Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1904-10-13
THE LAW IN
When Ii Says . Thing. Take Notice
That Ii Really Means IL.

There is a law throughout Germany
that nobody may scatter paper about
the street. An English military friend
told me that one day in Dresden, un-
acquainted with this rule, he tore a
long letter he had been reading into
some fifty fragments and threw them
behind him. A policeman stopped him
and explained to him quite politely the
law upon the subject. My military
friend agreed that it was a very good
law, thanked the man for his infomna-
ton and said that for the future he
would bear it in mind. That, us the
policeman pointed out, would make
things right enough for the future, but
meanwhile it was necessary to deal
with the past, with the fifty or so
pieces of paper lying scattered about
the road and pavement.
My military friend, with a pleasant
laugh, confessed he did not see what
was to be done. The policeman, more
imaginative, saw q way out. 1t was
that my military friend should set to
work and pick up those fifty scraps of
paper. He is an English general on
the retired list and of imposing APP
pearance; his manner on occasion is
naughty. He did not see himself on
his hands and knees in the chief
street of Dresden, in the middle of
the afternoon. picking up paper. The
German policeman himself admitted
hat the situation was awkward. If
the English general could not accept it
there happened to be an alternative. 1t
was that the English general should
accompany the policeman through the
streets, followed by the usual crowd, to
the nearest prison. some three miles
OFF.
The general suggested hiring a boy
to pick up the paper. The policeman
referred to the wording of the law
and found that this would not be per-
mitted. 81 thought the matter out"
my friend told me, imagining all the
possible alternatives. including that of
knocking the fellow down and making
a bolt, and came to the conclusion
that his first suggestion would on the
whole result in the least discomfort.
But had no Idea that picking up small
scraps of thin paper off greasy stones
was the business hat | found it. 1t
took me nearly ten minutes and az
forded amusement, l calculate, to over
a thousand people. But it is a good
law, mind you. All l wish is that |
had known it beforehand"
On one occasion | accompanied an
American lady to a German opera
house. The taking Off Of hats in the
German Schauspielhaus is obligatory.
and again | would it were SO in Eng
land. But the American lady is ac-
customed to disregard rules made by
mere man. She explained to the door
keeper that she was going to wear her
hat. He, on his side, explained to her
that she was not. They were both a
bit short with II another. | tool the
opportunity to turn aside and buy a
programme. The fewer people there
are mixed up in an argument, l always
think, the better.
My companion explained quite frank
ly to the door porter that it did not
uatter wnat ne SAID, she was not going
to take any notice OF him. He did not
look a laxative man at any time. and
maybe this announcement further dis
couraged him. In any case, he made
no attempt to answer. All he did was
to stand in the center of the doorway
with a faraway look in his eyes. The
doorway was some four feet wide. He
was about three feet six inches across
and weighed about twenty stone. AS |
explained, l was busy buying a pro-
gramme, and when | returned my
friend had her hat in her hand and was
digging pins into IL. / think she was
trying to make believe it was the heart
Of the doorkeeper.-London NJ. A. +.