ut they got no word in reply.

He waited--he waited an hour, two--and then came a messenger with a note
written on a slip of parchment. The words ran thus: "Well-beloved
'Dorus: Veni, vidi, vici! Go fetch my maids; also, all of our personal
belongings."

-------------------------------------

As the cities are all only two days from famine, so
is man's life constantly but a step from dissolution.

A SPECIAL OCCASION

Once on a day, I spoke at the Athenaeum, New Orleans, for the Young
Men's Hebrew Association.

When they had asked my fee I answered, "One Hundred Fifty Dollars."
The reply was, "We will pay you Two Hundred--it is to be a special
occasion."

A carriage was sent to my hotel for me. The Jews may be close traders,
but when it comes to social functions, they know what to do. The Jew
is the most generous man in the world, even if he can be at times cent
per cent.

As I approached the Athenaeum I thought, "What a beautiful building!"
It was stone and brick--solid, subdued, complete and substantial. The
lower rooms were used for the Hebrew Club. Upstairs stretched the
splendid hall, as I could tell from the brilliantly lighted windows.

Inside, I noticed that the stairways were carpeted with Brussels.
Glancing through the wide doorways, I beheld an audience of more than
two thousand people. The great chandeliers sent out a dazzling glory
from their crystal and gold. At the sides, rich tapestries and
hangings of velvet covered the windows.

"A beautiful building," I said to my old-time friend, Maurice J. Pass,
the Secretary of the Club.

He smiled in satisfaction and replied, "Well, we seldom let things go
by default--you have tonight as fine an audience as ever assembled in
New Orleans."

We passed down a side hallway and under the stage, preparatory to
going on the platform. In this room below the stage a single electric
light shone. The place was dark and dingy, in singular contrast to the
beauty, light, cleanliness and order just beyond. In the corner were
tables piled high--evidently used for banquets--broken furniture and
discarded boxes.

Several smart young men in full dress sat on the tables smoking
cigarettes. One young man said in explanation, "We were crowded
out--had to give up our seats to ladies--so we are going to sit on the
stage."

The soft blue smoke from the cigarettes seemed to hug close about the
lonely electric