Ihr liewe Leit:
Balledix un Duwack! Es scheint mer kann heidichdaags ken Zeiding
uffmache unnich vun Balledix un Duwack zu lese. Awwer es kummt net oft vor ass
mer die zwee Sache in eem Schtori finnt.
Un deshalb misse mere m Buhneschtiehl sei Buch uffmache. Datt drin
finne mer en Schtori ass er “Geb mir Duwack” gheesse hot. Do sin en paar Linye:
Der anner Owet waar ich drunne ans Hollerhecke in der Barschtubb
ghockt. Es waar kalt, un der Hollerheck hot allegebott en Schtick Hickrihols
in sei alder Hathaway Offe gschteckt fer uns waarem halde. Um der Offe rum
waar ebaut en Dutzent vun de Haasebarrier ghockt un gewaardt fer en Kandidaat
rumkumme un uffsetze.
Awwer die Kandidaade misse all am annere End vum Kaundi geoperate
hawwe selli Nacht weil kenner neikumme iss, un en daschdicheri Versammling
hettscht woll net finne kenne uff weit un breed.
Newe am Offe waar en groossi Bax mit Seekmehl gschtanne, un der
Mike Blotner hot yuscht en Bluck Navy Duwack rumgelangt. Uff kors bei uns
Barrigkalls iss en grosser Bluck Duwack schier so viel aagsehne ass en Jigger
aus der schwatze Boddel, un weil en Bluck Duwack gans rumgeht un koscht yuscht
zehe Cent iss es alsfatt viel hendicher un watt efder genumme. Well, mer hen
gewaardt un gewaardt, un iwwer en Weil hen mer widder gewaardt, un doch iss
ken Kanddaat rumkumme.
Endlich hot der Sam Schnitzler aagfange schwetze wege gude Sache zu
esse. Er hot erlaabt dass en gudi Mess Ebbeldumplings wie sei Fraa sie macht
waer ebaut es bescht Ding in der Welt. Der Mike Hovice hot ihm zugharricht
eweil un dennoh gsaat wann er nochemol en Schtick vun de alde Satt Lebkuche
griege kennt wu mer ver alders an der Vendu gekaaft hot, dann waer er reddi
fer en Contract mache druff zu lewe.
Der Sam Schnitzler hot erlaabt en gudi Wassermeluun waer en
Keenichesse un deet die Schpots vun Lebkuche schlaage. Ich hab sie yuscht geh
gelosst un hab getschaat an meim Duwack – hab nix gsaat awwer hab viel gedenkt.
Endlich hot der Sammy Sensewetzer gsaat ass un guder Minsboi waer sei Choice,
un der Sam Seeschuls hot hraad neigschtimmt mit em Sammy provided es waer
blendi Whiskey im Boi.
Der Billy Bixler hot erlaabt es waer en Sind Whiskey so verdarrewe.
Nau saagt, liewe Leser, was watt der Buhneschtiehl saage ass er
picke deet? Mer mache neegscht Woch weider.
Macht’s gut,
Der Alt Professer
|
Dear people:
Politics and tobacco! It seems that one can’t open a newspaper
these days without reading about politics and tobacco. But id doesn’t
happen very often that one finds the two subjects in one story.
And that is why we have to open Boonastiel’s book. In there we’ll
find a store that he called “Give Me Tobacco”. Here are a few lines:
The other evening I was down at Hollerheck’s, sitting the barroom.
It was cold and every now and then Hollerheck stuck a piece of hickory
wood into the old Hathaway stove to keep us warm. Around the stove was
about a dozen of the people from the Rabbit Mountain, waiting for a
candidate to come around and set up the drinks.
But the candidates must all have been operating at the other end of
the county that night because none of them came in, and a more thirsty
gathering you could not find far and wide.
Next to the stove was a big box with sawdust and Mike Blotner had
just passed around a plug of navy tobacco. Of course with us mountain boys
a big plug of tobacco is almost as well looked upon as a jigger out of the
black bottle, and because a plug of tobacco goes all around and cost only
10 cents, it is always much handier and taken more often. Well, we waited
and waited, and after a while we waited again, and still no candidate came
around.
Finally Sam
Schnitzler began to talk about good things to eat. He allowed that a good
mess of apple dumplings like his wife makes would be about the best thing
in the world. Mike Hovice listened to him a while and then said that if he
once again had a piece of the old sort of ginger cake like one bought
years ago at auctions, then he would be ready to make a contract to live
from it.
Sam Schnitzler allowed that a good
watermelon would be a king’s meal and would knock off the spots from
ginger cakes. I just let them go and chewed at my tobacco – didn’t say
anything but I though a lot. Finally Sammy Sensewetzer said that a good
mince pie would be his choice, and Sam Seeschuls agreed with Sammy
provided that there were plenty of whiskey in the pie.
Billy Bixler allowed that it would be a sin to ruin whiskey in that
way.
Now tell me, dear readers, what will Boonastiel say that he would
pick? We will continue next week.
Take Care,
The Old Professor |
