The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1868-01-24
Living by One. wit.

Living by Ones Wit.
Nine persons sailed from Basle, dowr
the Rhine. A Jew, who wished to &C
to Schalawapie, was allowed TO come
on board, and journey with them, ON
condition that he would conduct him.
self with propriety, and give the cap.
tain eighteen kreutzers for his passage.
Money it is true someti mes jingled in
the jews pocket, when he struck his
hand against it; but the only money
there was within was twelve kreulzer
piece, for the other was a brass button.
Notwithstanding this, he accepted the
offer with gratitude. For he thought
to himself, something may be earned,
even upon the water; there is many a
man who has grown rich upon the
Rhine"
During the first part of the voyage
the passengers were very talkative and
merry, and the Jew, with his wallet un-
der his arm, for hedid not lay it aside.
was the object of much mirth and
mockery, as alas, is often the case with
those of his nation. But as the vessel
sailed onward, and passed Thuriugen
and Saint Veit, the passengers, one af-
ter the other, grew SILENT. and gazed
down The river until one cried:
Come, Jew, do you not know any
pastime that will amuse us9 Your fath-
ers must have contrived many one du-
ring their long stay in the Wilderness
Now is my time thought the Jew,
TO shear my sheepp And lie propos-
ed that they should sit around in cir
Gle, and PROFOUND very curious ques-
tions TO each other, and he, with their
permission, would sit with them. Those
who could not answer the questions,
should pay the one who propounded
them twelve kreutEer piece, aud those
who answered them pertinently should
receive a twelve kreutzer piece.
The proposal pleased the company ;
and hoping TO divert themselves with
the jews wit or stupidity, each one
asked, at random, whatever entered his
head.
Thus for example, the first one asked
many soft boiled eggs could
Golish eat upon an empty stomach
But the Jew said, '0ne, for he who
has eaten one egg, cannot eat second
upon an empty storach; and the other
paid him twelve kreutzers, p
The second thought, 'Wait, Jew, l
will try you out of the New Testament,
and l think l shall win my piece He
then asked, why did The Apostle Paul
write the 2d epistle to the Corinthians y
The Jew said, because he was not in
Corintb, otherwise he could have spok-
en- TO them So he won another twelve
kreutzer piece.
When the third saw that the Jew
was so well versed in the Bible, he
tried him in different way, who pro-
longs his work to as great a length as
possible, and still completes il in time 2
The ropemaker, ifhe is industrious,
said the Jew.
In the meanwhile they drew near to
a village and one said to the other,-
That is Bamlach,' Then the fourth
asked, In what month do the people in
Bamlach eat the leastp
The Jew said, February, for that has
only twenty-eight days, u
The fifth said, cFhere are two natur-
al brothers, and still only one of them
is my uncle
The Jew said, The uncle is your
fathers brother. and your father is not
your uncle
A fish now jumped out of the water
and the sixth asked, what fish have
their eyes nearest together
The Jew said, The smallest
The seventh asked, How can a man
ride from Basle to Bern in the shade,
in summer time when the sun shines 2
The Jew said, when he comes to a
place where there is no shade, he must
1ismount and 90 on foot
The eight asked, when man rides
in the winter time from Bern to Basic,
and has forgotten his gloves, how must
he manage SO that his hands shall not
ireeze!
The Jew said, He must make fists out
If them.'
The ninth was the last. The one
,sked, How can five persons divide I've
eggs, SO that each man shall receive one,
md still Que remain in the dish 2
Then the Jew said, FTbe last mdst
axe the dish with egg, and can let it |
ay there as long as he please.
But now it came his turn, and he
determined to make good sweep. AZ |
er many preliminary compliments, he !
sked, with an air mischieyG1sIy ,riepd- |
ess, How can q man Try two trouts in
hree rsaF, SO that a trout may lay in each
amp
No one could answer this, aud one
fter the other gave him twelve kregi
er piece.
But when tl,e ninth desired that he
louh answer it himself, he frankly L
cknowledged that he knew not how
out could be fried in such away.
Then was it maintsined that this was
nfair in the Jew, but he stoutly affirm
that there was no provision for i. in 1
le agreement save that ke who could Il
ot answer the question should pay the !
reuters, aud he fulfilled the agree 3
ent by paying that sum TO. the ninth &
his comrades, who had asked him to
'lye it himseif But they all being .
sb merchants, aud grateful for the
nusement which had passed an hour o
two very pleasantly for them, laughed !.
'artly over their loss, and at the Jews )
lnuinN IL