The Washington herald., 1910-11-27

man-English ideas and expressions?
To answer that question it is
easiest 10 let Mr.. Adams make his
own reply: II just picked it up.
never was thrown much with Ger.
mans when a boy. other than a Ger
man washerwoman. This German
washerwoman was a delight to the
ear. She managed the English in
great shape. / used to be very fond
of getting her TO talk, and then
just listening. That was what gave
me my first interest in tie German
dialect.
= Then there was a little German
sergeant who was in the hospital
with me after the battle of Gettys-
burg. The sergeant and l were side
by side in the ward, and he used to
teach me German songs We sang
them together. Incidentally I picked
up great deal of his broken Eng
lish. and his oddities Of phrasing.''
In this casual fashion "Yaweob
Strauss ehanced upon the seeds
that under his careful tending were
10 grow years later into such de-
lightful Dutch tulips, the fame Of
which spread through many lands
beside our own.
II was in 1870 that Mr.. Adams
first verses were published. and two
years later his first dialect poem
made it's appearance. This was
called The Puzzled Dutchman.7 It
related the woes OF twin who so
closely resembled his brother that
nobody could tell "vich from tud-
der" One Of them died, and the
other mournfuIly says:
Und so am in droubles.
CAN'T get droo mein heat
Yedder | am Hans what's living
Or Yswcob what Is tead.
This first bit of Adams verse
sprang instantly into popularity on
account Of its humor and the charm
OF its dialect. But the authors
popularity became more than na-
tional when "LeedIe Yawcob Strauss"
was published in 1876. The poets
son. Charles Mills Adams. has been
hailed as the hero of these verses.
as his daughter. Ella Paige Adams,
has been credited with being the
heroine of "Leedle Loweeza" Some
OF the tenderness and human quality
of 'Leedle Yawcob'' must have been
drawn from Mr. Adams own expe-
rience. however They find an an
swering smile and sigh from every
father.
Holmes was not the only one OF
the beloved American poets who
found appreciation in the dialect
verses OF Adams. He received COM
mandatory letters from Longfellow,
Whittier. and many others in ap-
probation Of 'Leedle Yawcob
Strauss" On New Years Day. in
1875. Holmes wrote to Adams: My
first note of the year is to thank
you for your very pleasant and very
happily illustrated book OF poems.
have read every one OF them. and
passed a good part OF an evening
in doing so most agreeably. AS
for Leedle Yawcob.' he is quite
charming, and the pathetic surprise
OF the last verse has moistened many
thousands OF eyes-these old ones of
mine among the rest"
Whittier was equally eloquent and
enthusiastic in his praise: q have
read thy book with pleasure-the
Dutch pieces partieuiarly-whiCh are
th-provoking with a suggestion
OF pathos In the fathers love for
his hilarious offspring, which makes
tender the homely ruggedness OF the
verses in which the honest Teuton
expresses his fatherly pride"
And I.ongfellow. in a similar vein.
says: Il have had the pleasure OF
receiving the volume you were kind
enough TO send, and hasten to thank
you for the amusement it has given
and is to give me-
"Leedle Yawcob Strauss" was not
the only poem which Mr.. Adams
wrote that attracted a world wide
attention. Some OF his admirers
are even more fond of his Der oak
and Der Vine" and Vas Msrriage
Failure?" The author himself
considered Der Oak and Der Vine"
his best poem. 1t is a humorous but
none the less sincere tribute to
woman's courage in time Of trouble
and a refutation Of the argument
that man being stronger than wom-
an, is always sturdy oak" TO her
'glinging vine
Dot Long Handled Dipper,"
practical earieature of The Old
oaken Bucket" is also a general
favorite. 1t sings OF the cOnyen-
ience OF the "dipper dot hangs py
der sink" as opposed TO the incon-
venienee of bucket in a well.
G Press" Company