Berlo witches

This much must be said for the Berlowitches; they had a great attachment to landsleit.

Since leaving New York they had already stopped in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh where they looked up friends whom they had not seen for a number of years— some of them not since they left the old country.

It was at this occasion that among the other landsleit Mrs. Rose Bark met Mrs. Beile Starkowsky.

While a number of the assembled were reminiscing about their childhood days in Babroisk and telling stories about their hard early immigrant days, Mrs. Bark ad-dressed Mrs. Starkowsky.

“Beile, tell me vot’s di matter mit you. My ’osband told me that your ’osband made lottsa money. You know I ain’t begrudging you. My ’osband ain’t such a schlemil neither. But let me hask you for vy you are still living mit the kikes. Vy dontya move ver I is living. Honest to goodness, I feel like a regular lady since I is living in the shuburbs.”

“As far as I am concerned,” Mrs. Starkowsky answered, unaffected, “I am very happy where I live now. Besides, I am grateful to God that I am able to take care of my husband’s father, who is entitled to all the comforts in the world.”

“For God’s sake,” Mrs. Bark screamed, “vy don’t youse send the old man to an old home or something like dat? Den you and your ’osband vill be free.”

“We don’t look for such freedom,” Mrs. Starkowsky replied sarcastically. “I am grateful for the privilege of taking care of my fine father-in-law.”

The next day, Mrs. Rose Bark received an invitation to attend a meeting of one of the many auxiliaries she belonged to. Her shrill voice was heard quite often at such meetings, particularly when some of the members suggested that the organization arrange for entertain-ment of Jewish interest.

At such times, Mrs. Bark would strongly take issue.

“Youse peoples always vant to be old fashioned. Dontcha know dat dis is America and ve must do like real Americans? Vy don’t ve get de cowboy visler or somthing like dat?”

This particular invitation somewhat intrigued her, because the speaker was to be a young man who had just returned from overseas where he had served in the Army with distinction, and later was engaged in relief work.

While the telling of experiences by men and women who had just returned from overseas was already be-coming commonplace, the young man made a strong im-pression on the listeners.

This much must be said for the Berlowitches; they had a great attachment to landsleit.