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

events Of the previous day and night.
Days of ~bewildering completely fol-
lowed on his establishment in the fam
lily of Channon Lipvitch, as a cousin
from the farm, for so Elkan Nesser, a
malamud, advised. Slowly the river
dlmmed. Johnny Breen learned of syn.
agogues and rabbis. He thought the
whole world consisted Of the river and
the Ghetto, nothing else. Becka be-
came a dominant force in the direc-
ton Of his emotions. He burst out Of
his clothes, his strong body never tir-
ed. He could lift Becka high up SO
she might reach the top shelves in the
shop; she was often needing things
there, and then, suddenly, he refused
to lift her, but climbed up himself
and found nothing.
John had achieved a prime requisite
for worldly success. He was known
four and five blocks away as Fight
ing Lipvitch." He became a celebrity,
nothing less, elevated above the boys
on the street; on a par, in fact, with
young men four and five years his
senior in point of age and a decade
beyond him in worldly lore. The Gro
gan Gang, out for revenge, cru,sed the
Ghetto. John Breen, with brass knuckle
busters in his pockets, a reckless light
in his eyes, fought when there were NJ
more than two or three, and took to
his heels before a gang. He rather lik-
ed fighting, it added to his popularity.
He began to absorb the philosophy of
the Ghetto, the kindly brotherhood Of
those who live within the pale. He
also absorbed a tremendous stock OF
self-conceit and confidence. Once he
hit a rash young mar such a terrific
crack, the blow landed on his chin,
that the victim lay for a half hour un-
conscious. The story grew by telling
and the fame of John Breen took on
dduSO oIdIulCs
Fighting kept his mind alert and
made him wary, while, dim thoughts
of things beyond the tenements, of
wide and great mansions,
crossed his consciousness in dreams.
John learned hat millionaire were in
the city, powerful, kindly, and i'm
mensely rich, looking about for worthy
daughters of Israel. He suspected that
miles and miles beyond them lay vast
territories u~nexplored.
A month in the Clothing Emporium
New and Second Hand-found John
Breen part of a routine that included
every phase of the business, that is,
every phase of it but the receipt of
wages. John lay awake at night re-
viewing the bitter struggle and work.
ed the harder by day. He arose 1T five
thirty, an hour before Lipvitch, and
in the dark, murky room he slipped
on his trousers, and with shirt in hand,
went to the Uttered tub.
In those mornings John worked
hard and fast to get out on the stree:
and then he idled about until the COM
ing of Lipvitch. The street was an end
less show, a constantly changing tap
estry with human figures hung on
frames of brick.
AS the mornings followed each other
and his fame expanded, John Breen
kept a wary eye for ruffians trudging
to and from the river. His stay at the
Clothing Emporium became more and
more perilous. The Grogan Gang was
laying" for him. He avoided the riv-
er front and kept away from the Bow
cry. Once, on a Saturday night, walk
ing with Becka, arm in arm, and deep
in the mysteries of river lore, for John
told her everything he could reme,n-
Der, he was suddenly confronted by a
crowd of toughs.
That's i'm! That's tina figh-in'
kyke!'
Set on from front and back he was
numerically beaten, kicked and maui
ed. Becka, screaming, ran to the cor
ner crying, 'Moider, perlice!-moider!
-perlice!" Her frantic screams were
heard for a block and a cop, provi-
dentially near, rushed to the scene in
time to save John Breen from COM
plete humiliation.
Becka supported him, carried him
home, a bloody battered gladiator.
Becka was his nurse, tended him, wash
ed his cuts and bruises, and got raw
beefsteak from Mrs. Yartin for hi,
blackened eyes. She sat on his couch
and cried over him, caressed him, he,
hero.
And so the months went by in Z
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