from which port they had sail
ed and where they had to Ike returned
to the Emmlgration Bureau. And now
the poor, little children's real trouble
began. The captains responsibility end
ed as soon as he had delivered them
to the EmmigrAtion Bureau. theirs
ended when they had received the chill.
dren, but they could not take care of
them nor find or provide home for
them, and the children begged not to
be sent back to their stepmother. As
1 could not possibly leave them in
the street, took them with me to
Riga kept them In my family till !
could find home for them. Then !
heard Of your wonderful "Ferien
KolOnie" in Assem-. interviewed Mr..
Heyman, the Joint Distribution COM
mitee representative. through whose
Kindness and sympathy, two days later
the children were admitted and sent
out there and the next day l went
out to visit them-I have grown so fond
Of them! -
Sir, 1 do not know who and whnt
you are hut hope you are as happy
as you deserve and know of no better
reward for the noble, work you are
doing here than the wish that you may
be permitted to see the good you are
doing.
1 found a beautiful large. sunny
airy house, right In the pine woods,
spotlessly clean, in the care of a love
ly motherly matron and the warm
home atmosphere, SO essential and
characteristic of the Jewish home. Tie
children had gone bathing when ]
came, but before could see them
when they returned their cheerful
singing told me they were well taken
care of. The fresh. happy round faces
their free, fearless manner. their af-
fectionate clinging to their teachers
all that told the tale. 1t is only
thanks to your kindness and generosity
that these children-the poorest of the
poor-get glimpse of happiness-nay
their good wishes for you come true
MY children have been admitted till
September LIST. after that they will he
placed in an Orphan Asylum here in
Riga in which l am interested and