Yeshiva University High School For Boys - Elchanite Yearbook (New York, NY)

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.Seventy-Four THE ELCHANITE The Revenge of Prince Yoshel PHILIP Bl'R.-XCK. RE the jade-eyed, feline creatures had ceased their horrible protests to the hard greyish heavens the myr- iad streets of the Ghetto were alive. Dirty clouds of factory smoke en- shrouded the labyrinth of streets in gloom. while far in the distance the metallic sun rose like a jack in the box from among numerous ash cans. And over all smoke-and dust-and pandemoniunr- Vaiber. vaiber. feesh. cheap. vai- ber. cheap. vaiber. feeshf' Corpulent women. fair women, wizened women stroll along. critical- ly surveying the broken. ill-smelling carts with the shrewed eyes ot con- noisseurs and with a manner strik- ingly akin to that of the more sum- ptuously clad Fifth Avenue promen- aders. XVomen are alike every- where. Here a. push-cart has been overthrown and the iishmonger is wallowing among the gasping fish in the pool. He had been a bit too poetical. He had only likened in a fit or passionate eloquence the eyes oif a dead fish to those of a prospect- ive tustomer. Noise-noise. Sudden- ly a vigrorous voice rises transfzend- ing the others ti smh -1 degree that it verily seems to come from the entire babbling. garrolous multitude -a voice still redolent, with youth and accompanying melody- 'tEast Side. Vest Side All avec from down townf' Yoshel skipped gaily along. his tobacco-stained moustache dancing joyously with the extremities of his careering beard. The silk hat that he had cajoled from Benkel. the junk-pedler. sat pertly askew on his head and seemed about to fall from its dangerous perch at every moment, but always changed its senseless mind. Yoshel sings-and why not? To- day is Friday! Collection Day! But why tell more of the famous charact- er. Yoshel the schnorrer of the East Side? Une need only look at the blazing bandanna so attectionately embracing his neck and at that long majestic beard on his leonine feat- ures to know that here is no common schnorrer: that here is a member of the schnorrer's nobility-a veritable prince. But even a prince has dreams and to-day Yoshel had his share of Utopian chimeras, of sweet cakes. dainty dishes. luscious puddings and other targrant dreams that invariab- ly preceded his weekly round. They swam in his brain until the very music which filled his head had to seek escape and flow through his open lips in a steady. pleasant stream of song. The reflection of lustrous coins was already in his flashing eyes and his beard danced still more joy- ously with the thought- of soon plunging itself in ineffable ecstasy into a plate of warm. light-greenish soup with thick streaks of fat shining and glistening with the rays of the lamp that shattered themeslves over

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THE ELCHJNITE Seventy-Three and a Jcw. Un a bed ot long: nccdlcs thc old Jcw lay st1'11g'g'li11g'. lirands of firc wcrc put to thc balls of his fcct. Phila could tcll that screams rt-nt thc air by thc agony on his bcardcd facc. Thc barc brcast hcavcd rapidly and his brcath bc- came shorter and shortcr. H1-iglit blood bcgan to gush in scarlct spurts from his wounds. Suddcnly thc body relaxcd and bt-camc limp and lifc- lt-ss... Another picture quickly flashcd. A smouldcring villagc in ashcs, a cavalry of rcd horscmcn riding' by, thc shricks of womcn, the scrcams of habcs and thc pilcs of dcad and woundcd showcd again F'ate's mcrcilcss hand... Still anothcr sccnc. A boy tlceingg' with a Se-ifer Torah in his arms... A Cossack pursuing' with a iicndish grin... A stccly bayonct... a quick thrust... and it was donc... Phila could stand it no longw-r. Hc Hung' himsclt at thc old philosophcr's 11-ct' sobbing' brokcnly. NVQ-t tcars dimmcd his cycs and fcll down his fair shocks. Hot and salty hc tastcd thc tcars on his lips. In vain he tried to stiflc thc sobs that shook his framc. lt sccmcd as if his hcart would brcak. Hut. :xt-ntly. thc old philosophcr took thc tcvcrcd brow in his hands and spoko: Nay, my son. do not cry. For at thcc, thc cldcrs of Isracl arc cast- ing' thcir cycs to scc whcthcr you will carry aloft thc torch of Life for gcncrations yct unborn. Go and disscminatc thy knowlcdgc to thosc who havc wandcrcd from thc straigght path that thcy may soc and undcrstand. Tha- 'll0I'Z1,ll has bccn thc guiding' light of Isracl for ccnturics past and that is why it still cxists and cvcr will cxistf' Just thcn thc sun camc into vicw of thc cavc and illumincd thc whole interior. W H YA? 77'l'7m1.' is -ygggqw y+,..J,:,. ,W v., JKT: :. flixatfz sqft, ters , -1'

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THE ELCHANITE Seventy-F1've the fat globules and clung' to the hairs of his beard till his whole face was gleaming' a11d warm. And so with a melody on his lips Yoshel taps on a door. Yon know-ow. Mrs. Jacobs. to day ees Friday-erev Shaboshf' Mrs. Jacobs regarded him in a strangely ominous manner. Vot. you ganef, you com again ven I only just gafe it to anoder. avec!,' Staggered. stupefied. Yoshel fell back. NVhat did this mean? Another schnorrtr? He. the oftlcial schnorrer for tive years to have competition now? XVas another to enter his dom- ains, violate all treaties. all sacred documents. all unwritten laws of the Sehnorrer's Exalted Kingdom? No, no, it could not be! It was only an excuse. She did not have any money now! Yes, that was it. Hopefully but a trifle less confidently, Yoshel tapped on another door. The next moment a figure was flying' down the street, fingers convulsively work- ing' at a white pasty substance covering' his face and beard-a sub- stance strangely similar to dough. Too true! Too true! Yoshel's beard fell and ceased its dancing. 0 dreams. how you bring' us happiness. yet take it away leaving' us more desolate with their fading than before! O. evanescent plate of soup! The mous- tache fell, the tails of his frock-coat drooped dejectedly and in ready sympathy the insensate stove-pipe drooped eonsolingly over his head and fell on his acquiline. drooping' nose with a sqeaking' strangled sound of woe. Diseonsolately Yoshel trudg- ed home. lVise Yoshel had saved a neat little sum of money. t'For a 'snowing' day. he eomplacently thought. It was cvidentl-too evident-that the snowing ' day had arrived and Yoshel prepared to utilize his com- forter. if if ii Tap! Tap! Tap! Mr. Yankel lionkowieh awoke with a start from his pleasant somnolence. lmmersed in a heap of thrilling melo- dramas. cheap cigar stumps and spotum he had been congratulating' himself upon his success in the in- vasion of Yoshel's territory. But now Yankel was all action. VViti1 alaerity born of long' practice he threw all the vile trash into a near- by hidden basket. Then he Hung' his head into his outstretched arms and began to weep bitterly. An onlooker would have thought he was a starv- ing. heart-broken creature. had he not been quickly undeeeived by the repulsive mound of obesity and the splitting vest beneath the table. Yan- kel placed an onion eoaxingly near his retreating' nose. and the rising' wails and the sobbing' voice in which he cried out cum in would have melted a heart of stone. The door swung' back drearily upon its creaking hinges. 1'eluctant to admit one into such a room. Framed in the doorway was a majes- tic figure,-a figure majestic enough to compel any one 's admiration. even the snivelling' Yankel's. Tall and thin. he stood. with aseetic features. covered by a long' jet-black beard and drooping' moustache. and over all a sympathetic audacious stove- pipt- hat. The waist-coat would