The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-06-01
What They Were Talking About.

What They Were Talking About.
Our German fellow-citizens are away
ahead of native Americans in one
respect, at least. They know how to
talk, and they do it. When you find
the jaws of a Dutchman at rest, he is
either asleep or dead-if he is not taking
his beer or listening to somebody else.
And when the other side has the innings
he helps things along by throwing in
more than enough gestures, and mods,
and shakes, and winks, and "yaws" and
pokes in the ribs to convince most any
reasonable person that he is interested
and doesn't intend to allow single
word or idea to get away. All Germans
regardless of sex-are natural con-
versationalists, and the first is yet to be
found who ever felt at loss for some
thing to talk about. Naturally social
and gregarious in their ways, they i'm
prove every opportunity to exchange
views upon everything, from cheese to
immortality, and get more solid enjoy
ment out of nickel than anybody else
can charter with two-dollar bill.
A few evenings ago couple of Ken
lucky merchants, whom we will call
Geasely and Swarkins, were sitting at a
table in an over-the- Rhine place of
amusement, listening to the music and
studying human nature through the bot
tom of beer glass. Around an adioin-
ing table was gathered party of six or
eight happy Germans talking very rap
idly and drinking very slowly.
"Pd give good deal" said Geasely,
"if ! could only understand German,
What dye s pose those people are talk
ing about anyway, Sam2 Therel See
the little man with the sharp chin. l
tell you he's getting fred up-a regular
Gatling gun on the talk, amt he
Wonder if they amt getting enthused
over the May Festival? The Dutch all
dote on music, you know"
81 think you're little out, Tom, re-
sponded Swarkins. 1t would take
something good deal more important
than music to make 'em flare up and
foam over like that. See EN-; there
they all go at once, and the women are
talking twice as fast as the men. Even
the little girl has something to say about
it, and | should think by the way the
baby is jumping and spreading its
mouth it wanted to have hand in, too.
It's the Sunday business they're worried
about, sure's you live. 1t can't be
politics, or the women wouldn't take
such an interest, and it amt COM
munism, for none of 'em takes any stock
in that. I'd give dollar to be Dutch
man for two hours. just watch 'em."
The man with the sharp chin had
risen to his feet, making more noise than
n IL L. l..
arms around like Windmill in hurri-
cane. An old gentleman, too fat to
breathe without hard work, was jabbing
his cane up and down and saying things
that sounded awful, while his neighbor
"a slim man with speetacles-was polk
ing out in all directions with the knob of
his umbrella, and pouring forth stream
of words of the most frigbtful calibre.
The women were pounding on the table
with their glasses, nodding their back
hair loose, and occasionally shooting out
sentence thai seemed to tangle around
and trip up all the others.
At this moment strange gentleman
took seat at the table with the Ken
tuckians, and at once began nodding
in knowing and appreciative manner
wi hCdfCh odhC, StldHRSi, OAHU
Geasely, "tell us what these people are
so worked up about. Has somebody
been murdered, or is the bell punch 60
ing to take an interest in the beer bust
ness over here, after this? It's some
thing awful, l know, by the way they
carry on"
The stranger laughed and shook his
head.
"From what.I can make out of their
signs the sharp-jawed one has dared the
big man to 60 outside and fight it out.
Amt that about the way it standsT' in
quired Swarkins!
"Ha! ha ha? Not bit of it," said
the man appealed to. "They amt
mad-none of them"
"The deuce you sayp remarked Swar-
kins. "Why, do you know, I've been
looking to see free fight for the last
ten minutes. The slim Teller seems to
be fairly aching to eat somebody up
No? Well, then, what's the drift of
their CAB anywayT
"They are talking about the figure in
the wallpaper" said the stranger.
"Some of them think it would look bet
ter if the red was blue"
"Je - hos - - phat" exclaimed
Geasely.
"Well-Pll-be-squshedp" was all
that Swarkins had to say.