The Washington herald., 1913-11-02
DER GERMAN COBBLER
He Buys Lump of Gold of a Stranger

| The fat police sergeant stood in the
door of the station house watching a
goat which was hungrily deyourine an
old plug hat which some one had kicked
into the middle of the street. when Hans
the cobbler came around the corner and
cheerily called out:
Hello. sergeant. I should happened
to come aroundt dis vhay, und I guess
I shtop minute to see IL you vhas all
right"
Il thought you had gone back to
Germany" said the sergeant, as he
continued TO watch the goat
Back to Shermany? / doan' see Why
should go back to Shefmany. Nottings
vhas two times alike in dis country,
but, get used to dot It vhas nice
day. sergeant"
"Y-e-s. Have you had guardian
appointed yet?'
why should / haf some guardians?"
replied Hans with considerable spirit
II you belief I doan' know how to
take care Of myself you vhas mis-
I tooken. A good While ago. when
vhns greenhorns. somebody can shwin-
die me, but / like to see .em try Il
me on now. II you vhas my friendt
you doan shpeak like dot to me-"
Then nothing has happenedT'
queried the sergeant as the goat wor-
'Nottings has happened, Dot is, no.
body has tried some gum-games on
me. II he did he vhas a dead man in
two minutesI Shust one man come
along"
'oh. a man came along, did he?"
Il said a man came along. vhas dot
something to make you shmIle? Ser
geant. doan like dot yhay you shpeak
to me. Vhas I boy? Doan' 1 know
some beans?'
'Mr. Hans" said the sergeant, as the
goat got away with the last remnant of
hat and looked hopefully around for an
old boot. I'VE viii go inside. Now, then,
what have you got to say to me?"
''Nottings."
'Yes, you have, A man came along
What did he want?'
He don vhant nottings. He vhas a
poor, unfortunate man. but he doan'
beg of me-"
Il see. You are a great friend of the
poor. Hans. He called on you and
what?"
"Vhell, he came in my place und said
vhas I Hans der cobbler. vhas. Dot
vhas all right. He shust like to gaze
on me because he reads of me in der
papers. I can't help it IL he like to
gaze on me can I? He look SO pale und
seek dot pity him"
vi COURSE 20 on.
Il ask him IL he doan' haf some seek
ness, und he cries like a slfild. BY und
by he says dot his house in Buffalo
gets on fire when he vhas avhay, und
his shildren und wife burn opp. His
wife vhas a blond und his shildren
vhas angels, und he feels SO bad dot
he doan' care to live no more"
Poor man." sighed the sergeant
How much money did you give him?"
Il doan' gif him two cents. Dot vhas
too bad. but I can't gif him no more
money. He knows dot und SO he doan'
ask me. When dot house burns oop II
burns all der shewelry NIT it. Dot
shewelry melts altogether in one lump,
you know, und he hunts aroundt und
he finds dot lump"
Exactly, Mr.. Innocent. He had the
lump with him?"
Yes"
"And he expects to raise money on
itT'
'vhell, he likes to raise a few dollars
to buy tombstones, but he vhas no
dead beat II doan' take dot lump
Of gold he doan' take no money"
Il see. Did you ask him why he
didn't go to pawnshop?'
NO. I don't want to hurt his feel
ings."
you didn't tell him to call again next
SUMMER"
Can I speak like dot to a man who
has lost his family?''
Not hardly-not with your kind heart.
Did he choke up as he talked to your
Sergeant. he chokes up like a COW NIT
a t6rnip in her throat! II I go home
und find my wife dead / doan' feel so
bad ash dot mans"
Probably not. This poor man had the
lump with him. done up in a dirty hand
kerchief, didn't hep -