The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-26

Fl st eaten next morning before a man
comes und says:
How vhas dis about Shakespeare"
He was all right" 1 says.
But has he got simet'ings to do mt
dis shop?"
mo: of course not. How can he hat
something's to do nit a cobbler shop
Nhen he vhas dead2''
Dead, is he? How. long since?''
Ten years, I guess
BY George. but didn't hear about
dot Dot makes me feel bad. Poor
Shakespeare! Did he leave some word
NIT you for me?''
Don't he speak my name-Jim
No
Dat was queer. Der last time I saw
MIN he says I shall come aroun next
Cay and hat drink nit him. I go of
tC California und don't come back for
10 years. but was here now"
'fVhell?''
''vheii. you vhas also Shakespeare, 5
frendt. und so 1 go out und drink NIT
you, I vhas lucky to find you. Let Us
80 at once
When 1 tell dot Teller 1 can't go our
nit him, he; says L vhas no frendt o:
Shakespeare and calls me seven kinds
o. liars und bad men. Before he shiil
go away he pulls my nose und kicks
my bench oafer. und my wife says
Lave made some more mistakes. He
don't gone fife minutes When a secon
man comes in und calls out:
How you vhas, Ell? How vhas it nit
you, old man? By George but she Was
good for sore eyes to see you once moreI"
He shakes my hand und pats me on der
back. und when l says l don't remember
him he lifts oop his hands und exclaims:
Don't remember me! Don't remember
Tommy Skinner! Why, Shakespeare, my old
pard, we go on toot together more ash
one hoonered times und you owe me s.
borrowed money
My name vhas not Shakespeare 1
What What! You vhas not Shake,
Speare. Come, now, old man, don't belle {
I .vhas fool. Dot old bald head of yours
vhas as familiar to me as der city nal.
Don't lie TO me because you owe me 81.
L don't owe you no 50. und L neffer &c
you before in my life. I vhas Hans, der
vhas mistook.''
'Ha, ha!'' he says as he shumps around
IT yhas a scurvy trick dot my old chusn
wouldst play on me, but methinks it Will
avail him not. Aft, seize you thus.
und 1 bang you thus, und leave you thus
with the promise to return at an early
date und break your neck.
/ 1 vhas almost dead when he goes out und
my wife says dot plumber vhas a fool
und shall take der sign down. l think
vhill, but a woman comes in und says:
"Cobbler, like you to explain before ]
bring my shoes to be fixed. Do you know
."Of course I says.
WHO Vhas hep"
Il don't like to gift him AWAY und put
der police on his track"
"Oh, see. Do you remember some
things he wrote?''
4 do. He writes dot all cats look alike
| on a dark night, und dot honesty vhas
der best policy
-Dot-woman laughs for two minutes, und
| den she stands oop und says:
"Cobbler, it vhas like / suspected-ycu
yhas fraud-und you shall hat no work
from my family. How dare you put oop
signs like dot oafer your door. NopoGy
! but villain would do dot
She goes oudt, und 1 belief she speaks
J to dot fat policemans on der corner fer
| in leetle time he comes in und says:
so you vhas playing some more little
! games. vhas you?'
1T vhss. no games says.
1 What! Don't you call it some games
| to make out dot you .vhas Shakespeare?
1 guess you find out how it vhas pooty
! queek y
But L don't say 1 vhas Shakespeare.
Dot sign says I vhas a Shakespearean
cobbler, shop"
1T vhas an der same. und der idea vhas
| to swindler der pooblic. Yoy know ash
i killed at Bunker Hill, but you like to
i make out dot he runs dis shop"
| do you know who he vhaS?" asks.
Dol? Dol? Why, you old ba1d-headed
/ Dootchmans, do you mean to insult me
! to my face? OF course know who he
/ vhas.
4 But he, don't be killed at Bunker Hill. -
| He. don't. eh? Dot vhas more sass
/ You belief you know more ash a police
i mans do you? You belief you can learn
me my peesness? We shall see about dot