U537 bans I! BBBBBBB GIFT OF Harry East Miller l iifr fltfrtr allairs. Price is. WANS BF^EIT^ANN'S PAINTY, ify 0%r 1. Hans Breitmann's Barty. 2. Breitmann in Battle. 3. Breitmann in Maryland. 4. Breitmann as a Bummer. Second Part. 5. Breitmann in Kansas. 6. Die Schcene Wittwe i. Vot de Yankee Chap sung. ii. How Der Breitman cut him out. 7. Breitmann and the Turners. .8. Ballad. 9. Glossary. CONTENTS. PAGE BREITMANN'S GOING TO CHURCH, . 9 THE FIRST EDITION OF BREITMANN SHOWING HOW AND WHY IT WAS THAT IT NEVER APPEARED, 3 1 I GILI ROMANESKRO, . . . . .47 STEINLI VON SLANG, . . . . - S 2 TO A FRIEND STUDYING GERMAN, . . .66 LOVE SONG, . . . . . .71 GLOSSARY, . . . . . -75 -Prpifonann in (jljurrlj. PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE AND COMPANY EDINBURGH AND LONDON Ijfans otfjer BY CHARLES G. LELAND., LONDON: TROBNER & CO., 60 PATERNOSTER ROW. 1870. [All rights reserved.} EDITOR'S PREFACE. Editor has pleasure in being at length enabled to publish a new series of " Breit- mann Ballads," and does so, in the hope that these latest poems will sustain the high reputation gained for the author by his pre- vious labours in the same field of poetry. As regards some of the points and incidents of the poems contained in this volume, the following remarks may not be inappropriate. The ballad, " Breitmann's Going to Church," is based on a real occurrence. A certain colonel, with his men, did really, during the war, go to a church in or near Nashville, and, as the saying is, " kicked up the devil, and broke things," to such M82490 IV an extent, that a serious reprimand from the colonel's superior officer was the result. The fact is guaranteed by Mr Leland, who heard the offender complain of the " cruel and heartless stretch of military authority." As regards the firing into the guerilla ball-room, it took place near Murfreesboro', on the night of Feb. 10 or n, 1865 ; and on the next day, Mr Leland was at a house where one of the wounded lay. On the same night a Federal picket was shot dead near Lavergne; and the next night a detachment of cavalry was sent off from General Van Cleve's quarters, the officer in command coming in while the author was talking with the general, for final orders. They rode twenty miles that night, attacked a body of guerillas, captured a number, and brought back prisoners early next day. The same day Mr Leland, with a small cavalry escort, and a few friends, went out into the country, during which ride one or two curious incidents occurred, illustrating the extraordinary fidelity of the blacks to Federal soldiers. The explanation of the poem entitled, "The First Edition of Breitmann," is as follows : It was not long after the war that a friend of the writer's to whom " The Breitmann Ballads " had been sent in MSS., and who had frequently urged the former to have them published, resolved to secure, at least, a small private edition, though at his own expense. Unfortunately the printers quarreled about the MSS., and, as the writer understood, the entire concern broke up in a row in conse- quence. And, in fact, when we reflect on the amount of fierce attack and recrimination which this unpretending and peaceful little volume elicited after the appearance of the fifth English edition, the injury which it sustained from garbled and falsified editions, and an unauthorised Austra- lian reprint, it would really seem as if this first edi- tion, which " died a borning," had been typical of the stormy path to which the work was predestined. " I Gili Romaneskro," a gipsy ballad, was writ- ten both in the original and translation that is to say, in the German gipsy and German English VI dialects to cast a new light on the many-sided Bohemianism of Herr Breitmann. " Steinli von Slang " is simply a lay or a ballad amplified to a romance. The lines " To a Friend Studying German," may be, we believe, appropriately enough addressed to any lady or gentleman employed in mastering the mighty and mysterious head of the Teutonic branches. For the author having been assured that great numbers of this book were bought to present, in the way of a jest, to friends devoted to the study of German, it occurred to him that a poem devoted to this subject would not be unacceptable. With the exception of a few verses in one poem all the ballads contained in this volume were written in Europe. LONDON, January 20, 1870. BREITMANN'S GOING TO CHURCH. "Vides igitur, Collega carissime, visitationem canonicam esse rem baud ita periculosam, sed valde amoenam, si modo vinum, groggio et cibi praesto sunt." Novissimae Epistolae Obscurorum Virorum, Berolini F. Berggold) 1869. Epistola xxiii., p. 63. j^'VAS near de state of Nashfille, In de town of Tennessee, Der Breitmann vonce vas quarderd Mit all his cavallrie. Der Sheneral kept him glose in gamp, He vould'nt let dem go ; Dey couldn't shdeal de first plack hen, Or make de red cock crow. 10 Uriel virst;dfcr*Breitmann vildly shmiled, . e 'jr)|l ;denn -he 'liiaxlly shvore ; " Crate' K 1, mit'shpoons und shinsherbread Can dis pe makin war ? Verdammt pe all der discipline ! Verdammt