Die Inshurance Business: A serio-comic drama in the Pennsylvania German vernacular, "as she is spoke" in the German districts of PennsylvaniaGrumbine, Ezra
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Die Inshurance Business: A serio-comic drama in the Pennsylvania German vernacular, "as she is spoke" in the German districts of Pennsylvania
Grumbine, Ezra
Pennsylvania Dutch Country (Pa.) -- Drama; Pennsylvania German dialect -- Texts
SHWINE. (_Examining paper—“daufshein.”_) Now hob ich en plan. Saisht
do uf dem daufshein dee figures 1801. Ous sellem shmalla null kon mer
easy in ainster [1] macha, und ous em ainster [1] is es yusht so easy en
nineter [9] macha. Sell bringt eera elt runner uf 66. Nc gait see in de
Co. for en glay premium.
YOKLE. Yaw, ich fershtay. Ovver see—dee olt frau—doots net, bin ich bong.
SHWINE. See brouch gaur nix dafu wissa. See kon anyhow net shriva un ich
kon eera kreitz [X] macha. Fershtaisht?
YOKLE. Missa ken zeiga ny?
SHWINE. O, der dukter sined’s for zeiga, und ich kon noch en nama dazu
shriva. Mer brauch net so pertikler sy.
YOKLE. Yaw, ovver ich hob ke gelt for dich zu bazawla.
SHWINE. Du ivversineshed dee helft fon der policy und gebsht mir en
exemption note for was es kosht uf en yore, no fix ich’s. Dee old kon
nimmy long laiva—no greega mer’s gelt. Mer doon see ny for $10,000!
YOKLE. Ich will der sawga ich drau net recht. Es kent rous kumma und—
SHWINE. Aw, was! es konnet! Grick mol dy dinta no will ich mol for en
awfung den daufshein rum ducktera. (_YOKLE exit._) So wite is es ortlich
goot. Finf dausend for mich und—(_Enter YOKLE._)
YOKLE. Ich hob evva yusht so older dinda. Dee Sallie hot bessera, ovver
ich kon seller net hendig greega.
SHWINE. (_Takes out pen and alters figures._) So! now guk mol dort! Sell
doots bully. Now will ich der duckter Fraud nuff shicka. (_Both exeunt._)
SCENE III.
_Y. Brownschweiger’s living room again. Granny Aunshitz in her
arm-chair, troubled with a cough. Sallie dusting furniture.
Looks out of window._
SALLIE. Es shtupt en buggy for der deer. (_Looks again._) Sis so gwiss
der duckter and seller Shwinefelt widder. Wos for business hut seller
karl do, wunner ich? Ich will hoffa see hen zunacht gessa. Ich will hite
net noch mul kocha. Ich bin getired. (_Enter SHWINEFELT and DR. FRAUD._)
DR. Good evening, Miss Sallie! Is der dad net dahame?
(_SHWINEFELT nods, etc._)
SALLIE. Yo, er is noch in der shire. Ich will em roofa. Nemmt eich sits.
(_Exit._)
DR. (_Loud._) Wee mochts by eich ols, grosmommy?
GRANNY. Wos?
DR. (_Louder._) Wee mochts, etc., etc.
GRANNY. (_Coughing._) O, orrig shlecht. Ich glaub os ich de ouszaring
hob. Ich hob so en greislicher hushta! (_Enter YOKLE._)
DR. Yacub, wee gates!
YOKLE. So, es mus gute sy!
DR. (_Seats himself near GRANNY._) Ich will eich ebbes zuwaig mocha dos
der hushta gute mocht. (_Feels pulse and looks at watch._) Seit so gute
und shtate mol uf.
GRANNY. Hăh?
DR. Shtate mol uf.
GRANNY. (_With difficulty rises._) Wos no?
DR. Ich will emol horicha wee eier lung shoft.
GRANNY. Yaw, dee shoft nix may!
(_DR. places ear first on one side of chest then on the other. Meanwhile
SHWINEFELT retires to one side of stage and converses with YOKLE._)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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