The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-05-23
What They We're Talking About.

hat lucy VcEc AdiAIHS AUOuts
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 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 a couple of Ken
lucky merchants, whom we will call
| Geasely and Swarkins, were sitting at
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 adjoin-
i ing table was gathered a party of six or
eight happy Germans talking very rap
idly and drinking very slowly.
"Pd give good DEAL" said Geasely,
eff I could only understand German.
What dye s'pose those people are talk
ing about anyway, Sam? There! See
the little man with the sharp chin. I
tell you he's getting fired 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. "It would take
something good deal more important
than music to make 'em flare up and
foam over like that. See 'em; 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 l 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 a dollar to be Dutch
man for two hours. Just watch 'em."
! The man with the sharp chin haC
risen to his feet, making more noise thai
a runaway milk-cart, and throwing hi
/ arms around like Windmill in hurri
S cane. An old gentleman, too fat t
: breathe without hard work, was jabbinI
e his cane up and down and saying thing
i that sounded awful, while his neighbo
, "a slim man with speetacles pok
S ing out in all directions with the knob Q
his umbrella, and pouring forth streaI
of words of the most frigb tful calibrt
= The women were pounding on the tabl
: with their glasses, nodding their bac
hair loose, and occasionally shooting OF
l. sentence tina. seemed to tangle aroun
j. and trip up all. the others.
n At this moment strange gentlema
u took seat at the table with the Kel
7, tuckians, and at once began noddir
e in d knowing and appreciative manne
e "For heavens sake, stranger" sal
a Geasely, tell us what these people a
r SO worked up about. Has somebod
ir been murdered, or is the bell punch G
IS ing to take an interest in the beer bus
1t ness over here, after this? It's som
.e thing awful, know, by the way thu
y carry on"
G The stranger laughed and shook h
is head.
lr "From what can make out of the
y signs the sharp-jawed one has dared t
q, big man to go outside and fight it oil
OF Amt that about the way it stands?'
orirod Suo rLipSt
a Ha! ha! ha? Not bit of it, sa
I'd the man appealed to. "They all
al mad-none of them"
"The deuceyou say!" remarked Sw'
I'D kins. "Why, do you know, I've be
II, looking to see free fight for the l;
L ten minutes. The slim feller seems
IS, be fairly aching to eat somebody 1
be No? Well, then, what's the drift
ly their CAB anywayw
d, "They are talking about the figure
ed the wallpaper" said the strang
"Some of them think it would look b
en- ter if the red was blue"
r "Je = hos a -phat!" exclaim
Geasely.
he ".Well-Pll-be-squshedp was
Id that Swarkins had to say.