der Shenera"! ! Vere I vonce on de road, his will, Vere wurst mir und egal. " Oh vhere ish all de plazin roofs Dat claddened vonce mine eyes ? Und vhere de crand plantaschions Vhere ve gaddered many a brize ? Und vhere de plasted shpies ve hung A howlin loud mit fear ? Und vhere de rascal push-whackers Ve shashed like vritened deer ? II " De roofs are shtandin fast and firm Mit repels blottin oonder ; De crand blantaschions lie round loose For Morgan's men to ploonder ! De shpies go valkin out und in, Ash sassy ash can pe ; Und in de voods de push-whackers Are makin foon of me ! " Oh vere I on my schimmel grey Mein sabre in mein hand, Dey should drack me py de ruins Of de houses troo de land. Dey should drack me py de puzzards High sailen ofer head, A vollowin der Breitmann's trail To claw de repel dead." Outspoke der bold Von Stossenheim, Who had theories of Gott : " O Breitmann, dis ish shoodgement on De vays dat you hafe trot. You only lifes to joy yourself, Yet you, yourself moost say, Dat self-defelopment requires De re'ligios Idee." Dey sat dem down und argued id, Like Deutschers vree from fear, Dill dey schmoke ten pfounds of knaster, Und drinked drei fass of bier. Der Breitmann go py Schopenhauer, Boot Veit he had him denn ; For he dook him on de angles Of de moral oxygen. Der Breitmann 'low, dat 'pentence, Ish known in efery glime, Und dat to grin und bear it Vas healty und sooplime. " For mine Sout German Catolicks, Id vas pe goot, I know ; Likevise dem Nordland Luterans, If vonce to shoorsh dey go. " Boot how vas id mit oders, Who dinks philosophic? I don't begreif de matter," Said Stossenheim : " Denn see. De more dat shoorsh disgoostet you, Und make despise und bain, De crater merid ish to go, Und de crater ish your gain." 14 ' I know a liddle shoorsh mineself, Oopon de Bole Jack road : (De rebs vonce shot dree Federals dere, Ash into shoorsh dey goed). Dere you might make a bilcrimage, Und do id in a tay : Gott only knows vot dings you mighdt Bick oop, oopon de vay." Denn oop dere shpoke a contrapand, Vas at de tent id's toor " Dere's twenty bar'ls of whiskey, hid, In dat tabernacle, shore. A rebel he done gone and put It in de cellar, true, No libin man dat secret knows, 'Cept only me an' you." Der Stossenheim, he grossed himself, Und knelt peside de fence, Und gried : " O Coptain Breitmann, see, Die finger Providence." Der Breitmann doed his hat afay, Says he, " Pe ? t hit or miss, I ; fe heard of miragles pefore, Boot none so hunk ash dis." " Wohlauf mine pully cafaliers, Ve 11 ride to shoorsh to-day, Each man ash hasn't cot a horse Moost shteal von, rite afay. Dere's a raw, green corps from Michigan, Mit horses on de loose, You men ash vants some hoof-irons, Look out und crip deir shoes." i6 All brooshed und fixed, de cavallrie Rode out py moonen shine, De cotton fields in shimmerin light, Lay white as elfenbein. Dey heard a shot close py Lavergne, Und men who rode afay, In de road a-velterin in his ploot, A Federal picket lay. Und all dat he hafe dimes to say, " Vhile shtandin at my post, De guerillas got first shot at me," Und so gafe oop de ghost. Denn a contrapand, who helt his head, Said : " Sah dose grillers all Is only half a mile from h/ar, A dancin at a ball." 17 Der Breitmann shpoke and brummed it out Ash if his heart tid schvell : " I '11 gife dem music at dat pall Vill tantz dem indo hell." Hei ! arrow-fast a teufel's ride ! De plack man led de vay, Dey reach de house dey see de lights Dey heard de fiddle blay. Dey nefer vaited for a word Boot galloped from de gloom, Und, bang ! a hoonderd carpine shots Dey fired indo de room. Oop vent de groans of vounded men, De fittlin died away : Boot some of dem vere tead pefore De music ceased to blay. i8 Denn crack und smack coom scotterin shots ** Troo vindow und troo door, Boot bang and clang de Germans gife Anoder volley more. " Dere let 'em shlide. Right file to shoorsh !" Aloudt de orders ran. " I kess I paid dem for dat shot." Shpeak grim der Breitemann. All rosen red de morn in fair Shone gaily o'er de hill, All violet plue de shky crew teep In rifer, pond, und rill ; All cloudy grey de limeshtone rocks Coom oop troo dimmerin wood ; All shnowy vite in mornin light De shoorsh pefore dem shtood. " Now loudet veil de organ, oop, To drill mit solemn fear ; Und ring also dat Lumpenglock To pring de beoples here. Und if it prings guerillas down, Ve '11 gife dem, py de Lord, De low-mass of de sabre, and De high-mass of de cord. il Du, Eberte aus Freiburg, Du bist ein Musikant, Top-sawyer on de counterpoint Und buster in discant, To dee de soul of musik All innerly ish known, Du canst mit might fullenden De art of orgel-ton." 20 " Derefore, a Miserere Vilt don, be-ghostet, spiel, Und vake be-raise'd yearnin, Also a holy feel : Pe referent, men rememper Dis ish a Gotteshaus Du Conrad go along de aisles Und schenk de whiskey aus ! " Dey blay crate dings from Mozart, Beethoven und Mehul, Mit chorals of Sebastian Bach Sooplime and peaudiful. Der Breitmann feel like holy saints, De tears roon down his fuss ; Und he sopped out, " Gott verdammich dis 1st wahres Kunstgenuss !"