Die Inshurance Business: A serio-comic drama in the Pennsylvania German vernacular, "as she is spoke" in the German districts of PennsylvaniaGrumbine, Ezra
General
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
YOKLE. Well, hob yusht noch a wennig gadult, und ferrup mich net. Ich
expect es gait bol besser—
HENNER. So husht du shon long gsaut. Won’s net ware os dy frau, dee
Frany, alendig ware, don het ich net _so_ long g’wart.
YOKLE. Wart noch a wile. Ich bin sure os es all recht wert eb long.
HENNER. Won es noch ware os wee’s for yora zurick wor ep dos dee ferdulta
fry shoola und may machina und oll dee socha in der gong komma sin, und
du hetsht besser g’shpawrt—ovver ich will der noch 4 wocha zeit gevva.
Ich mus ovver gay. (_Exit._)
YOKLE. (_Alone._) Won ich yusht seller Shwinefelt nee gsana het. Ich hob
shon bol $800 in dee inshurance co.’s bezawlt. Won ich selly $800 g’used
het for my intressa zu bezawla, het ich ols noch wenig ivverich kot for
on der haupt sum obzumocha. Do kommt widder ainer for gelt!
(_Enter SHWINEFELT._)
SHWINE. Well, Yacub, wee sayts ous hite? Sin widder dry [3] death-notices
for dich. Dy 'sessment is $23.75.
YOKLE. Ich hob miner sex kens. Won du es net uf holta konsht, don missa
mir’s fawra lossa.
SHWINE. Well, wee is dee grossmommy? Gate see net bol nivver? Ich hob net
gedenkt 2 yore zurick os see so long ousholta date.
YOKLE. See is graut aye zeit wee dee onner.
SHWINE. Denksht net 'swar zeit see date nivver gay?
YOKLE. Mer darf see evva doch net dote shlawga.
SHWINE. O, nay! Ovver won mer eera Awdorn tay shtork mocha date! See kent
mol shnell shtarwa, waisht, om mawga gromp, oder eppes so.
YOKLE. Wos in der welt mainsht du?
SHWINE. Du fershtaist’s, denk ich. Won see dote ginkt, data meer, du und
ich, $10,000 zeaga, saysht? No ken shreef, ken assignee, ken ufbrecherye!
Und see is anyhow olt genunk for op zu passa.
YOKLE. Yaw, ovver wee kent mer’s macha?
SHWINE. Horich! Ich sawg deer’s! Du gaisht in der shtore und gricksht 10
cent wart mice gift. Ich darf kanes kawfa. Ich hob kay mice, ich board
am wartshouse. Ovver du husht rotta, kansht sawga. Du bringsht meer’s
peckly und ich psuch eich anes fon denna ovet—sell is all—$10,000 oder uf
brecha. Wee sawgsht?
YOKLE. (_Walking back and forth._) Ich doos!
(_Exeunt both._)
SCENE II.
_Small sitting room. Best room. Evening. Lamp burning. Sallie
seated alone, sewing._
SALLIE. Ich wais gar net wos lets is mit’m dad. Er is gar nimmy der mon
wo er wor. Sidder os seller Shwinefelt do hare kommt will es naryets may
gay. Hite is er rum g’stonna und rum gluffa os we en dummer older goul.
Essa dute are nix may widers, und gshlofa hot er net feel dee letsht
nocht, und dee onner nocht aw net. Es doot en ebbes mechtig druvla.
(_Enter GUST._)
GUST. Well, well, Sallie, olford busy. (_Kisses her and seats himself
near._)
SALLIE. Yaw, Gust, ich _mus_ busy sy. Du waisht de mam kon nix shoffa
wayga der rummadiz for so long. Und dort is dee grossmommy, und dee
boova, und der dad druvelt sich so wayga eppes, und ich wase net forwos.
Sis gar nimmy in unsererm house we’s war. (_Bursts into tears. GUST puts
arm around her, strokes her hair in a comforting manner._)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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