PA German Dialect

Es Neinuhr Schtick

9-25-03

Ihr liewe Leit:

   Wie gsaat, ich weess nix vun der/em Annonie Muss. Awwer ich weess ass der Parre J. J. Reitz mol in Walnutport, PA gewuhnt hot. Awwer widder wie gsaat, villeicht hot er net genunk gschriwwe fer sei eegnes Buch uffzufille, un villeicht deswege sehnt mer sei Schticker yuscht hie un widder do un datt, un villeicht iss sell ferwas die menschte Leit wu Deitsch lese nix vum Reitz geheert hen.

   Awwer heit welle mer eens vun seinre Schticker aafange:

   Ich will eich mol en Gschicht erzeehle vumme alde Parre wu drowwe an der Schuylkill unnich Tamaqua deheem waar ebbes iwwer en hunnert Yaahr zerrick. Der iss efders daagelang rumhergeridde in Schuylkill un im ewwerscht Deel vun Lecha un Barricks Kaundies un hot die Leit ihre Kinner gedaaft un die gedraut was heiere hen wolle, denn in seller Zeit waare die Parre raahr, un die Leit hen darrich's Land yuscht hie un do en gleeni Blockodder Schteekarrich ghadde, vun welche en Parre en halb Dutzend uff eemol bedient hot. Un efders hen deel Karriche yaahrelang ken Parre ghatt. In solche Umschtende waare die Leit arrig froh wann en Parre der Weg kumme iss.

   Un graad so iss seller Parre wu drowwe an der Schuylkill deheem waar mol ee Daag noch Lynnport geridde kumme. Un wie's bekannt warre iss dass es waer en Parre in der Gegend, hen die Leit was ungedaafde Kinner ghadde hen alles leie losse un hen gschwinnt der Parre an ihr Haus grickt un ihr Kinnerdaafe losse.

   Un so iss es fattgange darrich der Daag, un gege Owet hen die Leit den Parre ans Lynnporter Waertshaus gschafft fer sei Nachtesse un sei Gaul fiedere, denn er hot seller Owet aa noch nuff heem gewollt an die Schuylkill. Eb lang waare die Leit datt fer der Parre bissel sehne un villeicht paar gude Schtoris heere.

   Eb mer draagedenkt hot, waar's dunkel Nacht, un der Parre hot gsaat sie sodde sei Gaul hole denn er misst uff der Heemweg geh. Un der Waert hot zum Hassler gsaat, "Zaam em Parre sei Gaul uff un duh der Saddel druff un bring ihn do hinne ans Waertshasus wu er graad nuff iwwer der Blo Barrick geh kann."

   Der Hassler iss naus noch der Scheier un en Zaahl fresche Buwe sin mit. In der Scheier hen die Buwe ausgemacht fer en Drick uff der Parre schpiele. Im Blatz vum Gaul hen sie der Zaam un Saddel uff en grosser Bull gemacht un hen en guder Schtrick an sei Naas gemacht fer ihn gut halde. Dennoh sin sie naus middem Bull hinners Waertshaus.

   En Parre uff me Bull? Ich kann net waarde bis ich neegscht Woch weiderles!

Macht's gut,
Der Alt Professer

Dear people:

   As we were saying, I know nothing of Anony Mous. But I know that Pastor J.J. Reitz once lived in Walnutport, PA. But again as we were saying, perhaps he didn't write enough to fill up his own book, and perhaps for that reason you see his pieces just now and then here and there, and perhaps that is why most of the people who read PG haven't heard anything by Reitz.

   But today we want to start one of his pieces:

   I want to tell you a story about a pastor who was at home up on the Schuylkill below Tamaqua something like over a hundred years ago. He often rode around for days in Schuylkill and in the upper part of Lehigh and Berks Counties and baptized the people's children and married those who wanted to get married, for in those times pastors were rare and people throughout the land had just here and there a little log or stone church, of which a pastor served a half dozen at a time. And often some churches had no pastor for years on end. In such circumstances the people were very happy when a pastor came around.

   And that was just the case when the pastor who lived up on the Schuylkill once one day came riding to Lynnport. And when it became known that there was a pastor in the area, the people who had unbaptized children let everything lay and quickly got the pastor to their house and had their children baptized.

   And so it went throughout the day, and towards evening the people brought the pastor to the Lynnport Inn for his supper (the PGs eat dinner at lunch time) and to feed his horse, because he wanted on that evening to get home up on the Schuylkill. Before long the people were there to see the pastor a little and perhaps hear a few good stories.

   Before they thought about it, it was dark night, and the pastor said they should get his horse because he had to get on his way home. And the innkeeper said to the hostler, "Bridle up the pastor's horse and put on the saddle and bring it to the back of the inn where he can just go right up over the Blue Mountain."

   The hostler went out to the barn, and a number of fresh boys went along. In the barn the boys decided to play a trick on the pastor. Instead of a horse, they put the bridle and saddle on a big bull and put a good rope on his nose in order to hold him good. Then they went out with the bull to the back of the inn.

A pastor on a bull? I just can't wait till I continue reading next week!

Take care,
The Old Professor

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updated 3-15-2007 paf