Israel Zangwill

“ A light began to break upon Bloomah's brain. Evidently the School Board had suddenly sent down compulsory vaccinators.
"I won't die!" moaned a plump, golden-haired girl. "I'm too young to die yet."
"My little lamb is dying!" A woman near Bloomah, with auburn wisps showing under her black wig, wrung her hands. "I hear her talk—always, always about the red mark. Now they have given it her. She is poisoned—my little apple!"
"Your little carrot is all right," said Bloomah testily. "They've only vaccinated her." ”

“ In the living-rooms she did cooking and washing and sweeping; in the shop above, whenever a hand fell sick or work fell heavy, she was utilized to make buttonholes, school hours or no school hours.
Bloomah was likewise the errand-girl of the establishment, and the portress of goods to and from the tailoring houses, and the watch-dog when Mrs. Beckenstein went shopping or pleasuring.
"Lock up the house!" the latter would cry, when Bloomah tearfully pleaded for that course. "My things are much too valuable to be locked up. But I know you'd rather lose my jewellery than your precious Banner." ”

“ Bloomah remorsefully redoubled her exertions. The hope of the Banner flamed anew in every breast. But the other classes were no less keen; a fifth standard, in particular, kept the Banner for a full month, grimly holding it against all comers, came they ever so regularly and punctually.
Suddenly a new and melancholy factor entered into the competition. An epidemic of small-pox broke out in the East End, with its haphazard effects upon the varying classes. Red marks, and black marks, medals and prizes, all was luck and lottery. The pride of the fifth standard was laid low ”

“ The police darted round to the new battlefield, expecting an attack upon doors and windows, and Bloomah was hastily set down in the seething throng and carried with it in the wake of the police, who could not prevent it flooding through the broken side gate.
The large playground became a pandemonium of parents, children, police, and teachers, all shouting and gesticulating. But there was no riot. The law could not prevent mothers and fathers from snatching their offspring to their bosoms and making off overjoyed. ”

“ Although Bloomah's knowledge of Yiddish was slight—as became a scion of an old English family—she could make out their elemental ejaculations.
"You murderers!"
"Give me my Rachel!"
"They are destroying our daughters as Pharaoh destroyed our sons!"
"Give me back my children, and I'll go back to Russia!"
"They are worse than the Russians, the poisoners!"
"God of Abraham! how shall I live without my Leah?" ”

“ It hung by a cord on the class-room wall, amid the dull, drab maps—a glorious sight with its oaken frame and its rich-coloured design in silk. Life moved to a chivalrous music, lessons went more easily, in presence of its proud pomp: 'twas like marching to a band instead of painfully plodding. ”

“ There's nobody but her to see to things, for we are all broken in our bones from dancin' at a weddin' last night, and comin' home at four in the mornin' and pourin' cats and dogs. If you go to our house, please, teacher, you'll see my Benjy in bed; he's given up his day's work; he must have his sleep; he earns three pounds a week—he can afford to be in bed, thank God. So now, then, Bloomah Beckentein! ”

“ Shrill whistles sounded and resounded from every side, and soon a posse of eight policemen were battling with the besiegers, trying to push themselves between them and the gate. A fat and genial officer worked his way past Bloomah, his truncheon ready for action.
"Don't hurt the poor women," Bloomah pleaded. "They think their children are being poisoned." ”

“ If she were thus haled off ere she had received two hours of secular instruction, her attendance would be cancelled.
The class was all in confusion. "Fold arms!" cried the teacher sharply, and the girls sat up rigidly. Bloomah obeyed instinctively with the rest.
"Bloomah Beckenstein, do you want me to pull you out by your plait?"
"Mrs. Beckenstein, really you mustn't come here like that!" said the teacher in her most ladylike accents.
"Tell Bloomah that," answered Mrs. Beckenstein, unimpressed. "She's come here by runnin' away from home. ”