Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-10-01

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 a trembling hand
and took one sip. AS the crucial 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 pretzel 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 a dozen pieces.
The bartender put one hand on the
mahogany and vaulted over as the
handful of customers set up a laugh.
There was a terrifying frown on that
bartender's face.
cit up, y'bum," he growled. Are
youse trying t'put tn place on tn
pork?"
Fritz arose in confusion 1t seemed
that there were pretzels in his eyes and
in his hair-everyw but in his
hand. He suffered out an apology as
he vainly endeavored to put the pieces
Of the broken dish together.
81 WILL" he hesitated- Il 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, lm2qchen," he called, "ein
moment-cOme here. ''.
Il 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 l 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 tries to lick him.
But ] can't make lickins NIT big
boy, an off he scoots NIT dar nickel.
Oh, forgif me, Mister Shoemaker
Fritz could see that the fight was
useless. He soothed the child and gave
her 5 cents for herself. She was. not
to blame. When the children had gone
he locked his shop and walked down
the street. 1t was well to keep NOV
ing until the end came.
The shoemaker's eye rested on boy
few PAGES ahead who carried a
basket covered with a paper. At first
Schneider looked carelessly. Then he
caught the brown CLINT of what he felt
sure was pretzel. He FASTENED his
footsteps.
1t was a whole basket of pretzels.
"Poy," said Fritz, Selling the young
ster's arm, Il want pretzel." His
eyes were sunken and glaring. The
boy twisted away.
"Dese amt fer sale, mister" he said
"Dey're goin' someres. Dey amt
mine"
"Nefer mind" exclaimed Fritz. Il
gif you a dime for vun pretzel," The
! boy backed toward the curb. Schnel-
Ter, in terror lest he should run, grab
bed him fiercely.
Il gif you dollar!' he cried. yum
dollar for vun pretzel"'
"LeggO mev screamed the boy, thor
oughly frightened. Lego mew
Schneider reached into the basket as
he saw his chance slipping and grab
bed a handful of pretzels The boy
howled at the top of his voice. The
street turned with one neck and crowd
ed up. Fritz bolted.
That was enough. The throng gave
chase. With a policeman well in the
lead men and women dashed after the
shoemaker The crowd grew as it ran
from a score to q hundred and then
to hundreds.
stop thief Kidnaper! Lynch him"
beat on the terrified ears of Fritz as
the mob surged at his heels. He duck
ed and turned and doubled The pc
liceman was feet, but he was only do
ing his duty. Schneider was running
for his life.
Fritz ducked into an alley, scamper
cd down a little frequented street anC
turned the corner nearest to his base
ment. He could hear the pursuit il
the distance, but he had lost it. HI
ran down the step and closed the doc
behind him. Then, with the curtains
half drawn, he saw the crowd SWEEP
by baffled, but hot with the lust of tn,
chase.
In the shoemaker's hand there wal
still clutched one moist pretzel saveC
from the handful he had snatchet
from the boys basket.
Fritz looked at his dog Schneider
He was his one friend now that tn
world had deserted him because Of
pretZel. At least his faithful dog woult
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