* * Is true art-enjoyment. 21 Der Eberld blayed oop so high, He maket de rafters ring Der Eberle blayed lower, und Ve heardt der Breitmann sing Like a dronin wind in piney woods. Like .a nightly moanin sea : Ash de dinked on Sonntags long agone Vhen a poy in Germany. Und louder und mit louder tone High oop de orgel blowed, Und plentifuller efer yet Around de whiskey goed. Dey singed ash if mit singin, dey Might indo Himmel win : I dink in all dis land soosh shprees Ash yet hafe nefer peen. 22 Vhen in de Abendsonnenschein, Mit doost-clouds troo de door, All plack ash night in golden lighdt Dere shtood ein schwartzer Mohr, Dat contrapand so wild und weh, Mit eye-palls glaring roun, Who cried " For Gott's sake, hoory oop ! De reps ish gomin down !" Und while he yet was shpeakin, A far-off soundt pegan, Down rollin from de moundain Of many a ridersmann. Und vhile de waves of musik Vere rollin o'er deir heads, Dey heard a foice a schkreemin, " Pile out of thar, you Feds ! " For we uns ar' a comin For to guv to you uns fits, And knock you into brimstun And blast you all to bits" Boot ere it done ids shpeakin, Der vas order in de band, Ash Breitmann, mit an awfool stim Out-dondered his gommand. Und ash fisch-hawk at a mackarel Doth make a splurgin flung, Und ash eagles dab de fish-hawks Ash if de gods vere young. So from all de doors and vindows, Like shpiders down deirwebs De Dootch went at deir horses, Und de horses at de rebs. 24 Crate shplendors of de treadful Vere in dat pattle rush, Crate vights mit swords und carpine, Py efery fence and bush. Ash panters vight mit crislies In famished morder fits For de rebs vere mad ash boison Und de Dootch vere droonk ash blitz. Yet vild ash vas dis pattle, So quickly vas it o'er, O, vhy moost I forefer Pestain mine page mit gore ? Py liddle und py liddle Dey drawed demselfs afay, Oft toornin' round to vighten Like boofaloes at bay. 25 De scatterin shots grew fewer, De scatterin gries more shlow, Und furder troo de forest Ve beared dem vainter grow. Ve gife von shout " Victoria !" Und denn der Breitmann said, Ash he wiped his ploody sabre : " Now, poys, count oop your dead !'' Oh small had been our shoutin For shoy, if ve had known Dat der Stossenheim im oaken wald, Lay dyin all alone. Vhile his oldt vhite horse mit droopin het Look dumbly on him doun, Ash if he dinked, " Vy lyest dou here Vhile fightin's goin on ?" 26 Und dreams coom o'er de soldier Slow dyin on de eart ; Of a schloss afar in Baden, Of his mutter, und nople birt ! Of poverty and sorrow, Vhich drofe him like de wind, Und he sighed, " Ach weh for de lofed ones, Who wait so far pehind ! " Wohl auf, my soul o'er de moundains ! Wohl auf well ofer de sea ! Dere's a frau dat sits in de Odenwald Und shpins, und dinks of me. Dere's a shild ash blays in de greenin grass, Und sings a liddle hymn, Und learns to shpeak a fader's name Dat she nefer will shpeak to him. 27 But mordal life ends shortly Und Heafen's life is long : Wo bist du Breitmann ? glaub'es Gott suffers noding wrong. Now I die like a Christian soldier, My head oopon my sword : In nomine Domini ! " Vas Stossenheim his word.. O, dere vas bitter wailen Vhen Stossenheim vas found. Efen from dose dere lyin Fast dyin on de ground. Boot time vas short for vaiten, De shades vere gadderin dim : Und I nefer shall forget it De hour ve puried him. * Where are thou Breitmann ? Believe it. 28 De tramp of horse und soldiers Vas all de funeral knell ; De ring of sporn und carpine Vas all de sacrin bell. Mit hoontin knife und sabre Dey digged de grave a span From German eyes blue gleamin De holy water ran. Mit moss-grown shticks und bark-thong De plessed cross ve made, Und put it vhere de soldier's head Towards Germany vas laid. Dat grave is lost mid dead leafs De cross is goned afay : Boot Gott will find der reiter Oopon de Youngest Day. Und dinkin of de fightin, Und dinkin of de dead, Und dinkin of de organ, To Nashville, Breitmann led. Boot long dat rough oldt Hanserl Vas earnsthaft, grim und kalt, Shtill dinkin o'er de hearts friend, He 'd left im gruenen wald. De verses of dis boem In Heidelberg I write De night is dark around me De shtars apove are bright. Studenten in den Gassen f Make singen many a song ; * In the green wood, f Students in the streets. 30 Ach Faderland ! wie bist du weit ! Ach Zeit ! wie bist du lang ! * * Oh Fatherland ! how art thou far. Oh Time ! -how art thou long. THE FIRST EDITION OF BREITMANN. SHOWING HOW AND WHY IT WAS THAT IT NEVER APPEARED. *' Uns ist in alten Maeren wunders viel geseit Von Helden lobebaeren, von grosser Arebeit. Von Fasten und Hochzeiten, von Weinen und Klagen, Von kuehnen Recken Streiten, moht Ihr nun Wunder horen sagen." Der Nibelungen Lied. O oos, in anciend shdory, Crate voonders ish peen told Of lapors fool of glory, Of heroes bluff und bold ; 3 2 Of high oldt times a-kitin, Of howlin und of tears, Of kissin and of vightin, All dis we likes to hears. Dere growed once dimes in Schwaben, Since fifty years pegan, An shild of decend elders, His name Hans Breitemann. De gross adfentures dat he