The consul smiled and passed on. But it seemed strange to him that
Trudschen, who was a tall strapping girl, exceedingly popular with
the military, and who had never looked lower than a corporal at least,
should accept the attentions of an Einjahriger like that. Later he
interrogated her.
Ach! it was only Unser Karl! And the consul knew he was Amerikanisch!
"Indeed!"
"Yes! It was such a tearful story!"
"Tell me what it is," said the consul, with a faint hope that Karl had
volunteered some communication of his past.
"Ach Gott! There in America he was a man, and could 'vote,' make laws,
and, God willing, become a town councilor,--or Ober Intendant,--and
here he was nothing but a soldier for years. And this America was a
fine country. Wunderschon? There were such big cities, and one
'Booflo'--could hold all Schlachtstadt, and had of people five hundred
thousand!"
The consul sighed. Karl had evidently not yet got off the line of the
New York Central and Erie roads. "But does he remember yet what he did
with his papers?" said the consul persuasively.
"Ach! What does he want with PAPERS when he could make the laws? They
were dumb, stupid things--these papers--to him.
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