Telegram-herald., 1889-07-17
The HERR LIEUTENANT.
Hes tho Deuce al Fellow. aud German
Society Faye Homage TO uios.


The German Lieutenant is the German
dude He has few characteristics, how
ever, Ia common with the American dude,
asserts the New York Star. He Is inteili-
gent aud Iaauly. He wears no ultra
fashionable attire Ind talks no ultra-forelgn
jargon. Hs has no yellow top coats, nor
wide trousers, nor pot hats, nor patent
leather shoes, nor hg-headed cane. But
there Is a red stripe On each OF his trousers
legs, big imperial Gag on his helmet, red
straps en- his heavy ulster. spurs on his
boots, aHf az bis side sword In a massive
scaboar4 which strikes the pavement AZ
every STEP He often wears monocle, and
always mustsche.x
After the Lieutenant has been refreshed
by his barber from the fatigue OF early
morning drill, he goes TO the most popular
cafe TO show the poor huindrum chaps with
out swords or spurs or trained mustaches
or curled front hair what mighty Tine
fellow a Lieutenant OF the Guards Is. As
sooa as he enters tho cafe his fayorite
waiter begins all sorts OF feats OF acrobatlc
politeness. He bows hrEseif doubie
whenever the Lieutenant turns
hair He scurries around Ike mad
after the military periodicals and
shouts himself hoarse I'm ordering
tsc Iicutuaut tDO .|cfy tScs
caviar, the freshest rolls aud tho strongest
coffee which the cafe affords. be never
addresses tue Lieutenant as ''ycu." That
would be too disrespectful to "a real Lieu
tenant, though it is good enough for men in
bobtail coats and trousers without stripes
No, the waiter always asks: "Will the Herr
Lieutenant kindly have sugar in his cof-
feer' w i'll the Herr Lieutenant have q
two-cent beer or two and -half-cent
beerr' "Will the Herr Lieutenant have
fine domestic cigar for three cents, or q
superfine imported cigar for four ceentsF'
All this servility costs the Lieutenant
cent. IL would cost en American double
that amount Alderman civilian would
have hard work toget 1t ~ any price A
Frenchman could not get it at all.
After coffee the lieutenant takes two
little brushes from case In his pocket and
brushes his mustache. Then he goes out
10 give the girls treat. In Berlin he ex-
hibits himself on Inter den Lenden; in
Leipsic, on the Promenade; in Dresden, on
the Bruhl Terrace. He marches along ia
the middle OF the walk, as erect and con-
scious as il he were on dress parade. He
turns neither TO the right nor left, save for
an officer Of higher rank. Civilians make
way for him, for he is u bad man 10 bump
against He is keen 10 resent any incivll-
ity, aud the man who shoves him rudely, or
gets on his toes, is apt to bring up opposite
him with swords or pistols the next morn
ing in the Grunewald or Rosenthal. The
Lieutenant on this street parade, however,
Is not so busy admiring himself that ho has
no time to admire all the girls who admire
him. lie ogles every pretty woman through
his monocle. His admiratisn of a hand
vvi fn m hpr huc i,a md ia
Just as open as his admiration of the CO
quettish shop girl who walks alone. This
does not bother the young wife very much,
because most German women like 10 be
looked at by Lieutenants, but it frequently
gets the husband into one Of those scrapes
with swords or pistols.
At dinner ia a restaurant the Lieutenant
always gets the prettiest waitress, her
incest smiles, the f2ttest bit OF roast
gooEe, ana the biggest piece of cheese. He
Is admitted TO the theater FOR almost moth
ing, and attracts more attention there than
tho rich banker who has O prosceDium box
ell to himself. He leads all the dances. His
red and blue cozt attracts more favors than
g dozen swa.lowtails. In the ddmentour he
Is the first man on the floor. Is fact has
social domination Is SO complete that OF late
years disgruntlcd critics Of German high
lie usually speak Of it as q 'Lieutenant-be-
ridden society"
The Lleutenant's social success Is not due
entirely, however, to his fine clothes, per
fected musteche, curled front hair, and good
dancing. The German Lieutenant is gen
orally o nobleman and O gentleman. He Is
always well educated and well informed
concerning topics OF the day. Long after
entering tho army, he frequently subscri5es
TO university lecture courses, and appearsi IN
tne lecture room regularly with his little
leather bag full of notes, just as If he were
an ordinary student He reads great deal
about civil government, political economy,
Bismarck and the HohenzoIlerans. He can
say hisGoetde backward, and Can cite Shakes
pesro more appropriately than thrcc-fourths
OF the EnglIshmcn. he eau quote Heine
WITH the professors pretty daughter or
Roscher aud Rau with the professor him.
self. he ia cleyorly venturesolne, too, and.
though he may not know the difference b.
tween knowledge and belief, be does not
avoid bouts WITH old motaph ysicians con
corning tae theories Of Kant. Hcgsl and
Soa0penhsaer. he is so sGperfcia.ly oEsuis-
cent and aadacions. that bis presence a. \
reception always ensures some one good
time Tho criterion OF the success Of Ger
mae party Ia consequently the number of
Lleutenants present
Notwithstanding al bis attractions for
FrsgmamR&s and Frauiein daughters. the
Lieutenant usually terminates his triumph
ants social career by marrying very pam
woman. Tbs - ths Tesson: The heutsn-
tenants life IL al expensive one, ss bfe Ia
Germany gees 1bTee-ccnt cigars, VINE
and flowers, snd actresses, social obASs
r0as. sud an occasional hand a. cards pia7
frcss and 6rakes vffh his salary, whica is
EttIs more than ore third the salary os IA
Amerloan I.seuseuxn.. II he las 10 private
fortuas Ia uakas debts So every tara
These cabss are ; Cd Up yeax after yea,
rAa an~sl Ges fhrcsgh tue T0om sEd
Ileateu ant psFs his de5ts. - German
5rrverb- 1hs5erE52a Government hss Bs8
a ahfs ssaz evrerienes with tee yoanz Leu
tenant. aad knovs tang or two about h.s
expe~sivs haeits. Ia las therefore forbid.
Gea hin 20 usarrT ualess he Or 50 iRfeacsS
Vie has Eo1ey suaags n supPort tbs
fao.av Wseu l&eateoazts deszs have
tes-ons uaouuf8ia kiss srd trUfs5 le.o1ae, -
haclas - scurrv srosnd after r1cb
marriage shis wsHaa. koaeF i t1s c.
ssas ga noso 81 h5s cnesce A wonan us7
- yasn, srapr1, eTrsEss wliafa hats eF
A1sc-icsn. yet II sae kas nsaev easEEa -
5ut the LseatensHt spare vi.h tas war !
sfisr he hzs had ais az. ks y1nps 81 tos
s,,sgass 4, F7xrrz kar