The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-18

shouted-the words are quoted literally:
Anyhow, you go and tell that fell
low ahead there that he must take that
stinker (stanker) out of his mouth"
If an unacclmated American had
been present he might have prepared
to move out of the way of trouble; he
probably would have hauled his hand
luggage into remote corner; he doubt
less would have remarked that the mer-
chant, though little heavy, ought to
carry all the money and win the contest
in style. A Frenchman would have ex-
pected blow and an exchange of cards.
A Russian would have expected any
thing from coffee cups to pistols on the
spot or later, and a German-well, a
German would have expected just what
happened The Chemnitz merchant
took his cigar from his mouth, and re-
marked courteously that he had not
intended to violate any rule against
smoking "stinkers," and that he re-
garded it as rather dscourteous to call
him a 'fellow" Up jumped the lieu
tenant with both arms raised, and
roared:
"If you don't get out of here instant
ly, / Will put a leg on you that will
help you run. You would not be the
first person of your kind that l have
put legs on
That was the last word in the scene:
the Chemnitz merchant turned and fled
to the next compartment, as he said
afterward, for fear that he might be
sacrificed on the spot as was Bruese-
Wits victim. The eight civilians who
had witnessed the provocation, apol-
ogy, menace and fight jumped up,
brimful of indignation. but like the
proper German civilians they were
they did not let any Indignation spill
over in the lieutenant's presence; that
might have consequences. So instead
they preserved their peace until they
We're alone with the Chemnitz mer-
chant, when they advised him to make
it warm for the lieutenant in one way
or another that would not involve per-
sonal violence.
THE SEQUEL.
So far this little narrative of the
merchant and the lieutenant has moved
along conventional lines, but the rest
of it is little out of the routine. When
the train reached the Anhalt station in
Berlin the Chemnitz merchant encour-
aged and supported by the eight other
civilians, took steps to learn who the
reserve lieutenant was, and to complain
of him to the military authorities. Quit =
unexpectedly this brought the young
man to terms, and he made a grum-
bling excuse for his conduct, and re-
quested the merchant to let the matter
| drop. This exceptional outcome of the
scene on the train is given merely for
the record; it has no significance as re-
CARDS the essential features of rumpus-
es of this class. These features are
| that the German officers open HOSTILE
| ties by grossly insulting the civilian,
| and continues them by refusing to ac-
| cept any apology that the civilian may
| offer for being present or being alive,
| by threatening to thrash or stab the
| civilian, and finally by putting the ci-
william to flight That a civilian should
| run to save his skin from an army Of
| ficer's attack is a tradition that seems
| to bring no shame with it in Germany.
| Men tell of their running to escape the
military bully as frankly as they
| might tell of running from a super
! natural monster whom it passeth the
| power of man to resist
| Persons acquainted with the Bruese-
| witz case will remember that the lieu
| tenant gave the mortal thrust as the
| machinist fled after vainly Offering an
| apology. So, too, in the case of Lieu
tenant Baron Salisch and the young
| shopkeeper Weymann in Coblenz. Sa-
| lsch reproached Weymann for flirting
| with a waitress with whom Sallsch had
| firted first. Salisch threatened and
| cowed Weymann, and frightened him
into the usual flight. He pursued the
| fleeing man to the middle of the Rhine
river bridge, reviled him, refused to ac-
| cept his apologies, and eventually
| chased him some 200 or 800 feet anG
ran him through with his sword.
A rather bumptious young man from
| Cincinnati had doubts when he reached
| Heidelberg that the policy of cut-and-
run was so common among German ci-
| villains under military stress of circum-
| stances. He was a stalwart German
| American, who was the soul of honor
| and courtesy under ordinary conditions
| but pugnacious to the last degree Wher
| he thought anybody was trying to cur
| tail a single one of hs Unborn rights
| and privileges, While American from
| scalp to sole, he took considerable pride
| in his mothers family, which was fine
| old professional stock in Goettingen
| He therefore was reluctant to believe
| that humiliation could be an estab
lished and undisputed custom between
| two equally intelligent classes in Ger
| many. He was sceptical for severa
weeks, then something happened which
not only changed his views, but also lee
to a series of interesting incidents. II
the same house with us there lived the
most prosperous haberdasher in Heidel
berg, about 40 years old, we'll built
|
agreeable. Twice a week he came in t,
| drink punch and smoke with us, anC
improve our German by converse ton
| One Wednesday night he did not comt
at o'clock, the appointed hour, Hal
an hour passed, and the Cincinnati mar
remarked that Hansen must have
stayed unusually late at Haeberlen's IS
and probably would not come at all.
HANSEN'S PLIGHT.
A moment later, however, the door
burst open, and in hurried Hansen
not, however, the sleek, affable, digni.
fed Hansen of former evenings, but &
| disheVelled, White-faced, rumpled anC
| exhausted Hansen, looking as If ht
might have slid in from the towering
| Gaisberg at our doors. His story wa,
soon told. He had run foul of a lieuten
ant. He was playing his regular game
of billiards at Haeberlein's when three
young army officers entered. All tn,
tables We're full; excepting Hansen ant
his friend, however, the players were
SaXo- -Borussens, who, though only corps
students, are rather pugnaCious in theil
way, and, if put to it, will fight abou
anybody with about any weapons. Tive
of the lieutenants wishel to play bill