Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1932-07-08

the loud voices quoting While n
splash of running water sounded from
without. $50, you told it lies to me on
Shabbas?" He bristled, but Becka,
more voluble than her father, instant
ly replied.
"It's in back, Pa. Don't be so sud-
dent with calling me a liar. It's in the
house in back. l hear it splashing, like
you"
But Channon Lipvitch was right.
Water was splashing, if not in their
apartment, then near by. Ha, he was
right; his ears were not stuffed up.
Water taxes were vel in his mind
when faucets flowed. SWELL" he said,
'shud id off, Wy don'd you? Dell me,
who ISIS making sooch a splasch on
Shabbas?" He was a strict man with
his family-in the presence of visitors.
The girl, big for her age, and plump,
with an almost premature develop
ment, laughing and giggling, climbed
through a rear window of the Lip
witch home, the living, sleeping, eat
ing-room in back of the Clothing En-
porium-New and Second Hand. She
had to make a high step, a very high
step, for they were on the basement
floor, and the sills were high. Her
skirt was tight and long, in fact, as
she stretched one leg through the win
dow, the other was uncovered far
above the knee; a plump shapely leg.
Becka, standing on tiptoes, her skirts
lifted unnecessarily high, peered across
the narrow area between the build
ings. Through a broken window pane
she saw a boy splashing over a rusty
sink, under a tap of running water.
He held a piece of hard yellow laun-
dry soap and was working up a lath-
er; his hair and face were streaming
wet. The boy caught a glimpse of her,
his eyes were wide with fear-blue
eyes. She smiled at him. Then she
turned hurriedly, her skirts up over
her knees-her stockings were new
and she made the most of the occa-
sion. Breathlessly she jumped down in
to the Lipvitch living-room. "It's a
boigler," she declared, almost faint
ing. Tremendous excitement prevail
ed in the Lipvitch home. ., a
Quick, Papa, quick" Mrs. Lip
witch and Mrs. Yartin were urging
and helping the reluctant Lipvitch at
the window. Suddenly the water stop
ped. Lipvitch, in the area, caught "a
glimpse of a boys face at the broken
window. The little man, he was a head
shorter than his wife, struggled to
command his voice. He did not look
formidable in his black silk skull cap.
His features worked convulsively.
"Vot ISIS! Vot ISL" He exclaimed
excitedly. The boy looked harmless.
frightened. evil you come oudt?'
Lipvitch screamed. "Or if you don'd.
I-I-call polize!"
Papa, it's only a boy" Becka was
again climbing through the window
"Here, boy, come out to us" She
raped and ratified the weathered sash
Ids only a poy. Only a poy," Mr.
Lipvitch announced, as if terribly dis
appointed. He greeted Johnny with a
smile, and held out a scrawny hand tc
the strong fist of the boy who leaped
up without effort, a ragged, desperate
waif with wet hair and shining eyes
But Channon Lipvitch was trium-
plant. He had proven himself, with
the help of circumstances. Before one.
family and friends, bravery is a viz
tue.
The Lipvitch Clothing Emporium
New and Second Hand"-was not
unlike the barge Cavalier, in shape, al
least.
1t was a nice little business, buying
and selling. In the back, branching
from a dark, narrow hallway with s.:
splintered pine floor, were the work
rooms lit by naked yellow gas jets ane
crowded during ten hours of the day
with operators on pants and vests
Lipvitch took in piece work on thu
less difficult parts"c manufacture
hiring his help from the tenements Of
the street. His stock did not spoil, hi
bought cheap and sold at a profit, ever
when protesting with vehemence thai
his loss was great. Back of the two
work rooms came the kitchen, small
and dark, opening to the living room
in the rear. At one side of this, back
of a sink, to save plumbing, was >ths
bathroom. And the back room, thu
home of the Lipvitch family, where
they entertained their friends, at
their meals, and slept, stretched th'
full seventeen feet from party wall tt
party wall. Here father, mother, Beck
and the twins, Muriel and Constance
The Iatter inst able to walk. were shell