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English
6798
I made light of the whole affair, but I felt sure that this was only the beginning. Sure enough, next morning  the Sabbath  the same officer returned and put three of the leading elders of the village, together with myself, under arrest. I MADE LIGHT OF THE WHOLE AFFAIR BUT I FELT SURE THAT THIS WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING SURE ENOUGH NEXT MORNING THE SABBATH THE SAME OFFICER RETURNED AND PUT THREE OF THE LEADING ELDERS OF THE VILLAGE TOGETHER WITH MYSELF UNDER ARREST
oor and came straight to the point by asking me where our store of arms was hidden. He was a big fellow, with the handsome, cruel features usual enough in his class. There was no open menace in his first question. When I refused to tell him, he began wheedling and offering all sorts of favors if I would betray my people. Then, all of a sudden, he whipped out a revolver and stuck the muzzle right in my face. I felt the blood leave my heart, but I was able to control myself and refuse his demand. The officer was not easily discouraged; the hours I passed in that little room, with its smoky kerosene lamp, were terrible ones. I realized, however, how tremendously important the question of the arms was, and strength was given me to hold out until the officer gave up in disgust and let me go home. [ILLUSTRATION: HOUSE OF THE AUTHOR'S FATHER, EPHRAIM FISHL AARONSOHN, IN ZICRON-JACOB] My father, an old man, knew nothing of what had happened, but the rest of my family were tremendously excited.  OF THE JEWISH YOUNG MEN OR SIMPLY BECAUSE I HAD BEEN STANDING CONVENIENTLY IN THE DOORWAY THE OFFICER CLOSED THE DOOR AND CAME STRAIGHT TO THE POINT BY ASKING ME WHERE OUR STORE OF ARMS WAS HIDDEN HE WAS A BIG FELLOW WITH THE HANDSOME CRUEL FEATURES USUAL ENOUGH IN HIS CLASS THERE WAS NO OPEN MENACE IN HIS FIRST QUESTION WHEN I REFUSED TO TELL HIM HE BEGAN WHEEDLING AND OFFERING ALL SORTS OF FAVORS IF I WOULD BETRAY MY PEOPLE THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN HE WHIPPED OUT A REVOLVER AND STUCK THE MUZZLE RIGHT IN MY FACE I FELT THE BLOOD LEAVE MY HEART BUT I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL MYSELF AND REFUSE HIS DEMAND THE OFFICER WAS NOT EASILY DISCOURAGED THE HOURS I PASSED IN THAT LITTLE ROOM WITH ITS SMOKY CARRISON LAMP WERE TERRIBLE ONES I REALIZED HOWEVER HOW TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT THE QUESTION OF ARMS WAS AND STRENGTH WAS GIVEN ME TO HOLD OUT UNTIL THE OFFICER GAVE UP IN DISGUST AND LET ME GO HOME MY FATHER AN OLD MAN KNEW NOTHING OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED BUT THE REST OF MY FAMILY WERE TREMENDOUSLY EXCITED
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