had, If you will only look, Ish all bescribed so truly In dis fore-lying book. Und allaweil dese lieder Vere goin troo his het, De writer lay von Sonntay A-shleepin in his bett ; 33 Vhen, lo ! a yellow bigeon Coom to him in a dream, De same dat Mr Barnum Vonce had in his Museum. Und dus out-shprach de bigeon : " If you should brint de songs Or oder dings of Breitmann Vhich to dem on-belongs, Dey will tread de road of Sturm and Drang, Die wile es mohte leben,* Und be mis-geborn in pattle To dis fate ish it ergeben." Und dus rebly de dreamer : " If on de ice it shlip, Denn led id dake ids shanses, Rip Sam, und let 'er rip ! * During its life. 34 Dou say'st id vill pe sturmy : Vot sturmy ish, ish crand, Crates heroes ish de beoples In Uncle Samuel's land. " Du bist ein rechter Gelbschnabel,* O golden bigeon mine, Und I '11 fighdt id on dis summer, If id dakes me all dis line. Full liddle ish de discount, Oopon de Yankee peeps." " Go to hell ! " exglaim de bigeon ; Foreby vas all mine shleeps. Dere vent to Sout Carolina A shentleman who dinked, Dat te pallads of der Breitmann Should papered pe und inked. * Thou art a very puppy-. 35 Und dat he vouldt fixed de brintin Before de writer know : Dis make to many a brinter, Fool many a bitter woe. All in de down of Charleston, A druckerei he found, Where dey cut de copy into takes Und sorted it around. < Und all vas goot peginnen, For no man heeded mooch, Dat half de jours vas Mericans Und half of dem vas Dutch. Und vorser shtill, anoder half Had vorn de Federal plue, Vhile de anti-half in Davis grey Had peen Confeterates true. Great Himruel ! vot a shindy Vas shdarted in de crowd, Vhen some von read Hans Breitmann, His Barty all aloud ! Und von goot-nadured Yankee, He schwear id vos a shame, To dell soosh lies on Dutchmen, Und make of dem a game. Boot dis make mad FriU Luder, Und he schwear dis treat of Hans, Vos shoost so goot a barty Ash any oder man's. Und dat nodings vas so looscious In all dis eartly shpear, Ash a quart mug fool of sauer-kraut, Mit a plate of Lager-bier. Dat de Yankee might pe tarn mit himself, For he der Fritz hafe peen, In many soosh a barty Und all dose dings hafe seen. All mad oopsproong de Yankee, Mit all his passion ripe j Und vired at Fritz mit de shootin shtick, 'Vheremit he vas fixin type. It hit him on de occiput, Und laid him on de floor ; For many a long day afder I ween his het was sore. Dis roused Piet Weiser der Pfaelzer, Who vas quick to act und xlink ; He held in hand a roller Vheremit he vas rollin ink. 38 Und he dake his broof py shtrikin Der Merican top of his het, Und make soosh a vine impression, Dat he left de veller for deat. Allaweil dese dings oonfolded, Dere vas rows of anoder kind, Und drople in de wigwam Enough to trife dem plind. Und a crate six-vooted Soudern man Vot hafe vorked on a Refiew, Shvear he hope to Gott he mighd pie de forms If de Breitmann's book war'nt true. For de Sout' vas ploundered derriple, Und in dat darksome hour He hafe lossed a yallow-pine maiden, Of all de land de vlower. 39 Bright gold doublones a hoondered For her he'd gladly bay Ash soon ash a thrip for a ginger-cake, Und deem it cheap dat day. To him antworded a Yorker Who shoomp den dimes de boun-ti-ee : (De only dings he lossed in de war Was a sense of broperty). Says he, "Votefer you hafe dropped Some oder shap hafe get, Und de yallow pine liked him petter ash you, On dat it is safe to bet ! " Dead pale pecame dat Soudern brave He tidn't so moosh as yell, Boot he drop right on to de Yorker, Und mit von lick bust his shell. 4 o Denn out he flashed his pig-sticker Und mit looks of drementous gloom, Rooshed vildly in de pattle Dat vas ragin round de room. Boot in anguh) in de corner Anoder quarrel vas grow 'Twix a Boston shap mit a Londoner ; Und de row ish gekommen so : De Yankee say dat de H-^-mor Of Breitmann vas less dan small, Dough he maket de beoples laughen, Boot dat vas only all. Denn a Deutscher say by Donner ! Dat soosh a baradox Vould leafe no hope for writers In all Pandora's baender box. 'Twas like de sayin dat Heine Hafe no witz in him goot or bad, Boot he only kept sayin witty dings To make beoples pelieve he had. Denn de oder veller be-headed Dat dere vas not a shbark of foon In de Breitmann lieds when you lead dem Into Englisch correctly done : : Den a Proof Sheet veller respondered, For he dink de dings vas hard, " Dat ish shoost like de goot oldt lady Ash vent to hear Artemus Ward." " Und say it vas shames de beoples Vas laugh demselfs most tead At de boor young veller lecturin, Vhen he tidn't know vot he said." 42 Hereauf de Yankee answered " Gaul dern it : Shtop your fuss ! " And all de crowd togeder Go slap in a grand plug-muss. De Yankee shlog de Proof Sheet Soosh an awfool smock on de face Dat he shvell rite oop like a poonkin Mit a sense of his tisgrace, Boot der Deutscher boosted an ink-keg On dop of de Oder's hair : It vly troo de air like a boomshell denn - Mine Gotts ! Vot a sighdt vas dere ! Denn ofer all de shapel Vierce war vas ragin loose ; Fool many a vighten brinter Got well ge-gooked his goose. 