The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1909-05-20

port-Bilkins Has Difficulties With
German Language-The Sanger
fests''-Visits the Kaiser-The
Word "Nein" Nearly Caused
Trouble.
Berlin, Germany, May II. 1909.
Correspondence of The Caucasian
Enterprise.
| find that Germany IL very much
like the other countries in Europe
| small, but great in industrial activ-
| ity and in population. Hit liz a very
substantial country in every way.
The people are industrious an eco
nomical. They believe in guide things
ter eat, ter drink an ter wear. But
they air not gaudy an ratlin' like the
French people. In many ways they
air somewhat like the English, bein'
sturdy, brave, honest, Industrious, in
telligent. / put the two last char
ackteristics at the end ov the line
but not because they air ov the least
Importance In speakin' ov a nation,
for they air not, though people may
be Industrious and intelligent an
yet be very wicked. But the Germans
have erbout awl the guide qualities
found In mankind an erbout az few
ov the bad qualities.
The Germans believe in guide
roads an they hev them, too. SO far
az / know the German public road
system Is different from any other in
the world. The first step is guide
road, something not common in
America. They hev them in Ger
many They air kept in repair by
old men, old soldiers, in many cases,
who go over the main highways with
few necessary tools an repair any
breaks or fill slight holes az they find
them. The substantial roads air real
ly the main secret ov success. The
timely repairs air almost az impor-
tant, however, fer the old sayin' "a
stitch in time saves nine," applies to
road repairin' with az much force az
to any other line ov work. The old
IlSh L1uS cLPloy 1AAIC bO PSAioAOA
ers in a different way, cost just as
much, an be far less useful. Their
pay is small, hit liz true. But they
air not expected to stay out In bad
weather; they have no task-master.
But bein' men who hev served their
country faithfully in war an in
peace, I suppose they generally give
faithful service In lookin' up an re-
pairin' the breaks in the roads. AZ
most ov the roads air macadamfzed.
naturally the repairs air made with
crushed stone.
If one wuZ ter suggest the adop-
ton ov the above plan in the United
States hit mite not be we'll received.
But hit iZ very satisfactory in Ger
many an liz considered best fer awl
concerned. The roads air hardly
equalled anywhar an they will be
| just az guide next year az they air
this year, which cannot be said ov
most Ov the American roads, unless
hit be some few that may be repaired
in substantial manner in the mean
time an at a great expense, fer they
il jobbery in much ov the fancy
road buildin' carried on in the United
States; awlso politics, which is first
cousin ter jobbery in many cases.
In travelin' ter Berlin I had a
guide chance ter see much ov the
country, az we'll az the roads. The
Germans air purity well up-to-date in
nearly everything, though only por-
ton of them speak the English Ian
guage an that bothered me a guide
deal.
Berlin liz the principal city and IL
the seat ov government. Hit liz a
substantial city, clean an progress
! sive. They air not many large cities
in Germany, strange ter say. Why
lI do not know. Possibly the main
reason il that Germany liz more o,
an inland country than other coun
tries nearby, though German capita
liz deeply interested in shipping an
in a modern navy, one ov the mos
, substantial in the world, an which
was built and launched on the Baltic
sea, the principal water outlet o.
Germany. This country awlso haz
number ov rivers, includin' thu
Rhine, which IL rather famous in his
tory an in song.
Hamberg il the 1eadin' seapor
city an IL better known ter foreign
, ers on that account. But the visito
must see Berlin in order to get
r1;,,nco ov tho roaI German Emnire
l I had otter been told that our Ger
3 man friends air very fond ov bee
> an that they know how ter brew hit
too. Most ov the reports air true,
guess. But they air sober peopl
SO far az l kin notis. Ov cours
. sum ov them drink more or less al
. they may get "tanked up" on extr
occasions. I notis that the prohib
ton orators air purity quiet here jus
Il now, that IL, if they liz any politick
l. a-brewin'. Yet must confess that
- don't know enuff erbout the Germa
language ter tell the difference be
twixt a perlitical rally an farmer
club social. I am fond ov the Gel
" mans when I find one who kin tai
Ie English, and man, ov them can, "
, nearly awlways get acquainted a
become guide friends. But ov awl tt
7 dadblasted, rip-roarin' unearthly la
lie guages, the German il the worst ev'
le invented If I wuz the earthly rul,
r. of this world believe that erbo'
the first thing I'd do would be t
tC COLL on oyfra session nv tho iOfarn