Page:Yiddish Tales.djvu/231

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EZEIELK THE SCKIBE 227

The Kamenivke doctor made one or two more at- tempts at alarming Ezrielk's parents ; he sent his assist- ant to them more than once, but it was no use, for after what Eeb Yainkel had said, nobody would hear of any doctoring.

So Ezrielk continued to study the Talmud and occa- sionally to lead the service in Shool, like the Chassidic child he was, had a dip nearly every morning in the bath-house, and at thirteen, good luck to him, he was married.

The Hostre Eebbe himself honored the wedding with his presence. The Rebbe, long life to him, was fond of Ezrielk, almost as though he had been his own child. The whole time the saint stayed in Kabtzonivke, Kam- enivke, and Ebionivke, Ezrielk had to be near him.

When they told the Eebbe the story of the doctor, he remarked, "Ett! what do they know?"

And Ezrielk continued to recite the prayers after his marriage, and to sing as before, and was the delight of all who heard him.

Agreeably to the marriage contract, Ezrielk and his Channehle had a double right to board with their par- ents "forever"; when they were born and the written engagements were filled in, each was an only child, and both Reb Seinwill and Eeb Selig undertook to board them "forever." True, when the parents wedded their "one and only children," they had both of them a houseful of little ones and no Parnosseh (they really hadn't ! ) , but they did not go back upon their word with regard to the "board forever."