Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-10-02
THE HAND-SHAKE
Had to Express What Words
Failed to Do.
Then to "Ora-a-sden" and Its Fam
GUS Opera House.
Stood on One Foot and Then the Other 10 See
the Emperor Pass.

Mannheim. Sept. IL realize fully
the improperly of beginning with the
first person singular, but tbs done with
deliberate generalization, and in the
outset let me state that this letter will,
Intentionally. bristle with rs being
confident that when my reason is known
l shall have the deep sympathy of all
Womankind. For more than As hours,
not once have l spoken to a fellow-be-
ing, so as to be comprehended. I've
solilOquized. till Selkirk's attempts
seemed as nothing. but now. individu-
ally, and in the first person. must talk
to the Journal. 1t is all a mistake to
suppose that A. SelkiFk's position was
hard. one expects only, soliloquy on a
desert island. But the situation that
is misery, is to be surrounded by nep-
hews, nieces and cousins. and all their
friends and, though not deprived of the
power Of speech, yet to be unable to
utter an Ineligible Word-that is a
time which makes an uninhabited spot
the most desirable place in the world.
To change slightly the old Sunday
school hymn-'I have a brother in the
German land my-brother called me,
and l went to meet him, in the Ger
man land" thrustfhg aside and ignor-
ing the consciousness that l could not
speak his language, and he knew not
one word of English. "There are the
children, of course they study it in
school," I said, laying my burden on
their young shoulders, forgetting that
F. was a small old-fashioned German
village, miles from the direct line of
communication with the great cities,
and SO not feeling the need of English.
Never did I know, until met that
brother, how much could be said in a
hand-shake. We shook hands over
and over again. his said You are well
come,' mine-"Tm glad to come"
told him of a long absent brother with
a hand-shake and after forty hours ex-
haustion from not talking, the only
way l could relieve the tension was to
shake him by the hand! Before leav-
ing +. l had one inning at the station.
which afforded me much qualification;
q pOmpous looking official stepped tow
ard me, and began long harangue. l
shrugged my shoulders, to signify did
not understand, all to no purpose;
when he paused for breath, 1 began
with rapidity and vigor of speech
which a long silence can give, and
talked my native tongue as never be-
fore. I chose my longest words with
out regard to meaning. I spoke quiet
ly, evenly. steadily, but so effectually,
that the man first stared, then backed,
and finally, fed, as from a dangerous
lunatic.
The journey from Bayreuth to Dres-
den, seemed so much longer than we
thought 1t ought, that several times we
gathered our belongings, and adjusted
our wells preparatory to alighting, and
were only prevented from doing so by
timely enquiry. When finally the Off
cial relieved us Of our tickets, l said
with upward information rather from
force of habit than for confirmation,
Dresden? If l had unwittingly said
'Siowhegan" the man could not have
looked more utterly bewildered; little
by little however his brain became H.
lumined, and light irradiating his
broad face, he uttered a glad "act,"
adding reproachful, emphatic, long
drawn out 'Dra-a-sden jah!" I fiat
tered myself that if in America, Ger
man had enquiringly said "Bo-o-s-ton"
should have jumped to the conclusion