43 Fool many a nose mit fisten, I ween was padly scrouged ; Fool many an eye pright gleamin Vas ploody out-gegouged. Do wart ufgehouwen* Dere vas hewin off of p ones ; Do hbrte man darinne* Man heardt soosh treadful croans. Jack war en da die Geste* De row vas rough and tough, Genuoge sluogen wunden * Dere vas plooty wounds enough. De souls of anciend brinters From Himmel look down oopon, Und allowed dat in a chapel Dere was nefer soosh carryins on. * Lines from Gudrun. 44 Dere was Lorenz Coster mit Gutemberg, Und Scheffer mit der Fust, Und Sweynheim mit Pannartz trop deers, Oopon dis teufel's dust. Dere vas Yankee jours extincted Who lay upon the vloor, Dere vas Soudern rebs destructed, Who vouldt nefer Jeff no more. Ash deir souls rise oop to Heafen, Dey heardt de oldt brinters' calls, Und Gutemberg gifed dem all a kick Ash he histed dem ofer de walls. Dat ish de vay dese Ballads Foorst vere crooshed in ploot and shdorm, Fool many a day moost bass afay Pefore dey dook dis form. 45 De copy flootered o'er de preasts Of heroes lyin todt, Dis vas de dire peginnin Das war des Breitmann's Noth. Dis song in Philadelphia Long dimes ago pegun, In Paris vas gondinued, und In Dresden ist full-done. If any toubt apout de facts, In nople minds ish grew, Let dem ashk Carl Benson Bristed, He knows id all ish drue. Und now, dese Breitmann shdories Is gebrindt in many a lant, Sogar in far Australia Dey 're gestohlen und bekannt : 4 6 "Geh hin mein Puck in alle Welt Sleh auss was dir kompt zu ! Man beysse Dick, man reysse Dich Nur dass man mir nichts thu ! * * Go forth my book through all the world, Bear what thy fate may be ! They may bite thee, they may tear thee, So they do no harm to me ! I GILI ROMANESKRO. A GIPSY BALLAD. ;HEN der Herr Breitmann vas a yungling, he vas go bummin aroundt goot deal in de worldt, vestigatin human natur, roulant de vergne en vergne, ash de Fraentsch boet says : "goin from town to town;" seein beobles in gemixed sociedy, und learnin dose languages vitch ornamendt a drue moskopolite, or von whose het ish bemosst mit experience. Mong oder tongues, ash it would appeared, he shpoke fluendly Red Welsh, Black Dootch, Kauder-Waelsch, Gauner- 48 sprache und Shipsy ; und dis latter languashe he pring so wide dat he write a pook of pallads in it, von of vitch pallads I hafe intuce him mit moosh droples to telifer ofer to de worldt. De inclined reader vill, mit crate heavy-hood blace pefore himself de fexation und lapor I hafe hat in der Breitmann his absents, to ged dese Shipsy verses broperly gorrected ; as de only shentleman in town who vas culpable of so doin, ish peen gon- fined in de town-brison, pout some droples he hat for shdealin some hens ; und pefore I couldt con- soolt mit him, he vas rooned afay. Denn I fond an oldt vomans Shipsy, who vas do nodings boot peg, und so wider mit pout five or four oders more. Derfore, de errordoms moost pe excused py de enlightened pooplic, who are fomiliar mit dis peautiful longuashe, vitch is now so shenerally fashiona"bel in literary und shpordin circles. 49 I GILI ROMANESKRO. Schunava, ke baschko dela godla, Schunava Paschomkskro. Te del miro Dewel tumen Dschavena bachtallo. Schunava opre' to ruka Chirikld ke gillela : Kamovela but dives, Eh'me pale kamaveva. Apo je wa'wer divesseste Schunava pro gilaviben, M'akana me avava, Pro marzos, pro kuriben. So korava kuribente, So korava apre drom ; Me kanav miri romni, So karaela la lakero rom. DRANSLATION. I hear de gock a growin ! I hear de musikant ! Gott gife dee a happy shourney Vhen you go to a distand landt. I hears oopon de pranches A pird mit merry sh drain, Goot many tays moost fanish Ere I coom to dis blace again. 5 r Oopon some oder tay-times I '11 hear dat song from dee ; Boot now I goes ash soldier To war, o'er de rollin sea. Und vot I shdeals in pattle, Und vot on de road I shdeal, I '11 pring all to my true lofe Who lofes her loafer so well. STEINLI VON SLANG. watchman look out from his tower Ash de Abendgold glimmer grew dim, Und saw on de road troo de Gauer Ten shpearmen coom ridin to him : Und he schvear : " May I lose my next bitter Und denn mit der Teufel go hang ! If id isn't dat pully young Ritter, De hell-drivin Steinli von Slang. 53 " De vorldt nefer had any such man, He vights like a sturm in its wrath : You may call me a recular Dutchman, If he ain't like Goliath of Gath. He ish big ash de shiant O' Brady, More ash sefen feet high on a string, Boot he can't vin de hearts of my lady, De lofely Plectruda von Sling." De lady make welcome her gast in Ash he shtep to de dop of de shtair, She look like an angel got lost in A forest of autumn-prown hair. Und a bower-maiden said ash she tarried : " I wish I may bust mit a bang ! If id isn't a shame she ain't married To der her-re-liche Steinli von Slang ! " 54 He pows to de crotmd fore de lady, Vhile his vace ish ash pale ash de tead ; Und she vhispers oonto him a re'de Ash mit arrow point accents, she said : " You hafe long dimes peen dryin to win me, You hafe vight, and mine braises you sing, Boot I 'm 'fraid dat de notion aint in me, De Lady Plectruda von Sling." " Boot brafehood teserfes a reward, sir ; Dough you Ve hardly a chost of a shanse. Sankt Werolf ! medinks id ish hard, sir, I should allaweil lead you dis dance. Like a bees vhen it booz troo de clofer, Dese murmurin accents she flang, Vhile singin, a stingin her lofer, Der woe-moody Ritter von Slang. 