Page:Yiddish Tales.djvu/403

 THE TWO BROTHERS 399

"There isn't one there isn't one."

"There isn't one !" Berele would say with a deep sigh, and sadly call to Yainkele to come away. Mournfully, and with a broken spirit, they went to where the day's meal awaited them.

"I am sure he loses the letters !" Yainkele would say a few minutes later, as they walked along.

"He is a bad man!" Berele would mutter with vex- ation.

But one day Lezer handed them a letter and a small parcel.

The letter ran thus: "Dear Children,

Be good, boys, and learn with diligence. We send you herewith half a cheese and a quarter of a pound of sugar, and a little berry-juice in a bottle.

Eat it in health, and do not quarrel over it. From me, your father,

CHAYYIM HECHT."

That day Lezer the carrier was the best man in the world in their eyes, they would not have been ashamed to eat him up with horse and cart for very love. They wrote an answer at once for letter-paper they used to tear out, with fluttering hearts, the first, unprinted pages in the Gemoreh and gave it that evening to Lezer the carrier. Lezer took it coldly, pushed it into the breast of his coat, and muttered something like "All right !"

"What did he say, Berele?" asked Yainkele, anx- iously.

"I think he said 'all right,' " Berele answered doubt- fully.