Page:Meir Ezofovitch a novel, from the Polish of Eliza Orzeszko.djvu/87

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was a rustle amongst the branches^ sounds of quick motion^ presently the white creature appeared between the over- kanging branches of the birch-tree, and gazed with intelligent eyes at the young people.

"Come here," said Golda.

The goat came close to, and the girl stroked her silky, white hair, Meir stroked her, too, and smiled. The goat bleated and jumped into the air to reach a savory branch above.

"How obedient she is," said Meir.

"She loves me," said Golda, simply. "I brought her up, as zeide brought me up. She was a tiny kid when zeide brought her as a gift for me, and I carried it in my arms, fed it, and when it was ill, I sang to it as zeide sung to me." She smiled and looked like a child of not more than fourteen.

"Would you like to have another kid ?" asked Meir. "Yes, I should like it very much. When zeide has made more baskets and I have spun some more wool, we will buy a little white one in the market."

"And for whom do you spin ? "

"Some good women give me the wool to spin. Hana,
 * he wife of Witebski, and your aunt, the wife of Ber."

"And do you come to our house, sometimes, Golda, to take the wool for spinning ? "

"Yes, I come sometimes."

"And why have I never seen you?"

"Because it is a secret. Ber and his wife, Sara, are very charitable, but do not wish people to know that they help me and the zeide. I come when there is nobody in