sye went off into a fresh peal of laughter, and the shovel fell out
of Shloimeh's hand.

Again he caught a glance, but this time she wrinkled her nose at him, as
much as to say, "Fie, you shameless boy! Can't you behave yourself even
before other people?"

Hereupon the infant gave account of itself in a small, shrill voice, and
the general commotion went on increasing. The overseer scolded, the
Matzes-printing-wheel creaked and squeaked, the bits of glass were
ground against the rolling-pins, there was a humming of songs and a
proclaiming of secrets, followed by bursts of laughter, Sossye's voice
ringing high above the rest.

And the sun shone into the room through the small window--a white spot
jumped around and kissed everyone there.

Is it the Spirit of Israel delighting in her young men and maidens and
whispering in their ears: "What if it _is_ Matzes-kneading, and what if
it _is_ Exile? Only let us be all together, only let us all be merry!"

Or is it the Spring, transformed into a white patch of sunshine, in
which all have equal share, and which has not forgotten to bring good
news into the house of Gedalyeh the Matzeh-baker?

A beautiful sun was preparing to set, and promised another fine day for
the morrow.

"Ding-dong, gul-gul-gul-gul-gul-gul!"

It was the convent bells calling the Christians to confession!

All tongues were silenced round the tables at Gedalyeh the baker's.

A streak of vapor dimmed the sun, and gloomy thoughts settled down upon
the hearts of the workers.

"Easter! _Their_ Easter is coming on!" and mothers' eyes sought their
children.

The white patch of sunshine suddenly gave a terrified leap across the
ceiling and vanished in a corner.

"Kik-kik, kik-rik, kik-rik," whispered the hot Matzes. Who is to know
what they say?

Who can tell, now that the Jews have baked this year's Matzes, how soon
_they_ will set about providing them with material for the
next?--"thoughts," and broken glass for the rolling-pins.

DAVID FRISCHMANN

Born, 1863, in Lodz, Russian Poland, of a family of merchants;
education, Jewish and secular, the latter with special attention to
foreign languages and literatures; has spent most of his life in Warsaw;
Hebrew critic, editor, poet, satirist, and writer of fairy tales;
translator of George Eliot's Daniel Deronda into Hebrew; contributor to
Sholom-Alechem's Juedische Volksbibliothek, Spektor's Hausfreund, and
various periodicals; editor of mon