The Denver Jewish news., 1924-11-06
The Little Shatchonim
Hy t. II. rouTCUER

NlHhl Nllll, Nnu li'ilr hiut. tlll Y gel
MI, butlpn-l, Qut idgrtlnr nrouu,
like that behave for once" Thb
VII, moi exactly the equivalent for III,
Nlddish of Sarah Erhstrln. hut It ycry
nearly amounted Ia the above.
lo,cph'S eye, fllcl with tears, hut h,
said nothing II was only year since
his mother hud died OF her he had a
very distinct recollection. and he
rhoughl Of the times when she helped
him nut on his suit L. attend Smul. Ne
harsh complaints only playful child.
ing mt The most ,oftcncd by her divine
smile. and then probably Kiss on the
forehead 10 take away the memory Of
any sting.
Joseph WIS Just few months pnst
five. Since his mothers death his
fathers sister hnd come To live with
them and take care Of the house. She
had been In the United States short
time when Mr.. Erhstein Informed her
NJ the death nf his wife and asked her
to come and keep house for him She
was soured oldfashloncd woman
once married In the old country. where
her husband had die,l. leaving her
with one child girl She had brought
the girl with her, who was about ten
years of age. Joseph had developed II
diStnStc for her and. being frank and
open. had soon gained tho dislike. Sc
cret. hut the more hurtful, of both of
them
JoSeph's father was Storekecpcr-
| his store was Just in frcnt NJ the living
rooms. II kept him occupied most of
/ the time. while Joseph was thrown into
the uncongcnial company Of his aunt
or her daughter. except on those rare
occasions when they were away, or his
father might take few moments or
to spend them with him. Al that, time
/ his eyes would I'LL with tears as he
/ fondled the little hoy and. though Jos
cph was often on the verge Of complain
ing. yet he knew his father was think.
ing of his mother and he did not care
tc worry him
Today was Sh'mini Atzcreth and the
Iahrzeit Of hi. mother. His fathers
place of business had been closed all
the day before and would remain closed
today for the closing days of Succoth
He had just left the room for n min
ute 10 get his Tulith. and. returning.
he found .Ioscoh brushing his shoes and
ready To accompany him. Bidding
goodbye To his. aunt. Joseph took his
fathers Tnlith Beutcl, which he al
ways proudly carried. and together
they left the house
A. they turned in thc direction of
7 the ShuI. Joseph heard his nnme
called. ON the other SIDE Of the street
was Rachel Gimpel aud her mother.
Rachel had been .Ioseph'S girl ever
since she had first come into the store
with her mother two months before.
Mrs Ginlpcl WIS n widow. her hus-
band having been killed several years
before. A. they lived within block
of the store. and when Joseph could
get away he would dare the tnunts of
his friends to 20 and play with Rachel
Several M,.ll-mcaning busy bodies,
Shatchonim, had even approached Mr.
Epstein on the subject Of his marriage
with the pretty widow.
1 So it was with II hint of embarrass-
inent that he now spoke TO her aS he
crossed the street. The children, how
ever. Were happy in its each others
companion>hip aS they romped along.
Joseph and Rachel We're busy talk
| ing ohliviouS To- everything else Jos
eph told Rachel he would return with
/ his father 10 ShuI that afternoon and
] She promised To meet him there in the
/ Succnh IL she could get away from
home. for Joseph had many things to
tell her.
II was only short walk To the
| Nulls slNl NJ INV 'l''ll lllFN pan ll''ls III
Epstein going with Joseph 10 his pew
in the front and Rachel and her
mamma taking II seat in the back.
The reader was just finishing the
Torah portion fer the day. After the
reading Of Maftir, Joseph knew that
the Nizcor service would he said. and
.Iu>eph'S eyes filed with tears a
moment at the thought Of this mem
nrial service for his departed mother
He saw the ChaZun take his place
again on the Bimnh But everything
locked 81 S0mhre. 50 matter uf fact to
him. The SonOrouS it0nntiouS Of the
Chazan. the stained glass windows
through which the feeble rays of the
sun struggled half Enthusiastically. thc
walls that arose half forhidding be,
tween which were the rows NJ seats
half filled with worShipUcrs in bored
attitudes. the formidable looking oror
or Ark Of the law. all were So prOsaic