The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-05-04
DER GERMAN ooBBLER.
He Tries to Give Up Cobbling and Go
Into Philosophy.


shoe-pegs goes oop. wax goes oop,
und 1 vhas discouraged. I sit for
more ash two hours und think What I
. shah do, und at eafenings I put a sign
IN my front window dot reads:
Took notice. Der German Cobbler
DON'T mend some more shoes. After
dis he vhas some philosophy"
Der next morning, as soon ash I
half some breakfast eaten, a man
comes in I'D looks at me ind whistles
und says:
so you vhas going out Of der cob
bler peesness, Ell ?"
Il vhas." 1 says.
Und What about dis philosophy q
1T vhas all right"
"Gif me some samples of it. I like
to see how mooch of philosopher
you vhas."
"Philosophy vhas dis: If I don't hat
some half-soles to put on / don haf
to buy some shoe-pegs, und II don
haf to buy some shOe-pegs keep my
money il my pocket see
by George-by George! ne says,
ash he looks at me. say, cobbler' L
always belief you vhas man NIT
sauerkraut in your head, but now L
see how you vass- I hat been a phi
osopher over twenty years myself, but
neffer get off such a good thing ASH
dot. Howeffer, L don't ike you to gift
oop peesness shust yet. 1 hat two
O.
shall send EN- in right AWAY. If you
charge me ten cents extra dot makes
oop for high prices
In ten minutes a second man comes
in. He loks around der shop und
sings to himself und finally says.
''Vheu, cobbler, how vhas it?''
"She used to be cobbling," I says,
''but now she vhas philosophy"
Il see. I hat heard about dot phi
losophy. How does he go?"
ct vhas like dis; Der more bald
headed you vhas der less you Will hat
to comb your hair See?"
"See? OF course I see-ha, ha, hal
he laughs. ''Vhell, dot vhas great. 1t
vhas der best thing I effer heard.
Say, old mans, if you can sit here ind
speak like dot you Vhas a rich man in
six months. I shall come ind pay you
money to hear your philosophy, but I
like you to wait two or three days
my children must hat their shoes fixed
OOp for spring, und / shall send four
pairs over by der boy. Don't be a
philosopher till you fix EN-. Ha. ha,
hal Well, dot vhas good about der
bald-headed man, and shall be
tfckled for week. Who could belief
dot some Old Dutchmans like you
should be so funnyl"
Dot third man to come in vhas a
Womans. One time I mended shoe
Xor her und charged her fifteen cents,
ind she vhas so mad she calls me a
robber and says she will break oop
my business. 1 Vhas surprised to see
her come in init a pair of shoes in a
paper, but she smiles at me und says
"Cobbler. we hat a leetle row once,
but don't you mind. I vhas a widow,
you know, und sometimes I hat great
troubles How vhas it about dot sign
in der windOw?"
1T vhas dot I shall be phnoso-
''Und you don't fix oop no more
shoes?"
mo more"
But how vhas philosophy? I hear
about him sometimes. but 1 don't re-
member Vhas he poetry or swearing
or Nhat?"
He vhas shust dis vhay,' I says,
eff a womans vhas a widow she don't
hat to sit oop till midnight for her
husband to come home See p
Yes, 1 see, but maybe she vhas
willing to sit COP if she can get a hus-
band"
''Werry well. Den. it vhas dis vhay:
Find me a bargain sale und 1 Will
find you woman und a fool"
so dot vhas philosophy p she says.
''Vhell dot vhas all right. Last week
I spend ten cents car fare to save
three cents on a cake of soap, und
guess vhas der womans ind der fool.
too Could you tell me some more -
mot today; I don't hat time"
'No, I suppose not; but look here.
You see, I must hat desc shoes fixed
oop. How can if you vhas a philoso-
pher?'
Der price Will be forty cents" I
says.
''VheU, dot vhas all right und I
don't kick. You just be a cobbler till
you fix 'em oop und I vhas your good
friend. Most every day l shall come
in here und pay you ten cents to tell
me some philosophy. Maybe if I un-
derstand all about it I shall be mar
ried again"
patience und perseverance con
quereth all things, I says ash she
goes Oudt; und she vhas so pleased
dot she turns back und throws a kiss
at me.
D7"tz coon in comes man who
looks troubled in his face, und he sits