so well, and the days of her youth and
happiness, she smiled. Her eyes full of tears did not look at her
great-grandson, but somewhere far beyond, and she began to whisper:

"The day he quarrelled with Reb Nohim and angered the people, he came
home and sat down sorrowful upon the bench and called his wife,
Freida. Freida was then young and beautiful; she wore a white turban
and stood before the kitchen fire, looking after the servants; but
when she heard her husband's voice, she went at once and stood before
him, waiting for his words. 'Freida!' he said, 'where the writing of
the Senior?'"

Then suddenly the whisper ceased. The young man sitting at her feet
pressed his hands convulsively together and asked again:

"Bobe! where is the writing of the Senior?"

The old woman gently swayed her head, and her lips moved.

"He asked: 'Where is the writing of the Senior? Did the Senior bury
it in the ground? No! he could not have buried it, as dampness and
worms would have destroyed it. Did he hide it in the walls? No! he
knew that fire might destroy the walls. Where did he hide it?' Thus
asked Hersh, and his wife Freida pondered over his words and then
pointed at the bookcase where the Senior's old books were preserved,
and said: 'Hersh my Hersh! the writing is there.' When Freida said
that, Hersh rejoiced and said: 'You, Freida, have a wise head, and
your soul is as beautiful as your eyes.'"

And smiling at the dim pictures of her youthful days, she whispered:

"Then he said: 'A virtuous woman is far above rubies and her husband
doth trust her!'"

The young man looked at her with entreating eyes, and again asked:

"Bobe! what did Hersh do with the writing?"

The old woman did not answer at once, but her lips moved silently as
if she spoke with an invisible being, and then took up the thread of
her tale again:

"Hersh came back from a long journey, deeply grieved, and said to
Freida: 'Everything is lost. We must bide the Senior's writing again;
it is no use now.' Freida asked: 'Hersh! where will you hide the
writing?' Hersh replied: 'I will hide it where it was before, and you
alone, Freida, will know the secret.'"

Meir's eyes sparkled with sudden joy.

"Bobe! is the writing there?" And he pointed at the old bookcase.

Freida gave no answer, but continued in a whisper:

"He said: 'You alone will know the secret. And when the time is
drawing near and your soul is about to leave your body, tell it to
the son