Omaha daily bee., 1874-07-17
HOW l GOT A WIFE.
FROM THE LOW GERMAN OF FIR.
REUTER-.
Translated for the BEE by L. W.


(COntinued.)
.eOh no." says uncle, al woult
only ask her IL she could boil trout
and then 1 would come and live
with you," saying which the ole
fellow looked as important anC
serious as if he were more concern.
ed i'm this marrying business than
L. But then that was not near all.
During the next few days, when
/ was was just able to walk about,
1 did not go towards the mill, for i
felt ashamed to meet her. al guess
I'll go down to the lake and look at
them skating and sliding on the
ice." So I do, and when l come
near to the tent, where they sell
hot tea and coffee, and punch and
today, whom should l see but my
uncle Matthias, who stands at the
counter and is just asking for four
groshen worth of coffee and four
groshen worth of cake. Well, this
was remarkable, for he himself
preferred punch to cOffe, and as for
cake, l knew he never touched it.
~ suppose he wants to treat some
young folks" says l to myself. But
no.. Without he noticing me, l fol-
low him, as with his coffee and
cake he walks up to a sleigh, in
which a lady was sitting in a green
veil, and there he makes a bow and
pulls out his foot behind and
around on the ice, that l
almost fear he will loose his bal
ance, and am just ready to jump
and support him, when the lady
lifts up her green veil, and whom
I see? None other but my
sweetest treasure, the joy of my
eye. And then / felt as if some
body had given me a good thrash
and went home Disguised and
mad as a marchhare.
There / sat in the dark and fed
my anger, when the door opens and
Matthias comes in.
"Good evening"" says he, "why
10 you sit i'm the dark? Make a
This is the only time in my life
where / did not wish my uncle the
ime of day but 1 got up and Lit
he lamp and looked as sou as a
after it has been in vinegar
or n month.
What's the matter?" says he.
"Nothing," says /, but thought,
The is your mothers brother after
ll,n and added, ~ am not we'll"
81 very" says he, and looked as
right as an old ass who has been
landing at a crib full of oats.
al have seen her again." he says.
"For all 1 are you may" says L.
allow am / to understand that ?"
e says, and draws a serious face.
~ have dreamt that dream"
lys /. "Then you give the matter
p," says he, and looks me sharp
.to the face. "You give up and 1
ave managed the affair, SO nicely, '
D adroitly, and now you give up"
Yes" says I, "uncle / do give up.
'r., you think that l let you skim /,
# the cream, and / shall be coll
mt with sour milk. For on that
Il the writers, who have written on /,
he matter, agree; the Incest part
T a wedding Is the intercourse of '
he two parties most interested be- '
re the wedding, and this you have /.
led to get yourself" F,
Upon that, uncle Matthias stanns /,
D and looks as determined as a '
eneral before the battle, and asks !
e again: !
"Well, are you going to marry !
lie girl, or nOt?" ,
"No," says L. :
"Well," says he, and looks at me ,
piously and solemnly as If he had !:
st made his will and was now (,
,out to put his signature to it. =
"Well, that girl shall not be in .
rel on my account, then l shall !,
AIRY her myself" and with that l
J walks off, quite proudly and F,
lf-possessed. =
Well, that was a queer one. At /
st l was stupefied, then 1 threw '
yself into the corner of the sofa \
I'd laughed, laughed as if ! would l
lrst some vessel. What, my uncle,
venty years and more older than il
and talked of undertaking some
ing that took all my courage to I
now. And again / tried to laugh, b
It could not bring 1t out so freely, a
r / did not feel quite easy, and Y
ough / tried hard it was no go, i,
ID when 1 looked into the glass G
ID saw how foolish / laughed, c
said to myself, knocking my fist
the table: "He'll do it; he'll g
do it." I,
When Frau Burtown came, of n
she got a scolding for many a
reason, and when i had spoken "
Y mind to her, 1 went into my d
lb and played cards and lost rub n
r after rubber, saying TO myself v
the timer styou must not permit k
and tried to play a solo on a I,
or hand and lost doubly. Fl
I went home and went
bed, and wanted to sleep, but