The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-10-05
TWAS a Case
Of Duty
(0. l,2a western Newspaper Union,
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By MORRIS SCHULTZ
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(9. I92a Western Newspaper Union.)
AID UT don't understand. Yankel!"
- And Miriam Schwartz looked
up appealingly into the face OF her
lover.
II was no setting for love scene
the exterior of the griiny factory,
owned by old Yenezel, where half
thousand men and women tolled--
toiled all the time making Yenezers
boots. The whlr. of the machinery,
which had just stopped, still sounded
In their ears.
Yankel and Miriam had worked In
the same department three weeks, and
already they were head over ears in
love with each other. And lankel had
shown his love and yet never spoken
IL.
Until now 1t seemed impossible to
keep II back any longer.
Il oughtn't to have let you know /
cared, Miriam"
"But you did care, Yankel, and so
did l, and how could we help showing
itY
II shouldn't have let you see. l
ought TO have gone away"
But why, Yankel?"
Then Yankel told her. 1t was com
mon enough tragedy among the first
Amerlcan-born generation of immi-
grants families. There was Yankel,
the sole support of his mother and
two younger sisters. His father, who
had had a pushcart, had died recently
after long illness which had taken
every penny of their hard-scraped saw
Ings.
And Yankel must marry well. There
could be no thought of taking wife
for years to come.
And something had happened only a
few days before. Old Yenezel, the
owner of the boot factory, had sent
for Yankel.
you're a clever young fellow" he
had said. TOO good for this kind of
Job. Why don't you so through col
lege and become lawyer or a doc
tor?'
When Yankel innocently explained
the state of the family finances old
Yenezel laughed.
'lHhy don't you find rich girl who
puts you through college, then, and
you marries herr" he asked.
Then Yenezel came to his proposal.
lie had a daughter, Lily, the prettiest
girl Yanfel could find anywhere, He
wanted q husband for her and had had
his eye on Yankel as man with a
future. If Yankel would marry Lily
he would put him through college,
support his mother and sisters and
start him In profession.
And Yankel was to see YeneZel that
night.
Miriam listened coldly to Yankers
exposition. "rhat means you like her
more than me-" she said.
"But I've never seen her, Miriam
Only-only I guess I've got my duty
to do
I'm sorry ever saw you, then
said Miriam.
Miriam, can't we-part friendsT
But Miriam had only turned her
back and gone away with n disdain
ful shrug of her pretty shoulders.
And Yankel turned away, too, know.
ing that the ache In his heart could
never be assuaged.
And q dozen times on the way home
he was tempted to go to Miriam, ask
her to marry him, and-let the rest go
And he remembered his fathers
dying words: Take care Of your
mother and sisters, Yankel"
Well, II was all settled. There was
no use thinking about it. He must
just marry L,ly.
His mother, with no suspicion of the
facts, lowered round him as he put
on his best clothes. She put out O
clean shirt and collar, adjusted his tic
for him.
Good bless you, Yankel, you're 9
good boy" she said. !.
But Yankel's heart was like deatl
as he made his way to Yenezel's house
Old Yenezel greeted him with {
twinkle In his eye. my Lily, she b,
down soon," he said. "She's spruclni
herself up for you. My, fine couple
you'll make"
He left him. Presently Yankel heard
light step in the hall. The dool
opened.
Miriam stood there smiling.
But he would hardly have recog
nized the factory girl in this radlan
apparition in evening dress.
Yankel stepped toward her. mir
iami What--where's Lllyf"
I'm Lily" said Miriam, smiling
softly. "You see, father wanted m
to learn the business from the bottom
up, because I'm his only child. 1t wa
who asked father to-oh, must So
any more, Yankell Won't you Jus
tell me that you love me?"
sAsls-xs--