It was late; very late; about eleven o'clock. Everyone was still standing along side the bedroom door. Suddenly Minnie ran out screaming into the hall. Her hair was all askew and pools of tears were running down her face. Throughout the all on the floors of the tenement the wailing could be heard. The chant, mournful in any language and even more heartbreaking in the Hebrew began. The old-man was dying.

Eighteen years old his children judged him. Never once had his vanity allowed him to admit his real age. Eighty-two years of life; and now his honors of honors he was passing away on the Lord's day; his face Shabeth.

Even now he was not yet dead, but lingering in his still sleep between the bed in which he lay and the eternal home. Now Louis his youngest son, cried. Tears of remorse and fear were intermingling. All his life he had loved his father and his mother; all his life he feared death; now both were being consumated in one act before his eyes.

Everyone was crying except the grand-son who looked sad, and his father who was taking charge. Why did the grandsons stand by? He loved his mother's father. In the same room ever since the old-man's wife had died they lived together. While the old one was ill for two years the boy helped him hobble about from room to room; helped and took care of the many medicines, shaved and washed him. Now that he was dying the room would be his; the only inheritance, no money would be left nor anything of value, but memories.

A doctor across the street was examining the prostrate body and in theatrical fashion slowly this head. So

this was it; he was going to die and nothing could stop him. It was a long time to live the boy thought, but he knew the old-man didn't want to go, not because he wanted to live but he was possessed with the same fear that his son was showing, fear of death. Once before about three months ago he had tried to hang himself, but yelled for help when the house began to grow taut. The children took away the cord from his dressing robe.

Moishe the grandson turned and looked at his grandfather. One eye, the blind one, was starting coldly into space. Unmindful of the sorrow for him. On the floor next to the bed, the daughter was silently weeping. A tear was drawn significantly over the body.

Saturday was cold and clammy for August. Through a brightened portion of the cloud covered sky the place of the sun was ascertained as if through waxed-paper. Warmer, about eight o'clock, the body was cleaned and dressed in a shroud-like covering; the garment of the orthodox dead, by his side on the board which the men had brought lay his tallith and phillaretories. His best yomamah was on his head, as a good Jew he was going to meet his God, not unprepared.

Over the house only subdued weeping and sobbing was heard. Only once in a while when Minnie began to grow more hysterical she screamed and tore at her clothes and then--- stopped as quickly as she started. Neither she nor her sister, the boy's mother had let up their vigil. Carpet slippers replaced shoes and white sheets covered all the mirrors. After the burial that afternoon would begin the ten days shivens. Ten days of mourning and bereavement not only by the family, but by friends and acquaintances. Next ten days must come, but that was the way to disheartening the dead.

(3)

the old-man had lived and that was the way it would be.

An hour later the man in charge of the burial survived, between the two assistants following in was a long white, sweet smelling box; pine wood. This was the coffin, because it seemed plain and ordinary the coffin carried an air of austerit... Metal fittings and plush and carving were all absent, not even nails but wooden pegs held the sides together. Only wood and earth would surround the body.

The entrance of these men only, served to bring from what daughters seemed to be chanting: "Of course... why why why why-y-y-y?" now we carry it through the apartment house and into the street.

At the burial while the coffin was being lowered the wooden cover became dislodged from wooden box and in that brief space of time it started to rain. Some of the rain fell into the box, and the old-man was buried.

-end-