od-night, and not another word was
spoken concerning the discussion.

"Uncle," said Mendel, as he was about to retire, "is not Harretzki a
very wise man?"

"My boy," replied his uncle; "our rabbis say, 'Much speech--much
folly.'"

CHAPTER XII.

FORBIDDEN BOOKS.

Philip remained in Kief about two weeks, during which time he was
hospitably entertained by the leaders of the Jewish community. There was
some difficulty in obtaining a passport for his parents, for, anxious as
the Russians are to expel the Jews, by a remarkable contrariety of human
nature they throw every obstacle in the way of a Jew who endeavors to
emigrate.

Mendel never missed an opportunity of passing Harretzki's house. It had
a strange fascination for him, and if he but saw the American at the
window and exchanged greetings with him, the boy returned home with a
happy heart.

Once--it was the day before Philip's departure--Mendel again passed the
wretched abode in which the stranger dwelt. The door was open and Philip
was busied with preparations for his coming voyage. Mendel gazed
wistfully for some minutes and finally mustered up courage to enter and
ask:

"Can I be of any service to you, sir?"

Philip, who had taken a decided fancy to the boy, said, kindly:

"Yes; you may assist me. Here are my books. Pack them into this chest."

With a reverence amounting almost to awe, Mendel took up the books one
by one and arranged them as Philip directed. Now and then he opened a
volume and endeavored to peer into the wondrous mysteries it contained,
but the characters were new to him; they were neither Hebrew nor
Russian, and the boy sighed as he piled the books upon each other.
Philip observed him with growing interest.

"Are you fond of books?" he asked, at length.

"Oh, yes. If I could but study," answered the boy, eagerly, and big
tears welled up into his eyes.

"And why can't you?"

"Because I have no books but our old Hebrew folios, and if I had they
would be taken from me."

"Continue to study the books you have," said Philip, "you will find much
to learn from them."

"But there are so many things to know that are not in our books. How I
should like to be as wise as you are."

Philip smiled, sorrowfully.

"I know very little," he answered. "I am not regarded as a particularly
well-educated person in my country. What good would learning do you in
Kief?"

"It would make me happy," answered the boy.

"No, child; it woul