The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-10-02
DER GERMAN cOBBLER.
He Tel How He Helped Business
Along.

one time when peesness vhas so poor
init me dot / don't hat no meat Cor din
her dot little tailor comes into my shop
und says:
"vheu don't I told you so? How can
YOU expect to do some peesness if you
don't understand der peoplesE Look at
me. set Oop peasness on feefteen
cents und an old coat und now I vhas
worth ten thousand dollars 1t vhas pc
cause j study der peoples Hans, it Vhas
so all Oafer der world. If you can make
der people belief dey get something for
nottings you can handle them all right.
If ] hat dis cObbler shop 1 hat SO much
work ash neffer vhas ali der time"
Tell me how / says.
''Oh. it vhas no use. You should go
by a saw mill to work. tt takes some
brains to do peesness.
"Und don't 1 hat some brains?'
mot so much ash a gresshOpper. You
shust peg, peg, peg uud you don't hat
Two ideas i'm your head. 1 Will come
along here dis eafenings und find your
shop shut OOp."
Dot little tailor goes AWAY init his
mead COP i'm der air und I WALK around
der block und do some thinking. Before
j goes to bed dot night L put a sign on
er door dot reads:
Come i'm und see der cobbler Some
thing i'm a bottle for all customers.
Il don't hardly get my breakfast eat
ca next morning When der coal mans
comes i'm init pair of shoes ind says:
Here, Dutchy. fix desc OOp for me.
/ meant to hat brought EN- in yester-
day. Nice weather dis?"
1T vhas fine weather"
.Vhas deere any news around2"
t'Nheu, not much"
f.Vhas your family well?'
a'Ouite well, thank YOU
quite well, thank you.
He starts to go out, but stops und
Bays:
@oh. by der vhay, you hat some
Eings i'm d botte?"
''VheH L feel sort o. lazy dis morn
ing, und maybe nip Will do me good
Where vhaS she2'
L hat milk can full Of water, init
q little mOlasses IN 1t, und L hands 1t
down. Der coal man tastes ind tastes,
und says:
What der devil is dis?"
Something in a bottle, I says.
He puts it down und VhaS red in der
face but by und by he laughs und
says.
"Cobbler, dot vhas all right. It yhas
shust like my giving eighteen noon
cred pounds of coal for ton 1 took
you for an old bump on long but L
vhas mistoOken. Maybe send in
some more shoes after dinner. Ha,
Ia. hal"
Der next customer vhas womans-
She hat two pairs of chIldren's shoes
to be fixed oops und she says:
"Cobbler don't say nottings, but L
hsf troubles init my husband"
II vhas sorry for dot"
Eyes, L hat troubles NIT him, und
once in a While-Once in a year or so
like to take a small. weak drink und
make me forget it. You understand
don't you2"
"I think I do
sShust a small. weak drink. Your
sign in der window says something's i'm
3 bottle.
'vhas it weak?"
"VheH, den. I take sip. but don't
sou say one word ash long ash YOU
She took der bottle in her hands
slnd turned her back to me und drank
half der water und mOlasses. Den
she smacks her lips und rolls her eyes,
why, dot tastes like molasses und
water!"
Et?9
mo"
''Vheu. maybe dot makes me forget
for about one second. guess it vhas a
used to bargain sales Co ahead und
fix oOD does shoes
Der next person don't hat no shoes
init him. He vhas tall and solemn.
und he puts on pair of spectacles und
looks at me and says:
"Und so it has come to dis
eyes"
''You Will not only sell your soul
For the sake of custom, but drag other
souls down NIT you'll
"I don't sell my SOUL I says.
"Ah. the villainy of it, The cOrrup-
fiOn Of it, The shame of it! You sit
here and set a trap for weak humanity
and then have the audacity to look me
in the eyes like an innocent man Sir.
prison yawns for yOui"
What hat I done 2''
60 at Nnn inc Ia