The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-11-02
is it die or das-machen sic der butter

to have said, mach dur"
eyes, that's so. It's always 'du' to
children and interiors"
sOr intimate friends" added Alan.
81 don't suppose Marie is our intimate
FRIEND"
81 have recently come to regard her
as my bitter enemy" said uncle thought
fully, though we seem to be getting
along all right
Alan rang the bell again, which
seemed to alarm his uncle, but the boy
pointed to the soup plates and they were
removed. Then came a baked bluefsh
beautiful to look upon. There isn't
any lemon with it," said uncle. 81 want
some lemon"
81 don't know how you are going to
get it," said Alan.
'sThere's lemonade here in the die
tionary," said uncle, consulting his
book, s'but lemon is probably an en-
tirely different word, and l don't think
lemonade would be very good on blue
fish, even if she knew how to make it.
I'll have to go without it,"
There was ring at the basement
doorbell, and Marie was heard as she
walked through the hall. Then there
was colloquy in which somebody with
an Irish brogue seemed to be figuring.
Uncle and Alan dropped their forks and
waited results. Presently the door was
closed; Marie made detour through
the kitchen and appeared in the dining
room. "Ein manu." she said.
81 knew that" said uncle. 'Who is
he? Vie is ter? What does he WANT"
"Was?" asked Marie.
"Who is he? Is it beggar, a-what's
that word Alan? You know that comic
opera"
ssPinafore?" asked Alan.
''Pinafore? No, what an idea! Der
Bay something Bettelstudent. Ist er
Elm bettelstudent-or bettel, mean"
s'Ich verstehe NIGHT" said Marie.
t.Of course you DON'T" cried uncle.
"You don't understand anything. That
will do. Aus gehen." And uncle waved
his napkin like woman shooting hens.
Marie fied,s while uncle took up the
carving knife and started to carve.
LAS usual" he remarked, 'this knife
is too dull to cut custard. She's got to
sharpen it"
"Well, how on earth are you going to
tell herr" asked Alan. II don't know
what sharpen is
9TH find it," said his uncle, opening
the dictionary. "Just ring that bell"
Marie appeared and waited while I'M
Gle ran over the leaves, muttering to
himself. "Ah, here it is! 3Scharfen.
You tell her to 'scharfen' the knife"
"What's 'dullY I've got to know that
too"
sssDull?' Let's see. It's any one Of
half dozen things. Try .abstumpfen.'
That's the longest of the lot.
.sKnife is 'messer,' said Alan. 81 re-
member that, but I've forgotten whether
it's masculine or feminine. I'll compro
mise on 'das, which is neuter. Marie,
das messer is-what's that word-ab-
stumpfen-das messer ist zu abstump-
fen-abstumpfen. Seer" hacking at the
roast as he spoke. sScharfen du'-J
know that grammar is off, but starving
men can't talk grammatically-'s charfen
du das-das Observation-Disclosures YER
stehny"
Maria looked doubtfully from Allan
to his uncle and then asked:
"Was haben sic gesagt?'
"What did tell you2" groaned uncle.
''That's just what she says to me, and
talk the very best kind of German to
her. I'll get along with the knife some
way. Aus gehen,'" and again Maria was
shooed out of the room.
''Have you stopped drinking claret at
dinner, uncleY" asked Alan, as he
Strengthened out ragged slice of beef
on his plate.
II have stopped doing everything l
ever did" said uncle. 81 don't dare to
ask for anything, and can't go down
into the cellar for the claret, because
there is spring lock on the door, and if
shut myself in Wos-haben-sie-gesagt
wouldn't know enough to let me out. l
tried to ask her for some mustard the
other day and she didn't understand.
Then | said it was hot-meaning of
course the stuff l wanted-and she
opened the window. | shook my head
and said hot-or 'heizs'-over and over
again and pointed to my mouth. She
thought for moment and then disap-
peared. l heard her banging away at
the refrigerator, and pretty soon she
came in with bowl of cracked ice.
tell you, Alan, that girl will drive me
crazy"
"Why wouldn't it be a good scheme
for us to teach her English"
''Teach her English! Good heavens,
we can't teach her anything. l shudder
at the thought of speaking to her. Say,
how would you like to have some ice
cream tonight"
.'Tiptop. But there isn't any in the
house, and we couldn't make her under
stand if we tried to send her out for
some"
'She'd probably bring back soap. No,
when we finish this we will just sneak
out-I think we can get out without her
knowing it--and we'lf go down to Man
haitian Beach and finish our dinner there
with ice cream and coffee"
"But what shall we do about break
fast? We've got to tell her about that. "
"Well stay down there all night and
e.