The Marshall republican., 1907-12-27
How q sidewIse pou Trots.

The morning OF a summer day. the
people we're the amiable loafers-and
Old Baumgartner. The person he was
discoursing about was his son Sepheni-
1ah. I am not sure that the name
was not the ripe fruit of his fathers
fancy-with, perhaps, the S~criptural
suggestion which is likely TO be pres
ent In the AFFAIRS Of a Pennsylvania
Cerman-whether a communicate or
pot--even n he live In Maryland.
~"Yas-always last; especial at IN.
nerals and weddings. Except his W
hes sure to be on time at hts W
funeral. Right out in front! Hah?
But sometimes he misses his wedding.
Why. I knowed a feller-yous all
knowed him. begoshens!--that didn't
cit there tell another feller'd married
her-'bout norm a year afterward.
Wasn't II more'n a year. boys? Vas
Bill EIsenkrout. Or. now. was II his
b~rother-Baltzer Iron.Cabbage? Seems
TO me now like II was Bsltz. Some.
sing wiss q II at the front end, any.
how"
Henry Wasscrman difidently init.
mated that there vas n curious but
satisfactory element Of safety In being
last-a ~"fastnacht" In their language,
IN fact. Those In front were the ones
usually hurt In railroad accidents. Al.
exander Althof remembered.
Safer" cried the speaker. q
course! But for why-say. for why?"
Old Baumgartner challenged d%efsntly.
No one answered and he let several
impressive minutes intervene.
you don't know! Hang you. none
Of yous knows. Weil-becausc he
amt there when anysing occurs-al.
ways q little late!"
They all agreed with him by n series
Of sag mods.
But. f~ellers. the worst is about
counting. It's no way to be always
late. Everybody else gifts there first.
and It's Messing for the fastnacht but
weeping and wailing and crashing OF
the teeth. And mcbby the other Teller
gits considerable happiness-and .
good farm"
There was complaint In the old
mans voice. and they knew that no
meant his own son Sery. To add to
their embarrassment. this same son
was now appearing over the Lustich
lillian opportune moment for Q
pleasing DEPRESSION. For you must be
told early concerning Old Baumgart.
ner's longing for certain lands. tene-
ments and observation-disclosures his
own phrase--which were not his own.
but which adjoined his. II had passed
into a proverb Of the %vicinage; indeed.
though the property In question be-
longed TO one Sarah Pressed. II. was
known c~olloquially ms "Baumgartner's
Yearn."
And the reason Of II was this: Be-
tween his own farm and the public
road land the railroad station when
Il camel lay the fairest meadowland
farmers y had v rested upon.
II Am speaking again for the father
OF Seffy and with his hyperbole.)
Save In n particular. II was like an
cnemy's beautiful territory lying be-
tween ones less beautiful own and the
open sea-keeplng n q poor inlander
who II mad for the seas-whose crops
must either pass across the land Of his
adversary and pay tithes to him. or
70 by long distances around him at the
cost Of greater tithes to the soulless
4 owners Of the turnpikes-who agra
vatlngly fix q gate each way to make
their tithes more sure. So. ] say. II
was like having the territory Of his
enemy lying between him and deep
water--save. as ! have also said. In
lone particular. to wit: that the owner
1.-THE Sarah Pressed ! have mentioned
twas not Old Baumgartner's enemy.
In fact. they were tremendous
FRIENDS. And It was by this friendship
land one other thing which ! mean to
nsntion later-that Old Baumgartner
hoped, before he died. to attain the
vish of his life, and see. not only the
cIysian pasture.held. but the whole
the adjoining farm. with the line
bnces down. q part OF his. The other
hing I promised to mention as an aid
do this s~mbition-was Seffy. And.
ince the said Sarah was Of nearly the
anne age as Sefy. perhaps I need
OF explain further. except to say that
I he only obstruction the old man could
90 now to acquiring title by marriage
kas--6efy himself. He was. and al
Ays had been, afraid Of ~girls--es
INsily such aggressive. dirtatious
pretty and ~tsmpestuous girls ss thi'
"a Sarah.
Thaus things. however, were hersdi
tarys LII the girl. 1t was historical
IN fact that. during the life OF Sarah'l
~goodlooking father. 30 importunate
had been Old Baumgartnsr for IL
purchase Of at least the meadow
hs could not have ventured 1t thal
tIme--And 90 obstinate had been III
father o. the present owner--(hs ha4
"a hair precisely ~ his daughtsl
hsd)--that they had come to blow
Sbout Il TO the discontinue Of on
1aumGArtner; and, afterward. they al
"a o1oak. Yet. when the loafsrs .
~. - -xL-- y>..-l~A n~unNa~ka~s ~.~~<