The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1929-07-11
Fritz, a Good
Matchmaker
By LEETE STONE
Observation-Disclosures
i( 'nnNTIRhf

warn steps IlldI leu u IIllZ
Greenwich Village bookshop were
rainstreaked stands stacked with
dusty books, magazines and midVic-
torian color prints.
black door creaked inward, dsclos-
ing a deep rectangle of twilight dim
obscurity.
This was a dark, mausolean room
with all manner of books grotesque-
ly piled, tumbled and shelved in
every conceivable crevice of space.
Gaunt, gray-bearded Fritz was mon
arch of all these forgotten relics of
faded inspiration. For years he had
lived, and had saved enough to buy a
tenement from the earnings Of this
literary tomb.
Annette Abbey lived in Green
witch Village; but she was not of it.
She had drawn a French mothers
humor from shaken hat of traits !;
with the other childish hand she had
snatched a British fathers mental
poise and fibre.
One day Annette essayed the for
bidding door Of Fritz; entered the
dim room where Weed and Greeley
must have browsed in ante-bellum
days, bearing in her graceful hand a
slim, lavender-hued volume
Fritz was thoughtfully mastieating
his noon hour cheese and onion sand
witch, reclining in chair that once,
perhaps, had rocked, eyes upwardly
inclined, earnestly admiring a hang
ing fringe of cobwebs that valanced
his highest shelf of musty, black
bound sermons.
Something from the stand, Frau
lein, NIGHT war;" Motionless, he bare
ly glanced at the girl. His voice
seemed ambiguous and old, like the
titles on his shelves.
"NIy book of poems!" She smiled
in friendliness and extended fifteen
cents.
"Ach SOP" Fritz laid aside his
sandwich and leaned a little forward.
"Fraulein will then take her poems
as little gift from Fritz"
Thus started the friendship of Fritz
and Annette. A certain day she
stopped in to cheer the old dealer
with sparkling, funny anecdote about
village character. They laughed
together. Footsteps approached from
in front.
An extremely serious-faced young
man found the rim of dull light;
Fritz sanctum. He balanced book
on his palm.
81 found this on the fifty-cent
counter" he said, scarcely above
whisper, as one making a confess
sion. Its my novel and l hate its
being homeless. I'm a trihe short
today. Will you trust me for the
changer
With a merry, rising infection, An
nette contributed:
"Just how l felt about my silly old
poems; but you're way over me; 1
found my book on the ffteen-cent
stand"
The youth faced her with boy
ish, hesitant smile.
"Are you Kidding me or d'you mean
it,"
Fritz cleared his throat with a great
cultural rasp and reached for the
long-stemmed cherrywood pipe with
the carved bowl.
"Mein jung Herr, Fritz with pleas
ure would have you the book accept.
SO it happened with this always smil-
ing little Fraulein. Your friendship,
both of you, l ask. am much alone.
Come often and our Fraulein will
teach us laughter"
The two young people strolled be-
tween the books and out in animated
conversation. Fritz bearded chin
sank into a time-yellowed celluloid
collar and his eyes gently closed in
benign reverie.
Time fostered rare companiOnship
between the two young writer's and
the old boOkman. Once a week at
midday Gerald Brereton and Annette
would penetrate the murky silences
of Fritz corner, bringing a brown
paper bag stuffed with delicatessen
delicacies.
All three proceeded, between bites,
to reconstruct the world of letters
nearer to their hearts desire. Often
Fritz would tell tales Of his student
life at Heidelberg, fighting over again
hn hot ho lnf n Eui6
cheek-scar, nearly buried by the beard.
Benign Fritz; laughing Annette, and
the so serious Gerald
Later Gerald informed Annette that
he would renounce hack writing and
free lancing in favor Of a forty-a-
week job in bank if she would do
him the honor to marry him.
"GOod old Sobersides, of course, I'll
marry you. love you! But you
mustn't give up writing. Let's wait
until we make enough to marry by
our writing. Won't be long! Or
Gerald! Let's go talk to Fritz. He'll
know"
want to be married, Fritz; but
standing before the old German.
Zach, so. l knew. knew" unused
Fritz, cycling the redbelled stove.
"You must write anOdder novel, WAY
ing a pipestem at Gerald, "togedder
you must write. You must give it
dreams and daring, and you" visit
full glance at Annette, "you must give
it the lit and laughter of YOUR eYeS.n