55 " Boot if von ding you do, I '11 knock under, Our droples moost enden damit. Und if you pull troo it, by donder ! I '11 own myself euchred, und bit. I schvear py de holy Sanct Chlody ! Py mine honor und avery ding ! You may hafe me soul, puttons, und pody, Mit de whole of Plectruda von Sling." " Und dis ish de test of your power : Vhile ve shtand ourselfs round in a row, You moost roll from de dop of dis tower, Down shdairs to de valley pelow. Id ish rough and ash shteep ash my virtue : (Mit schwanenshweet accents she sang :) " Tont try if you dinks id vill hurt you Mine goot lid-die Ritter von Slang." 56 An moormoor arosed mong de beoples : In fain tid she doom in her shkorn, Der vatchman on dop of de shdeeples Plowed a sorryfool doon on his horn. Ash dey look down de dousand-foot treppe, Dey schveared dey vouldtflass on de ding, Und not roll down de firstest tarn steppd For a hoondred like Fraulein von Sling. ii. ; Twas audumn. De dry leafs vere bustlin Und visperin deir elfin wild talk, Vhen shlow, mit his veet in dem rustlin Herr Steinle coomed out for a walk. Wild dooks vly afar in de gloamin, He hear a vaint gry vrom de gang ; Und vished he vere off mit dem roamin : De heart-wounded Ritter von Slang. 57 Und ash he vent musin und shbeakin, He see, shoost ahead in his vay, In sinkular manner a streakin, A strange liddle bein, in cray, Who toorned on him quick mit a holler, Und ctittin a dwo bigeon ving, Cried, " Say, can you change me a thaler, Oh, guest of de Lady von Sling ? " De knight vas a goot-nadured veller, (De peggars all knowed him at sight), So he forked out each groschen und heller, Dill he fix de finances aright. Boot shoost ash de liddle man vent, he, (Der Ritter), astonished cried " Dang ! " For id vasn't von thaler boot tventy, He 'd passed on der Ritter von Slang. H 58 O reater ! soopose soosh a vlight in De vingers of me, or of you, How we'd toorned on our heels, und gone kitin Dill no von vos left to pursue ! Good Lort ! how we 'd froze to de ready ! Boot mit him 'dvas a different ding ; For he vent on de high, moral steady, Dis lofer of Fraulein von Sling. Und dough no von vill gife any gredit To dis part of mine dale, shdill id 's diiie, He drafelled ash if he vould dead it, Dis liddle oldt man to pursue. Und loudly he after him hollers, Till de vales mit de differs loud rang : " You hafe gifed me nine-ten too moosh dollars, Hold hard ! " cried der Ritter von Slang. 59 De oldt man ope his eyes like a casement, Und laidt a cold hand on his prow, Denn mutter in ootmosdt amazement, " Vot manner of mordal art dou ? I hafe lifed in dis world a yar tausend, Und nefer yed met soosh a ding ! Yet you find it hart vork to pe spouse, and Peloved by Lady von Sling ! " " Und she vant you to roll from de tower Down shteps to yon rifulet shpot." (Here de knight whom amazement oerbower, Cried " Himmels potz pumpen Herr Gott ! ") Boot de oldt vetler saidt : " I '11 arrange it, Let your droples und sorrows co hang ! Und no dings vill coom to derange it, Pet high on it, Ritter von Slang. 6o " So get oop dis small oonderstandin, Dat to-morrow by ten, do you hear ? You '11 pe mit your trunk at de landin ; I '11 also be dere nefer fear ! Und I dinks we shall make your young voman A new kind of meloty sing ; Dat vain, wicked, cruel, unhuman, Gott-tamnaple Fraulein von Sling." De fiolet shdars vere apofe him, Vhite moths und vhite dofes shimmered round, All nature seemed seekin to lofe him, Mit perfume und vision und sound. De liddle oldt veller hat fanished, In a harp-like, melotious twang ; Und mit him all sorrow vas panished Afay from der Steinli von Slang. III. Id vas morn, und de vorldt hat assempled Mid panners und lances und dust, Boot de heart of de Paroness trempled, Und ofden her folly she cussed. For she found dat der Ritter vould do it, Und " die or get into de Ring," Und denn she 'd pe cerdain to rue it, Aldough she vas Lady von Sling. For no man in Deutschland stood higher Dan he mit de Minnesing crew, He va$ friendet to Heini von Steier, Und Wolfram von Eschenbach too. Und she dinked ash she look from de vinders, How herzlich his braises dey sang ; " Now dey '11 knock my goot name indo flinders, For killin der Ritter von Slang." 62 Boot oh ! der goot knight had a Schauer, Und felt most ongommonly queer, Vhen he find on de top of de dower De goblum, pesite him, abbear. Denn he find he no more could go valkin, Und shtood, shoost an petrified ding, Vhile de goblum vent round apout talkin, Und chaffin Plectruda von Sling. Denn at vonce he see indo de problum, Und vas stoggered like rats at ids vim*; His soul had gone indo de goblum, H Und de goblum's hat gone indo him. Und de eyes of de volk vas enchanted, Dere vas " glamour" oopon de whole gang ; For dey dinked dat dis veller who ranted So loose, vas der Ritter von Slang. 