The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1923-04-13
Old Mendel Goes
to Rachel
By ERNEST LEVINE
ssssssesscesssssSsSsSsssSe
20, 1922. Western Newspaper Union.)

five to push his cart laden with CHEAP
underwear along the streets Of the
East side. But the habits Of a life
time are difficult to eradicate, ant
Mendel had been doing 1t for thirty
five years.
He had come over from Poland In
the prime of life, determined to make
fortune and then send for his wife
Rachel. They had been married ten
years, and, though they had no chill
dren, they had always been happy
I together, since they first became sweet
hearts as boy and girl.
Mendel had not prospered at first
1t had taken him two years in q
sweatshop to save up enough money
TO acquire pusheart, and then the
saving up for the steamship fare was
slow process. At last, however, he
was able to send the money.
A letter came back inclosing 1t.
Rachel had died Of typhus about the
time Mendel was buying the draft on
the Warsaw bank.
She had died, fancylng that he was
standing beside her bed, and that same
night Mendel had had such q strange
dream Of her.
He had dreamed he was home, but
in strange house and holding Rach-
els hand, and she had told him that
she could not come over Immediately,
but that she would come soon and
all would be well.
Old Mendel was dazed by the news.
For week he did something that no
self-respecting Jew would think Of do
In Hester street with his pushcart
again.
Time passed. The neighbors who
had pitied him, began to look askance
at him. why doesn't Mendel get
married again?" they asked. They
knew he had tidy sum put by.
Mendel did not marry again, and
after a while he was accepted as
confirmed old widower. And he was
growing old, so that the girls no long
er looked at him. His hair whitened,
he let his beard grow long.
Old Mendel had twelve thousand
dollars In the bank There was no
reason why he should have continued
to push his cart. But every day he
was seen In the streets, calling his
wares mechanically. Nobody bought
Of Mendel, for all his goods were out
of style. They only said, There goes
Old Mendell"
odd Mendel loved the streets, the
swarming children, for whom he had
a pat on the head, and sometimes
penny. He loved the sights and smells |
Of the East side. 1t was his life, II |
was the life to which he had meant |
10 bring Rachel. He often fancied |
hat she was with him. Sometimes
people would hear him muttering, but
hey did NIT know he was talking to
Ter. They only said, sold Mendel's
,etting queer" ss5
The day was so bright and warm
Did Mendei sat down on doorstep,
lis pushcart standing In the road. Tie
who knew Old Mendel,
ooked the other way when he saw
hat Old Mendel was sleeping. Grad
ally the hum of conversation, the ro.r
4 the traffic passed into n dull mono
one, and Old Mendcl dreamed.
1t was so vivid a dream that he might
ave been living. He saw Rachel
landing before him with outstretched
rms and such a sweet smile on her
ace. And 1t was not Rachel as she
'ould have been, not even as she had
cen when they. kissed each other
$ she was when he first courted her.
And the first thought that came to
Id Mendel was. II am too old. Why
asn't she changed In all these years?"
But Rachel kissed him and said, tits
cen a long waiting for you, my dear,
ut I've managed to come at last"
Mendel forgot that 1t was q dream.
Tod bless you, Rachelr p he said. I'm
Ding to take such a nice apartment
II you-four rooms and a bath. And
We got twelve thousand saved up, so
e can buy our furniture outright.1
ut l dreamed you were dead, and I've
zen so unhappy"
IhereS no Sucn thing as death, my |
EAR" she answered smilingly. Here
We been walking up and down Hester q,
rect beside you for years, trying to
Tx to you. and sometimes you an u
vered me, but you were never quite L
re 1t was l." III,
Mendel remembered that he had c
Hen asleep. promise me that this :,
ut dream T. he pleaded. "Have
u really come back to me foreverrr d
Forever and ever" answered Rach- II
softly, as she drew his head down L
her breast. IL,
The policeman, returning on his pa n
u, glanced at Mendel again. "The .,
mans having n long Sleep he y
ought. He crossed the rood .and eN