Jephtah Aaron Elliot

[oldmanelliot]

JEPHTAH AARON ELLIOT

NAME: Jephtah Aaron Elliot
NICKNAME: Mr. Elliot
AGE: 75
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Holland

PERSONALITY

For being a considerably old man, Jephtah Elliot keeps young by doing two of his favorite things – chewing tobacco and polishing his pistol. You may not suspect such aggression from a Jewish born gentleman. But Jephtah abandoned the “holier than thou” title long ago, when he and Esther came to America.

That said, Jephtah doesn’t keep a gun around just for fun. Getting on his bad side will be bad for you. In 75 years, he’s learned to tell a pretty clear difference between right and wrong, and in his mind there’s no way better than fixing a problem yourself (ask the kid that broke into the tea shop a year ago). Bitter ambition has led him to success before, and he believes it will continue to do so. He keeps plenty of chewing tobacco around to share, but always keeps a bucket around, as spitting on the ground is for the diabolical.
Though Jephtah does have a rather rough exterior, he keeps a sweet spot for the young and ambitious, and throws them a bone when he can. His deceased wife left a void that he has been trying to fill for a long time, but leaving this world bitter isn’t something that he’s interested in. Sorrow does no more good than replanting a dead seed. If there’s friends to be found, he’ll find them.

HISTORY

Jephtah was born in Holland way back in 1824. He spent his childhood there, growing up in a Jewish community and learning all the things a good Jewish boy should. At 15, he fell in love with a young Jewish girl named Esther. She was only 12. She was soft spoken, like most of the other girls, but unlike the other girls Jephtah knew, he could tell that Esther really had something to say. They spent time with one another when they could, as Jephtah was very busy learning the art of carpentry. Esther would visit him from time to time (often bringing him bread), and over the years they became very close to one another, as young ones often do. By the time Jephtah was 19, Esther’s parents were trying to push her into a marriage. Jephtah was so overwhelmed that he asked Esther to marry him and run away together. They did so, and wandered the country for a long time before arriving at a boating dock. The two played stowaway on the ill organized boat and ended up in America.

After dodging the immigration officers, the two found themselves in a very foreign culture, but tried to adapt, and before long they had become English speaking New Yawkers. Though they tried to get married by a Jewish rabbi, but they could not find one that would do so without going through all the traditional steps. Thus, Jephtah and Esther dropped their Jewish faith and found the nearest Catholic church, and the two found themselves married (the certificate? Nothing that a certain shady friend they made couldn’t fix). Even though they were no longer Jewish, Esther still had a soft spot for her home, and kept Shabbat quite frequently, especially through her old age. Jephtah worked for a furniture factory while Esther did infrequent work as a laundress. They spent as much time together as they could. Though they were unable to have children, they still loved one another deeply, and never regretted leaving Holland.

They lived their lives rather content. Fortune looked upon them some days, and down on them others. When Esther was 65, she decided that she wanted to open a tea shop where she could cook and sell all the goods she had ever been taught how to make. It took them five years, but at 70 years old Esther saw the opening day of her tea shop. She only lived a few years before her health took her, and left Jephtah without the love of his life. Though Jephtah missed her terribly every day, he never felt that her end was his end. He kept the shop open and it remains open to this day, its protection being the sole priority of Jephtah.

Who are you?

Lynne, 19, EST, no preference of member group, Zoo