Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1915-10-06

! lie WOULD take no rest ana 90 no WOrk
until he had put the matter to final
test. It would be easy enough. They
kept pretzels at the cornery grocery.
He would go there. He would buy
some.
81 will hat a nickers wort of pref
zels,"Ihe said.
"Pretzels?'' replied the clerk. "All
out. Sorry. We've got another bar
rel comm, but dey amt here yet"
Fritz turned with groan and went
out.
Fritz walked down the street until
he came to a cafe. There, on the
counter with the picked onions and the
dried herring, was a dish Of pretzels.
What easier than to buy a glass Of
beer, stroll nonchalantly over and grab
handful? There were no dark brow
ed men in the saloon.
The bartener drew his beer. Schnel-
Ter raised it with trembling hand
and took one sip. AS the cruical mo-
ment drew nearer his courage ebbed.
He walked toward the free lunch.
A greasy cross section of herring was
the instrument Of fate. AS Schneider
reached his hand over the pTetzel dish
the foot on which his weight rested
shot out at right angles to his body.
He clutched wildly as he went down
and his hand grasped the pretzel bowl.
Then it rained pretzels and the dish
broke In dozen pieces.
The bartender put one hand ON the
mahogany and vauted over as the
handful of customers set up a laugh.
There was a terrifying frown on that
| bartender's face.
"Git up, y'bum," he growied. "Are
youse trying t'put tn place on tn
| pork?''
| Fritz arose in confusion. It seemed
| that there We're pretzels in his eyes and
| in his hair-everyWhere but in his
hand. He suffered out an apology as
he vainly endeavored to put the pieces
of the broken dish together.
Il vill," he hesitated- II will pay
| for der pretzels."
yell git out o here" said the bar
tender, and he added a shove that ma
terially aided Fritz to find the door.
Schneider went back to his shOeshop.
| He sat down in the doorway with his
head in his hands. A pretzel had be-
come to him the most precious thing in
the world, as it was the hardest to get.
A little girl stopped in front Of the
basement and looked curiously down
at him. He knew her, she was Rachel
Morowitz, the daughter of his land
lord, who lived on the floor above.
Fritz had an idea.
Rachel, madchen," he called, "ein
moment-cOme here.
'1 am hungry" he said. Here ISIS
elm nickel. Get me some pretzels. Any
we're you can get dem, but it must be
pretzels. Noting else will be der same.
Den will gif you anodder nickel"
Fritz waited. The moments dragged
They fed into half an hour and still
Rachel had not come.
A sound of Wailing smote Schnel-
ler's ears. He felt that it had to do
with Rachel and the impossible pref
EEL
He came from his torturing reverie
to see that Rachel stood before him.
surrounded by a group of sympathiz-
ers, who sobbed in unison with her
"a boy comes by me as [ go in der
store" she blubbered. HE trips me
und out from my hand rolls der nickel
Den he grabs it an I tries to lick him
But [ can't make a ickins nit a big
boy, an off he scOOts nit dar nickel
Oh. fOrgif me, Mister ShOemakerr'
Fritz could see that the fight was
Il oI,;J
her 3 cents for herself. She was not
to blame. When the children had gone
he locked his shop and walked dowI
the street. It was we'll to keep NOV
ing until the end came.
The shOemaker's eye rested on a boy
Il few PAGES ahead who carried q
basket covered with a paper. At first
Schneider looked carelessly. Then he
caught the brown CLINT Of what he fell
sure was a pretzel. He fastened his
footsteps.
It was a whole basket of pretzels!
''Poy," said Fritz, Selling the young
sters arm, Il want pretzel." His
eyes were sunken and glaring. The
boy twisted away.
Desc amt fer sale, mister he said
"Dey're goin' someres. Dey aim
mine"
''Nefer mind" exclaimed Fritz &c
gift you a dime for vun pretzeL" TIL,
boy backed toward the curb. Schnel
? Ter, in terror lest he should run, grab
bed him fiercely.
Il gif you a dollarr' he cried "Vul
l dollar for vun pretZel!'
Lego me-" screamed the boy, thor
/ Oughly frightened. Lego me!''
l Schneider reached into the basket a
: he saw his chance slipping and grail
bed a handful of pretzels. The DO
2 howled at the top of his voice. Th
street turned with one neck and crowt
ed up. Fritz bolted.
: That was enough. The throng CAV
d chase. With policeman well in th
1 lead, men and women dashed after th