The Living Age Volume 167 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1885 Excerpt: ...joys in store for him. Hitherto he had played no particular part in his native place, nor even in his own family. Both his wives had been strongerminded than himself, and had henpecked him accordingly. Also, although a fairly intelligent shopman and more than a match for any Christian customer, he had never shone in any particular capacity. There were wiser Jews, and wittier Jews, and Jews who cheated better, and others who had a greater reputation of sanctity in the place; whereas Mendele had always been considered to be just a commonplace, average Jew. It was true that his trade had not improved of late, and Rebecca's insinuations that he had made better bargains at forty than at sixty were not absolutely without foundation. Perhaps it was that his faculties, along with some of his wares, had gathered mildew in all these long years. He had grown accustomed to hear himself called beheimo (stupid head) by his sharper-witted wife, and scarcely resented this epithet. Now, however, all this was altered. Mendele was changed, or perhaps the change was in the inhabitants of Blotatyn, for they looked at him with different eyes. What had been slowness before had now become dignity, and what had seemed to them like stupidity, was but the lofty indifference of an immortal soul on the edge of the grave; in fact, though still actually clothed in ragged kaftan and slipshod slippers, Mendele Bluhdorn was already invested in the supernatural glory of halo and wings, and regarded in the light of a disembodied spirit. Virtues which no one had hitherto discovered in him were now brought to light, and lament was made over the death of so just a man. The widow in spe received visits of condolence from the best Hebrew families of the place. All this was naturally very sweet to ...