The Omaha guide., 1939-09-30
FRAULElN BECOMES
A LINCUIST
By ANN JOYCE

She asked to be called Just Fran
lein, Sc that was how she was known
in the family-this new nursemaid %
ours.
Unfortunately, her employers dix
not understand her language, though
they did appreciate her effective han
ding of their troublesome offspring
Fraulein's English vocabulary wa,
limited to n few stock phrases, but
she did appreciate a good home in 4
strange land, even though her wage.
were not excessive. So FrauleiI
stayed.
You, Jackie" she would command
the young hopeful of the family
come here to vonst p And jack,
would come when a mild request ir
good English would have no effect or
his stubborn little spirit.
Good, Fraulein," her mistress said
10 her one day as she observed her
porting intently over a book. II am
glad to see you are studying English
Franlein shook her head violently
No. she replied, mot English
French. l become-vat you call him:
Yah, Won linguist."
fraulein had discovered that he,
mistress knew a smattering of French
us well as considerable English. and
she rose to the occasion. English she
would learn naturally while living
With knglish-spealking people. but
French would be difficult alone. Why
not combine desire with opportunity?
After Fraulein had been with the
family a few months her conversation
IVES a remarkable combination of Ian
guages, 1t was seldom that she could
net make herself understood by a
deft intermingiing of them all.
Dist sick, hladame?" she would in
quire If her mistress put her hand to
her head. No? Fatigue? Yah, der
petite frau vas bad fatigue"
Franiein's mistress must have been
an unusually g~ood-natured "frau" or
she could not have put up with her
nursemaids efforts. Even so, there
were times when she would 20 into
gales of laughter which Fraulein only
partly understood.
Though Fraulein's wages were not
large, she was treated with more than
usual consideration while learning To
speak English after a fashion. She
was devoted to Jack and he to her, and
all seemed well when n day she
brought a newspaper advertisement
under the "Help Wanted" column to
her mistress.
Write" she requested. "Write
pour me. | dis ad must answer.n
VIM a~mazernent that laGy reoI.
Nurse wanted. Must speak Eng
iish, French and German. Wages If
teen dollars a week"
but, Fraulein," she argued, "you
speak good English yet.
English frst." -
NO." replied FFsaulein firmly. az
French. Sprechen Deutch.
der English. Oui, / bin vat you
call him-von linguist. Sol l take
der place. l love mine Jackie, but
fifteen dollarl Jackie must other
Fraulein get. Sop
Jacks mother sighed, for her son
was what Is known as an "enfant ter
rlble," and there had been a success
sion of attendants before Fraulein.
But she wrote the letter for her maid
and said a good word for her honesty
and Willingness. In an incredibly
short space of time she found her
self without her Fraulein.
Jack stormed and refused to be
comforted. He also refused to he
have himself. For the next few days
there were two nursemaids most of
the tlme-one coming and one going.
One day of Jacks society made them
conclude that the place was too diff
cult.
1t was a week after Fraulein's de-
parturc that Jacks mother was sit
ting in despair, trying in vain to rea-
with her small son, when the tele-
phone bell tangled violently.
Yes" she responded YEARLY, feel
ing sure that it was only another
nurse wanting to come today as bad
as she would want to go tomorrow,
but instead a familiar voice replied.
"Gud day, Madame, dis is Fraulein.
How is der petit Jackie? / have vat
you call der Observation-Disclosures
sec der klein garcon. No, | not
dis place. / desire return a la
ackie, Madame. Dis frau has not vat
you call probation of me-a linguist.
oni, she laugh, den she get mad. She
say to me, Co. l return to der gud
frau und der petit Jackie. So / say
now, 'Auf Wiedersehn,' Madame"
Jack was in a grand tantrum when
Frsulein returned, and bis mother was
at her wits end. -~.~.s..S---~-
"Yoa, Jackie" began Fraulein,
come to Fraulein, naughty garcon.
Fraalein leave Jackie againP No?
Den Jackie o gud petit must be.
Jack evidently understood, and it
with great relief that his mother
them go off hand in hand, and
much gratitude she pondered
v e Fraulein's late mistress lack of
apRssci@tiop Of her "1ipguist."