"And how am I ever to repay you?" groans the poor woman. "Foolish creature!" the Rebbe upbraids her. "See here: you are a poor sick Jewess, and I am willing to trust you with the little bundle of wood; I believe that in time you will repay me. And you, you have such a great and mighty God, and you do not trust Him! not even to the amount of a miserable six-groschen for a little bundle of wood!" "And who is to light the stove?" groans the widow. "Do _I_ look like getting up to do it? and my son away at work!" "I will also light the stove for you," said the Rebbe. * * * * * And the Rebbe, while he laid the wood in the stove, repeated groaning the first part of Sliches. Then, when the stove was alight, and the wood crackled cheerily, he repeated, more gaily, the second part of Sliches. He repeated the third part when the fire had burnt itself out, and he shut the stove doors.... * * * * * The Lithuanian who saw all this remained with the Rebbe, as one of his followers. And later, when anyone told how the Rebbe early every morning at Sliches-time raised himself and flew up into heaven, the Lithuanian, instead of laughing, added quietly: "If not higher." II DOMESTIC HAPPINESS Chaïm is a street porter. When he goes through the town stooping beneath his case of wares, one can hardly make him out--it looks as if the box were walking along on two feet of its own. Listen to the heavy breathing! One can hear it quite a long way off. But now he lays down his load, and is given a few pence. He straightens himself, wipes the sweat off his face, draws a deep breath, goes to the fountain and takes a drink of water, and then runs into the court. He stands close to the wall, and lifts his huge head till the point of his chin and the tip of his nose and the brim of his hat are all on a level. "Hannah," he calls. A little window opens just below the eaves, and a small female head in a white kerchief answers, "Chaïm!" The two look at each other very contentedly. The neighbors say they are "lovering." Chaïm tosses up his earnings wrapped in a piece of paper, and Hannah catches them in the air--not for the first time in her life, either! "You're a wonder!" says Chaïm, and shows no disposition to go away. "Off with you, Chaïm!" she says, smiling. "I daren't take my eyes off the sick child. I have stood the cradle near the fire-place, and I skim with one hand and rock with the other." "How is it, poor little thing?" "Better." "God be praised! Where is Henne?" "With the sempstress, learning to sew." "And Yössele?" "In Choder." Chaïm lowers his chin and goes away. Hannah follows him with her eyes till he disappears. Thursday and Friday it lasts longer. "How much have you got there in the paper?" inquires Hannah. "Twenty-two groschen." "I am afraid it is not enough!" "Why, what do you want, Hannah?"