The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-03-13

your father is not dead what are you SO
sorrowful aboutP''
"About the death of your father, Of
course"
my father!" exclaimed Schmidt.
''Of course. Didn't his horse fan
on him and break his neck?"
Schmidt became as pale as a ghost.
'' did not know anything about it, !"
| said Schmidt. "who told you that?''
:" You told me so when | saw you or;
the parade ground half an hour ago"
/ Schmidt No. 2 looked at Scholz with
very anxious expression of coun-
| tenance.
"Do you know, Scholz, that believe
you are not quite right in your upper
story at times"
"On the contrary, it is you who
have lost your senses. You told Cap
tain Braun the same thing about your
father being dead, less than half an
hour ago"
Captain Braun! Why. 1 have not
seen him to-day"
"But have seen him. ] met him
when he came from the parade ground,
and his whole beard was full of tears.
He sad he saw YOU on the parade
ground and that YOU told him about the
accident that had happened to your
father"
1t was now Schmidts turn to get
mad.
Il shall see Captain Braun about that
Immediately" said Schmidt No. 2. and
putting his saber under his arm he
strobe of in the direction of Captain
Brauu'S quarters. Old Captain Braun
was sitting in his room. He had not
recovered from the terrible shock pro-
duced b. the news of the death of his
friend His orderly entered and said
that Lieutenant Schmidt was outside.
Tell him to come in" said Captain
Braun. The next moment Schmidt No.
. entered the room. The old soldier
heayed sigh and advanced to meet
him.
My poor young FRIEND" he said,
''this is 3 sad blow to Us both. 1t has
completely paralyzcd me-"
Ii seemed to have zone the same
thing for Schmidt No. g, out before he
could open his mouth the orderly once
more entered the room. His face was
red, and he sc med 20 be laboring I'M
der great excitement.
Captain, outside there is-there is
- then he looked at Schmidt No. 2
and his face became redder and redder.
well. what is itp'' ejaculated Cap
tain Braun.
Right here. at the door stands
stands repeated the orderly, and
once more he looked at Schmidt No. 2
with n scared expression of counte-
nance.
Cant You talk? Who is outsider"
Lieutenant Schmidt He would like
to come in"
The Captain and Lieutenant Schmidt
No. looked at each other in dazed
sort of way. If Lieutenant Schmidt
was outside he could not possibly be
dead.
Lieutenant Schmidt No. g" said tho
orderly, looking at the young Lieuten-
ant w til awe.
What do you mean? Lieutenant
Schmidt No. 2 is in the room here"
"Ye-Yes," replied the orderly, "but
he is outside there, too"
..Are you crazy?" calculated old
Braun, cor have you been drinking?"
And turning TO Schmidt No. 2, he said:
"You are here already. You can't well
come a second tine. can you?"
Schmidt No. = did not know wha. to
say.
Tell him to come in," ordered Capt
ain Braun.
The orderly drew up his shoulders
and cast look towards Heaven. as if
he was going to pray. and stumbling
over his own feet, he opened the door.
Lieutenant Schmidt No. l entered.
The orderly sneaSed in also. He
wanted to see how this thing was going
to end.
''Why, Heavens preserve us! You
are, also, Schmidt No. g" said Braun.
'.How many of you are there?'
Captain. you will excuse me, but
l am Schmidt No. L.
Old Braun put both hands to his head
to steady his brain, then said: "But
that is not possible. If you were
Schmidt No. you would be your own
father and the father of Schmidt No.
2 also, and even if you are your own
father you are dead, and then YOU
could not be here. My poor brain
needs a rest"
In the meantime the two lieutenants
looked sharply at each other.
Father" said the son, .'where did
you get all the black hair from?"
'.Black hair?n exclaimed the father,
and then looked in the glass; he said:
well, who ever heard the like. The
cursed stuff in the bottle IS to blame for
this
Old Captain Braun laughed right ont.
$50 you have been dyeing your hair,
and for that reason l supposed You
were your son, and asked you what Your
father was doing. No wonder you were
astonished. 1t is the best joke of the
season. But you told me your father
was dead. how did you know all this,
said he, turning to Schmidt No. 2.
II met Lieutenant Scholz."
$50 did l." said old Braun. swell,
that is good joke
And the red-faced orderly so far for
got himself and military discipline as to
eXclaim:
''Yes, that is a good joke. "-Trans-
lated from the German for Texas Syt-
ings.