ame from Warsaw to Szybow a crumpled sheet of paper,
which had turned yellow during the journey, and on it were the
following words:

"All differences in dress, language, and customs existing between the
Jews and early inhabitants must be abolished. Leave alone everything
concerning religion. Tolerate even the sects if they work no moral
injury. Do not baptise a Jew before he is twenty years old. Give to
the Jews the right to acquire land, and do not collect any taxes from
those who will take agriculture for five years. Supply them with farm
stock. Forbid marriages before the age of twenty for men and eighteen
for women."

This sheet was carried about and read hundreds of times in the
houses, streets and squares. It was waved as a flag of triumph or
mourning, until it went to pieces in those thousands of unhappy,
trembling hands. But the population of Szybow did not express its
opinion of that news. A smaller part of it turned their questioning
eyes toward Hersh; others, more numerous, looked inquiringly into the
face of Reb Nohim.

Reb Nohim appeared on the threshold of his hut, and raising his thin
hands above his gray head, as a sign of indignation and despair, he
cried several times:

"Assybe! assybe! dajde!"

"Misfortune! misfortune! woe!" repeated after him, the crowd gathered
in the courtyard of the temple.

But, in the same moment, Hersh Ezofowich standing at the door of the
meeting house, put his white hand into the pocket of his satin halat,
raised his head, covered with a costly beaver cap, and not less
loudly than the Rabbi, but in a different voice, he called:

"Hoffnung! Hoffnung! Frieden!"

"Hope! Hope! Happiness!" repeated after him, timidly, his not very
numerous followers, with a sidelong glance at the Rabbi. But the old
Rabbi's hearing was good, and he heard the cry. His white beard
shook, and his dark eyes flashed lightning in Hersh's direction.

"They will order us to shave our beards and wear short dresses!" he
exclaimed, painfully and angrily.

"They will make our minds longer and broaden our hearts!" answered
Hersh's sonorous voice.

"They will put us to the plough and order us to cultivate the country
of exile!" shouted Rabbi Nohim.

"They will open for us the treasures of the earth, and they will
order her to be our fatherland!" screamed Hersh.

"They will forbid us kosher," cried Rabbi.

"They will make of Israel a cedar tree instead of a hawthorn!"
answered Hersh.

"Our