The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1916-03-09

the lock Il long time before he finally |
turned the key, and then he wheeled
for his pretze!-to see that it had dis
appeared.
Men Gott!' he groaned as his eyes |
bulged and IA frightened snort whist'ed
from his nostrils.
1t was the end for sure this ime
and he waited for the clammy hand to
| come from the nnllnnMn and rank him
| into eternity. But nothing happened.
The fat dog sighed contented1y anu
lazily licked up pretzel crumb from
the. floor, but the popeyed, eXpectant
Fritz was dead to this piece of damag-
| inE evidence.
As the minutes rolled on poor Fritz
fell to thinking again.
The night waned With dawn Fritz
got I'D. He went into the shop and
looked around at the familiar tools,
the bench, the rows of shoes to be re-
paired side by side with those neatly
finished and waiting for their owners.
He sighed Yesterday morning he had
been happy.
He decided to go and get beer at
Donoyan's-that is. he would If fate
did not interfere. lie was pfeparea
: for anything now.
, 1t was very early. One or two ltai-
!. ians on their way to work, with lunch
boxes and shovels, were drinking. Ihe
: bartender looked sleepy, but not hai
Sc hollow eyed as Fritz.
| Fritz
$ "Ye look rocky, Dutch commented
e the bartender Made night OF 1t!
t "Nein,' said Fritz.
e Schneider took a little sip. Even
n from beer the JOY had fed forever
= And when JOY fees from beer for d
man like Fritz, what has he left!
Y "Dass ich so traurig bin" ran through
a Fritz's mind.
It Schneller felt something He couio
e not tell at first what it was. But "hei
It he saw out of the tail of his eye the
is dark stranger lean over the bar not tei
feet away. he knew what had settie'
like thick. cold cloud over his sou
o. II was the same man. Schneider wa
is foo scareI to move. He knew tha
,e the end was now at hand.
Hello. Mike!" said the bartender
d. his face frightening.
# Hello yourself, ye son of gun!
returned the stranger. "1e look ilk
81 q mourner mt til wake av yer oW
he fun'ral"
pl- "Ouit yer kiddin'," replied the othe
b. IF yed ben up all night We Woniuh
be no better yerself.'
nm "A;n't / ben up all night, Il laushin
cried the mustached instrument OF ia'
,r. as he roared and beat the bar with
fist. II scared Dutchman i'll he
as yist'dy till III poor mutt turned u
III. color O., sauerkraut. 1e oushter see
oy i'm.
he "I comes in feelin' peevish II
rd- vunst in ne life, an here was tn
Dutch shoemaker that stuffs hlmse
,va with pretzels and drinks beer fer u
he | whole ward.
+he HE was lappin' 'em up from b'
an hans. Thinks I, I'll take me grou
ion mt ON til Dutchman. looks uGiiei
Donovan's prize bull pup an wal
NJ. ND to i'm wit me jaw out.
as "'Ye've eat yer last pretzei. sez
ck- An I'll vote tn straight Republic
no. ticket If he didn't fall fer it. Th pc
do boob looked at me like he'd seen
ing ghost. IL was 100 soo', ~ "poi "''
: beats it out the door an hid aroun
nor. corner. He comes a tearin' out in
md minute. mutterin' Den he goes bac
60 Fritz had listened. his mouth ha1
!, :ng. As the roar Of the bartende
II. laughter arose Fritz came TO life W
loor Il patEp. a. -.
con the pretzel bowl. As pretzel crunc
tha between his teeth he took long dri
II tasted good again.