She saved up every groschen that was given her to buy sweets, and bribed her brother Solomon, who was proud of his scholarship, to give her lessons in secret.

The two strove earnestly with book and quill, in their hiding-place under the rafters, till my mother could read and write Russian, and translate a simple passage of Hebrew.
My grandmother, although herself a good housewife, took no pains to teach her only daughter the domestic arts.

She only petted and coddled her and sent her out to play.

But my mother was as ambitious about housework as about books.

She coaxed the housemaid to let her mix the bread.