63 Und, Lordt ! how he dalked ! Oonder heafens Dere vas nefer soosh derriple witz, Knockin all dings to sechses and sefens, Und gifin Plectruda, Dutch fits. Mein Gott ! how he poonished und chaffed her Like a hell-stingin, devil-born ding ; Vhile de volk lay a-rollin mit laughter At Fraulein Plectruda von Sling. De lady grew angry und paler, De lady grew ratful und red, She felt some Satanical jailer Hafe brisoned de tongue in her head. She moost laugh vhen she vant to pe cryin. Und vas crushed mit de teufelisch clang, Till she knelt herself, pooty near dyin, To dis derriple image of Slang. 6 4 Denn der goblum shoomp oop to der ceiling Und trow sommerseds round on de vloor, Right ofer Plectruda a-kneelin, Dill she look more a vool dan pefore. Denn he roll down de shteps light und breezy, His laughs made it all apout ring ; Ash he shveared dere vas noding more easy Dan to win a Plectruda von Slrng. Und vhen he cot down to de pottom, He laugh so to freezen your plood ; Und schwear dat de boomps ash he cot em Hafe make him feel petter ash good. Boot, oh ! how dey shook at his power, Vhen he toorned himself roundt mit a bang, Und roll oop to de dop of de tower, To change forms mit de oder Von Slang ! 65 Denn all in an insdand vas altered, Der Steine vas coom to himself; Und de sprite, vitch in double sense paltered, From dat moment acain vas an elf. Dey shdill dinked dat he vas de person Who had bobbed oop and down on de ving, Und knew not who 'tvas lay de curse on De peaudiful Lady von Sling. Nun endlich Plectruda repented, Und gazed on der Ritter mit shoy ; In dime to pe married consented, Und vas plessed mit a peautifool poy, A dwenty gold biece on his bosom Vhen geporn vas tiscofered to hang Mit de inscript " Dis dime dont refuse em" So endet de tale of Von Slang. TO A FRIEND STUDYING GERMAN. Si liceret te amare Ad Suevorum magnum mare, Sponsam te perducerem. Tristicia Amorosa. Frau Aventiure, , von J. V. Scheffel. ILL'ST dou learn die Deutsche Sprache ? Denn set it on your card, Dat all the nouns have shenders, Und de shenders all are hard. Dere ish also dings called pronoms, Vitch id 's shoost ash veil to know ; Boot ach ! de verbs or time-words Dey '11 work you bitter woe. 6 7 Will'st dou learn de Deutsche Sprache ? Denn you allatag moost go To sinfonies, sonatas, Or an oratorio. Vhen you dinks you knows 'pout musik, More ash any other man, Be sure de soul of Deutschland Into your soul ish ran. Will'st dou learn de Deutsche Sprache ? Dou moost eat apout a peck A week, of stinging sauerkraut, Und sefen pfoundts of speck. Mit Gott knows vot in vinegar, Und deuce knows vot in rum : Dis ish de only cerdain vay To make de accents coom. 68 Will'st dou learn de Deutsche Sprache ? Brepare dein soul to shtand Soosh sendences ash ne'er vas heardt In any oder land. Till dou canst make parentheses Intwisted ohne zahl Dann wirst du erst Deutschfertig seyn,* For a languashe ideal. Will'st dou learn de Deutsche Sprache ? Du must mitout an fear Trink afery tay an gallon dry, Of foamin Sherman bier. Und de more you trinks, pe certain, More Deutsch you '11 surely pe ; For Gambrinus ish de Emperor Of de whole of Germany. * Then only you will be ready in German. 6 9 Will'st dou learn de Deutsche Sprache ? Be sholly, brav, und treu, For dat veller ish kein Deutscher Who ish not a sholly poy. Find out vot means Gemiithlichkeit, Und do it mitout fail, In Sang und Klang dein Lebenlang,* A brick ganz kreuzfidel. Will'st dou learn de Deutsche Sprache ? If a shendleman dou art, Denn shtrike right in do Deutschland, Und get a schveetes heart. From Schwabenland or Sachsen Vhere now dis writer pees ; Und de bretty girls all wachsen Shoost like aepples on de drees. * In Music and Song all thy life long. yo Boot if dou bee'st a laty Denn on de oder hand, Take a blonde moustachioed lofer In de vine green Sherman land. Und if you shoost kit married (Vood mit vood soon makes a vire), O, denn you '11 find de Dutch vill come Ash fast ash you tesire. LOVE SONG. , VERE mine lofe a sugar-powl, De fery shmallest loomp Vouldt shveet de seas, from pole to pole, Und make de shildren shoomp. Und if she vere a clofer-field, I 'd bet my only pence, It vould'nt pe no dime at all Pefore I 'd shoomp de fence. 72 Her heafenly foice, it drill rfie so, It oft-dimes seems to hoort, She ish de holiest anamile Dat roons oopon de dirt. De renpow rises vhen she sings, De sonnshine vhen she dalk ; De angels crow und flop deir vings Vhen she goes out to valk. So livin white, so carnadine, Mine lofe's gomblexion show ; It 's shoost like Abendcarmosine, Rich gleamin on de shnow. Her soul makes plushes in her sheek Ash sorrimer reds de wein, Or sonnlight sends a fire life trbo An blank Karfunkelstein. 73 De (iberschwengliche idees Dis lofe poot in my mind, Vouldt make a foost-rate philosoph Of any human kind. 