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Hecht, Ben, 1894-1964

"A Thousand and One Afternoons in Chicago"

From under a dozen seats began to appear old Jews with white
beards. They crawled out and without brushing themselves off stood up and
when the 'amen' finally came there were eleven Jews standing up in a group
and praying. Under the seats it was completely vacant.
"And just at this moment, when the 'amen' filled the car, who should come
through but the inspector in his uniform with his lantern. When he saw
this whole car full of passengers he hadn't seen before he stopped in
surprise. And the finish of it was that they all had to pay their
fare--extra fare, too.
* * * * *
"It is a nice story, don't you think, Hershela" Mishkin laughed. "It shows
a lot of things, but principally it shows that a holy man is a holy man
first and that he will sacrifice himself to an inquisition in Madrid or a
train inspector in Kiev for the simple sake of saying his 'amen' just as
he believed it should be said and just as he wants to say it."
Sammy's father shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't see how what you say has anything to do with what my son said,"
he demurred. "Sammy looks user more than five and what harm is there in
saving $15 if--"
Sammy interrupted with a wail.


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