sionment. And upon one of these occasions
Mr. Eissler, at Teacher's request, asked him his name.

The boy answered at greater length than before, but, judging by the
man's face, in equally offensive language, and Mr. Eissler turned to
Miss Bailey.

"The Principal will have some difficulty," said he, "in finding a
teacher who could speak that child's language. It's Russian, pure Court
Russian, and not spoken by our people except when they make a special
study of it. I know it, a little."

"And do you care to tell me," asked Miss Bailey, "any part of what he
said just now?"

"He says," the man replied, "that he will not speak to Jews or to--and
by this he means you--a seeming Christian, who makes the Jew her friend,
and allows Jewish babies to touch her hands. You've read of the Russian
autocratic spirit. Well! there you see it. Even in a little child. It's
born in them."

"But how did it get here?" marvelled Miss Bailey. "Here, on the East
Side of New York, where he must be just about as popular as a wolf cub?"

"Just about," answered Eissler. "Of course I'm not going to pretend to
tell you how this particular specimen got here. We've had one or two
cases where the Jews, driven out, kidnapped a Russian child in revenge.
And sometimes Nihilism and other Socialistic societies draw Jew and
Russian together. Perhaps the boy's mother is in Siberia digging
sulphur. Perhaps she's in Petersburg, designing becoming mourning. But
from the look of the boy and the Truant Officer's account of him, I feel
pretty safe in saying she isn't about here."

"Yes, I think you're safe in that. He hasn't been washed in a month."

"He'll be better after you've had him awhile," said Mr. Eissler
gallantly. "I back you against Hagenbeck as a taming influence."

"You flatter me," laughed Miss Bailey. "But I'll try. Of course I'll
try." But she had scant opportunity.

At luncheon time the new little boy departed with the others, and at
afternoon session he was not among them, as by law prescribed.

Day after day passed and brought no sign of him. Teacher reported her
bereavement to the authorities, and enjoined the First Readers to
produce the boy or tidings of him, and although they failed to procure
the boy, the tidings were not wanting. They rarely are in East Side
affairs. Morris Mowgelewsky was the first to procure definite
information.

"I seen that boy," he announced with pride. "I seen him runnin' down
Scannel Street, und I cal