'Tis schudderin schveet on eart to meet An himmlisch-hoellisch Qual ; Und treat mitwhiles to Kummel Schnapps De Schcenheitsideal. GLOSSARY. The reader would do well to consult the Glossaries of the thre former collections. Abendgold, (Ger.) Evening gold. Abendsonnenschein, (Ger.) Evening sunshine. Achiveh, (Ger.) Oh, woe. Allatag, (Ger. dial.) Every day. Allaweil, (Ger. dial.) Always; also whilst. Anamile, (Amer.) Animal. Antworded y (Ger.) Answered. Baender-box Band-box. Be-ghostet, (Ger. # since this latter means both a gipsy and a husband. Loudet, (Lauten in Ger.) To make sound. Lumpenglocke An abusive term applied to bells, especially to those which are rung to give notice that the bee.r-houses must close. Mit hoontin knife, &>c. : " With her white hands so lovely, She dug the Count his grave. From her dark eyes sad weeping, The holy water she gave." Old German Ballad. Mohr, ein schwarzer, (Ger.) A blackamoor. Morgan John Morgan, a notorious Confederate guerilla during the late war in America. 78 Moskopolite, (Amer.) Cosmopolite. Mossyhead is the German stu- dent phrase for an old student. Mutter, (Ger.) Mother. Noth, (Ger.) Need, dire extremity, Das war des Breitmann's Noth. That was Breitmann's sore trial. Imitated from the last, line of The Nibelungen Lied. Nun endlich, (Ger.) Now at last. O' Brady An Irish giant commemorated in an old popular song. Odentvald A thickly-wooced district in South Germany. On-belongs Literal translation of Zugehort. Oop-sproong For an/sprung. Orgel-ton, (Ger. ) Organ sound. Out-sprach Outspoke. Peeps People. "Hard on the American peeps" a phrase for any- thing exacting or severely pressing. Pestain Stain, with the augment. Pfaelzer A man from the Rhenish Palatinate, Pie the forms Break and scatter the forms of types the greatest disaster conceivable to a true typo. Pig-sticker Bowie-knife. Pile out, (Amer.) Hurry out. Plug-muss Fight for a fire-plug. American fireman's language. Poonkin Pumpkin . Red cock Or make de red cock crow. Einem den rothen Hahn aufs Dach setzen, A German proverb signifying to set fire to a house. Rede, (Ger.) Speech. Red-Waelsch, Roth-Waelsch, (Ger.) Thieves' language. Reiter, (Ger.) Rider. Ridersmann, (^Reitersmann in Ger.) Rider. Ritter, (Ger.) Knight. Sachsen Saxonia, Saxony. Sacrin Consecrating. Sauerkraut, (Ger.) Pickled cabbage. Scatterin, Scotterin Scattering. Scha^^er, (Ger.) Awe. Schenk aus, (Ger.) Pour out. Schimmel, (Ger.) Grey horse. Schloss, (Ger.) Castle. Schdnheitsidtal, (Ger.) The ideal of beauty. Schopenhauer A celebrated German " philosophical physiologist. Schivaben Suabia. Sch'wan, (Ger.) Swan. Scrotiged, (Amer.) Pressed, jammed. Seelen Ideal. Soul's ideal. Shapel Chapel is an_old word for a printing-office. Shipsy Gipsy. Shlide Slide. " Let it slide," vulgar for " let it go." 79 Shooting-stick A shooting-stick is used for closing up the form of types. Sonntag* (Ger.) Sunday. Speck, (Ger,) Bacon. Spiel, (Ger.) Play. Sporn, (Ger.) Spur. Stim, (Ger. Stimme} Voice. _ Sturm Mild Drang, (Ger.) Literally Storm and violence. Sturm und Drangperiode, signifying a particular period of German literature. Siveynheim and Pannartz The first printers at Rome. Takes Allotments of copy to each printer. Thrip, (Southern Amer.) Threepence. Todt, (Ger.) Dead. Treppe Stairs. Treu, (Ger.) Faithful, true. UeberscJvwengliche) (Ger.) Transcendental, elevated. Verdammt, (Ger.) D d. Wachsen, (Ger.) To grow. " Komm' ich in's galante Sachsen Wo die schone Maedchen wachsen." Old German Song, Wald, (Ger.) Wood. We'uns, you'ns We and *y u ' A common vulgarism through the Southern States. " 'Tis sad that we'uns from you'ns parts When you'ns hev stolen we'uns' hearts." Wild und Weh, (Ger.) Wild and woebegone. Wo bist du f (Ger.) Where art ? Woe-moaedy, (Ger. Wehmuthig) Moanful, doleful. Wohla^^f, (Ger.) Well, come on, cheer up. Wurst A German student word for indifference, Yarttiusend, Jahrtausend A thousand years. Yelloiv pine Mulatto. " I lost a maiden in that hour." Byron. Yungling, Jungling, (Ger.) Youth. PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE AND COMPANY EDINBURGH AND LONDON Price is. SECOND SERIES. HANJS BREITMANN'S 1. Hans Breitrnann's Christmas. 2. Der Freischutz. 3. Breitmann about Town. 4. Weingeist. 5. Schnitzerl's Philosopede. Part i. 6. Schnitzerl's Philosopede. Part 2. Also Ready, price is. THIRD SERIES. H N AS A POLITICIAN. rte CANTO I. 1. The Nomination. 2. The Committee of Instruction. 3. Mr Twine explains being "sound upon the goose." CANTO IL 4. How Breitmann and Schmit were reported to be log-roll- ing. 5. How they held the Mass Meeting. 6. Breitmann's Great Speech. CANTO III. Pardt de Virst The author asserts the vast intellectual superiority of Germans to Americans. - Pardt de Secondt Showing how Mr Hiram Twine " played off " on Smith. " Breitmann is a real creation of the comic muse ; a figure as distinct as Homer Wildburr, as Hosea Biglow. Comparisons with Lowell are not to be avoided when a reader comes to the political cantos [H,ans Breitmann as a Politician]; and it is a great thing to say for our author, who has only been known in England half a year, that he need not shrink from his place by the side of that strong and dainty humourist." Gay S T. M Lei and, Che .r]es G* Hans Brei tmann in church _^x" ^ M82490 THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY