The Washington times., 1895-01-06
ONLY 4 CIR CONDUCTOR.
Germany" Ramon the Fourteenth.
Street Line in Days Of YoFe. !.
But HE IS AN EDITOR NOW
Frederick Won Hoerschmers Acquaintance
with Herr Doctor"-He Surprised the
Latter by His Accomplishments
Poems Which Made tho Doctor Exclaim
''Liebsr Gott'-Won His Heart.

If this true story has no other claim. 1t GER
tainly has that Of being true. and while 1t
must be admitted that true stories are fire.
quently stupid. despite the saying that truth
is stranger than fiction, this tiny leaf from the
volume of everyday life may not prove unin-
teresting. At any rate, if you find that it
drags, please to remember that it does not
| diyerge from the straight pathway of fact.
In the days before the innovation of the
cable as street car motor, when the poor,
tired horses toiled up and down Fourteenth
street in that easy-going way which seems SO
strange nowadays to fin de steele Washing
| ton, albeit the cable and electricity are COM
parative novelties to the Capital City, people
who rsde on 'Germany's" car looked with
pleasing eye on the aequaintanceship which
Germany" had formed with the handsome
old gentleman who spent SO much OF his
time in reading. The old gentleman was
also, like Germany" native of tho Father
land, and the two always exchanged a .Wie
gent esp" or 'Wie befinden sic sich?' when
Germany" came along to collect the old
gentleman's fare. Sometimes when passen-
| gers were few and the conductor had little
time to spare. the two would hold animated
! conversations in their native tongue about
books and politics and topics OF the day.
Germany" was a mystery to his fellow
employees on the line. They recognized in
him man of finer attainments than those
required in punching fares and looking out
| for passengers and it Is worthy OF note that
not orc OF them ever called him Germany"
! to his face more than once. Those who at
/ tempted this familiarity were answered by q
| look that eifectuallY prevented a repetition.
| Some of them were even given to calling him
Mr.. Hoerchmer. As for the handsome old
| gentleman. he did not know until later the
! name of the conductor.
! By some manner of means Frederick Won
| Hoerschmer learned that the Herr Doctor, in
/ addition to his work IN one or the govern
ment departments, wrote editorials and re-
/ views for a prominent German-A American
newspaper He add not conilde this knowl-
/ edge 10 the othersperhapS in the belief that
/ the Herr Doctor might consider reference to
his personal affairs as a familiarity, and then
again the Herr Doctor never mentioned his
! literary work to the conductor. But the old
| gentlman, after ttrH discovery OF Won Hoersch
mer with regard TO his editorial occupation.
| found that the conductors abilities were of
an order too superior TO find their vent in
punching tripslips and transfers. He was
! surprised TO hear Won Hoerschmer criticise
some standard works in way that showed
him to be a man of much intellectual force
and OF a wide acquaintance with the best
authors OF his country. Then again, Won
Hoerschmers German was of the purest type
and in every way he showed good breeding
and superior education.
one day when the Herr Doctor was sitting
in Won Hoerschmer's ear coming over a new
philosophical work, the conductor followed
up his 'Wie geht esp with a remark that had
taken much resolution to make. st.i
'.Herr Doctor he said. '.Ihsar you write
| for the -------." naming the German news
paper with which the old gentleman was con-
nected. 7e5L
'.Yes?" was the answer, "and who told you
that?''
The Herr Doctors smile was so eneourag-
Ing that Won Hoerschmer feares that he had
been impertinent, vanished in an instant, and
he made SO bold as 70 say:
'Oh, never you mind, Herr Doctor, but
have heard. Is not it true?
Yes" said Herr Doctor, ''it is true
Then Herr Doctor will hand you the
manuscript and you must tell me il what 1
have written is worthy to be sent TO your pa
per, No, not now, as the old gentleman
started to tear open the envelope in which the
manuscript was inclosed. Examine it at
your leisure, please Herr Doctor, and tell
me of what you think. I shall not be Of
Tended II your criticism be unfavorable.n
the Herr Doctor.
The Herr Doctors life ran very evenly and
smoothly and surprises came so seldom that
they were counted as important events. He
had a surprise that night when he examined
the manuscript given him by Won Hoersch-
mer. Two little poems were contained in
the envelope written In regular German
script OF striking neatness. The Herr Doctor
read the first poem hastily; then he read it
again. very carefully this time. "Lisber
Gottl'' he exclaimed beneath his breath. The
other poem was read with even greater caro-,
and when he had finished the Herr Doctor
took of his spectacles and sat for some time
with look OF utter amazement on his face.
And 20 think" he said at last, rousing up,
ito think that such a man is a conductor on
| a street car"
On the very first night that Won Hoersch-
mer was of duty he called at the Herr Doc
tors house by invitation, and there he re-
lated to the old gentleman the story of his
life His people were of high standing in the
Fatheraud. He had been given university
education at Halle and at Heidelberg and had
graduated with honor. As he told of his
university life Won Hoerschmer pointed with
pride to the scars he bore on his cheek left
there by the dull sword with which the Ger
man students settle disputed points of honor.
Then came quarrel with his father. and Won
Hoerschmer left Germany before his temper
had a chance to cool and came to America.
Things had gone hard with him in this coun-
try He found his talents Of no avail in
earning living, and after some years of
drifting from town to town he counted him
self fortunate in earning position as con-
ductor on Washington street ear.
This was his story, simply and modestly
told. Questions of the Herr doctor caused
Won Hoerschmer to produce another batch of
manuscript containing some of his prose
writings, and ON the basis of his examination
of these the old gentleman wrote a very elo-
quent letter to the editor OF the> journal to
which he contributed. That letter shortened
Won Hoerschmer's> days as a car conductor,
for in q few weeks he had entered into the
world of journalism <
Frederick Won Hoersehmer lives in the West
now and has a newspaper of his own He is
better off in worldly goods than his original
benefactor; but he has not forgotten the
handsome old gentleman, as the latter had
reason 10 remember the other day, when
big box came to- him filled with Christmas
gifts for the Herrs Doctor and the Frau Doc
tor anu the others who comprise their family
circle. = 80.
Lady Editors Scoop.
Lady Colin Campbell has succeeded in