Year: 1879

during which Joseph had his eyes liked
on the steam arising from the boiling
tea kettle with pleasant expression in
his countenance. | thought that my re-
marks had produced this effect on him,
and was about to make another remark,
when he said


Is it not curious, Henry, how our
| thoughts sometimes react on our actions
in direction quite contrary to their ma
ture? [ have been indulging myself
with very pleasant recollections before
you came, and yet when | began to
speak to you [ was anything but pleas
ant. You are not angry with me, my
dear fellow, are you?'


Angry? Go to the deuce. | shall
be angry, indeed, if you will keep me
here the whole evening moralizing and
philosophizing. At half after eleven |
must fetch my lady friend from the
theatre and take her to ball where |
shall have to remain with her. Let US
have stroll on the Neuskoy in the mean
time"


Anything to avoid your anger" Jo-
seph said. He put on his fur-coat, and
we went out for walk. My driver
whom had left waiting with the sleigh
at the door followed us at slow pace.


Why don't you send the poor fellow
home ?" Joseph asked me.


I shall need him at the theatre and
at the ball"


Thus he must keep awake and in
the cold, while his master amuses him
self?"


He is paid for it he is used to it,"
[ answered.


"Ah, you have grown aristocratic [
forgot that


Now don't fall into your satirical
mood again. The few has been sleep
ing the whole day If send him home
now, before he arrives thither and un-
bitches the horse, it will be time to
hitch it up again and to call for me at
the theatre. | assure you that he feels
so warm and comfortable wrapped up in
his furs in his seat, that he would not
thank me at all for sending him home
and ordering him to be up again in two
hours"


Perhaps you are right, but we of the
lower strata cannot comprehend it..
Do you keep extra drivers for the
night ?"


Certainly There are six of them
at the house, and they change off duty
Three must always be on the alert, while
the other three take their rest. IF we
have guests at the house, we take more
drivers and more horses and stable boys
to do duty. Each man is allowed full
twelve hours for himself during the
day. This fellow will be ON duty wait
ing on me until the morning"
And when will you take your rest ?"


Until ten in the morning, and then
again from three O'Clock in the after
noop.'


Well, if this is high life, I would
prefer the lower one, the natural life, [
mean"


1T is matter of taste and of habit,
my dear fellow. You would get used to
it and like it as we'll as [ do"


How long is it since you are away
from home ?" Joseph asked.


Near four years"


You are an apt scholar in every re-
spect even as to adopting a new mode
of living"


Not in the least, my boy; [ have
been used to sit up nights at my studies
since a very early boyhood.


But not to excite yourself with en-
joyment and dancing the whole night p


Is not study an enjoyment, and ex-
citing, too; especially rabbinical stud
les? Believe me, that when | have no balls
or parties to attend [ take volume of
the talmud and spend my night at home
in the same excitement and with the
same enjoyment as at ball or party.