The Elgin News. (Elgin, Okla.), Vol. 1, No. 33, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 30, 1908 Page: 3 of 12
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A
SECRET SERVICE
By J. C. PLUMMER
(Copyright, by Uaily Story Pub. Co.)
Johann Durm's public house stood
on one of tliree corners where Parker
street reaches the water side and
Comstock's wharf begins. If a vessel
came well up the wharf one might
stand in Durm's window and leap on
to her Jib boom.
For years Durm had enjoyed a
monopoly of the three corners, but
latterly the northeast corner had been
fitted up as a saloon and ia pretentious
gilt letters displayed the sign "Fritz
Hoffman, Restauration."
Alongside of the door hung a board
painted black on which, in letters of
chalk, H< ffman announced that a free
lunch was set out each day between
noon and one p. m. On this particu-
lar day the menu announced was pork
and sauer kraut.
Free lunches were an innovation in
that neighborhood and Durm, whose
counter never had offered more tjian
a saucer full of dry crackers as solid
refreshment to the customer, waxed
Indignant.
"It was a foolishness," he stormed;
"If I buys a pound of coffee does the
grocer give me a sugar mit? It was
a foolishness and he will money lose.
But since Hoffman had begun with
his lunches Durm's business had de-
clined and it smarted him. He could
readily have given a lunch but his
pride forbade and then he was mean.
Fran Durm urged capitulation to ex-
isting conditions.
"If we give a. lunch now always
must we give it?" groaned her hus-
band. "If this fool his money loses
and shuts np our busiuess will come
back. He must his money lose. No
man can give away his profits. We
will wait."
While they stood behind their
empty bar and talked Hoffman, a rosy-
cheeked young German, came out,
erased the lunch announcement and
substituted the words, "German Cook
Wanted."
"He wants a cook," remarked Frau
Durm.
"Donnerwetter, let him want,
grunted her husband.
"Frederika comes to-night from New
York," continued Frau Durm, musiug-
ly, "she might take the place."
"Ja wohl," cried Herr Durm, scof-
fingly, "we send to Germany for our
niece to cook for us and give her to a
man who our business ruins. That
would be colossal."
"He still and listen," said Frau
Durm, caustically. "Suppose she gets
the place and Jinds out how much
meat and vegetables he buys for the
lunch and what they cost. Suppose
she finds out how much beer and whis-
ky he sells can we not find out if lie
money makes or loses? "Then we will
know what to do."
Her husband was interested.
"If so he money loses he will quick
close down and we can wait, if lie
money makes we must also give a
lunch," continued Frau Durm.
"It was gut," and Herr Durm nod-
ded, ponderously, approvingly.
Frederika arrived the next day at
flusk and was smuggled into the back
door of the Durm domicile. Frau Durm
carefully coached her during the eve-
ning and at early morn she secretly
left the house and applied for the
vacancy at Hoffman's. The Durms
watched for results from their win-
dows.
Presently a butcher wagon stopped
1 a front of Hoffman's and the pro-
prietor came out. With him came
FredeWka, sleeves rolled up and be-
aproned. They gravely inspected the
meat.
"She has the place," exclaimed
Frau Durm, exultingly.
"It was gut," commented her hus-
band.
When night came Frederika tapped
at the kitchen door of the Durm
house and was admitted. She talked
volubly but was inclined to dilate on
subjects not germane to her mission.
Then Frederika proved herself a
most dutiful emmlssary. She pro-
duced sheets of paper on which she
had Jotted down in queer little figures
the quantities of meat and vegetables
bought, their cost and also the num-
ber of glasses of beer, whisky and
kimmel sold. This batch of data she
lay triumphantly before Herr Durm.
But her uncle was unappreciative.
He looked at the figures, gasped, swal-
lowed a glass of beer and then, swore.
"Donnerwetter, I make nothing of
these figures," he said.
Frau Durm looked at them with cor-
rugated brow and shook her head.
However, resourceful woman that she
was, she saw an opening.
"We must send for Onkel Carl," she
said, with decision.
Onkel Carl was a relative of the
Durms. For a short period, in his na-
tive Hamburg he had kept books for
a wine dealer. He had vacated liis
position—slanderers, perhaps, averred
he was discharged, and had come to
America with the Durms. While
Onkel Carl made his living stevedor-
ing about the docks he was regarded
by his circle of friends as an expert
in figures due to his having held the
responsible post of accountant.
Onkel Carl answered the invitation
of the Durms promptly and set about
his task in a matter of fact style. He
first ate an enormous supper and
then a huge pitcher of beer was placed
beside him and the mass of data be-
fore him. He began adding, subtract-
ing. multiplying and dividing in a way
that .rendered the Durms and Fred-
erika mute with admiration.
"These figures show," he said, final-
ly, when the beer had all been con-
sumed, "that this man his money
loses quick. He will soon bankrupt
be."
The Durms glanced at each other
exultingly.
"But," continued Onkel Carl, "I
must see the figures for another day.
I come to-morrow night."
The next night Frederika again
stealthily slipped in with fresh papers
containing another day's outgoings
and intakings. Again Onkel Carl de-
voured an immense supper and again
the huge pitcher of beer stood be-
side him. He calculated awhile and
then announced:
"The figures to-night show this man
money makes."
"How was it that the figures should
So different be from last night!
growled Herr Durm.
"Sapristi," exclaimed Onkel Carl,
"that w as the mystery of figures. Per-
haps you Herr Strumpff, the Hamburg
merchant, remember? One year the
figures in his books showed that he
was rich. He owned a carriage and
his family went to the Baths. The
next year the same figures out of the
same books showed that he bankrupt
was."
Onkel Carl drained the pitcher and
left the Durms depressed and disap-
pointed.
For ten days Onkel Carl camw reg-
ularly supper devouring and bear im-
bibing. One night his calculations
would point to the speedy ruin of
Hoffman another to his prosperity.
Onkel Carl admitted the unsatisfac-
tory result but hinted that one would
be obliged to strike an average of
many calculations before a definite
proof of the profit, or loss of Hoff-
man's business could be obtained.
As Onkel Carl's depredations at
sapper and his Gargantuan thirst had
not been unnoted by the Durms and
they shuddered at the prospect of a
long continuance of such expensive
calculations. Another disturbing ele-
ment was the defection of Frederika'9
interest. She did not come each night
and on such nights Onkel Carl merely
ate and drank and did nothing else.
On the eleventh morning the Durms
had a conference behind their bar
and the expression on their eounten«
ances evidenced that they had decided
upon some important move. With the
night came Onkel Carl but he saw
no prospect of supper nor did the
great pitcher filled with beer greet
his thirsty eyes. He stared and sat
down. Presently a light step was
heard and the kitchen door latcli
clicked. Frederika came in, her first
appearance for two nights. She shyly
handed a bunch of papers to her aunt.
Frau Durm took the papers and
without looking at them caat the
bunch into the stove.
"This foolishness stops," she said
firmly. "We give a lunch from now
on. Onkel Carl you can go. Fred-
erika, you will notify Frau Hoffman
that you can no longer with her re-
main. You will come to cook for us.'
But Frederika did not reply at once.
She held down a face suffused with
blushes and looked at the floor.
"Well?" said Frau Durm.
"I cannot come," stammered Fred-
erika. "Next week I marry Fritz."
"Donnerwetter," exclaimed Hen'
Durm.
DISH THAT IS BEGINNING TO B6
APPRECIATED.
DO NOT FEAR THE TIGER.
Indian Native Always Knows Where
He May Be Found.
I have lived for weeks alonside quite
small, well defined forests containing
tigers, writes J. D. Rees in the Cal
cutta Statesman. Looking down from
the hillside I could always tell when a
tiger was on foot, where he was walk
ing and when he lay down to rest, for
all these movements were reported by
screaming birds and chattering apes
from the treetops.
By the like telegraphy and by the
woodcraft which is born in them, by
the Interests and habits of countless
generations, the villagers are per
fectly well posted regarding the great
beasts, and particularly regarding the
tigers, in their neighborhood. The man
eater is well known over the whole ot
his sometimes very extensive beat.
A sportsman arriving—provided the
villagers have confidence in him, and
this is a large provision, for they must
know their man—will have no diffi-
culty whatever in being accurately in-
formed concerning the' maneaters'
movements, but whether he will per-
suade the villagers to help him to get
up to his quarry will depend entirely
upon his personal reputation.
It is easy enough to build a little
leafy screen in a tree over a pool and
to sit and doze there night after night
till the tiger comes to drink in the
moonlight and cannot be missed, but
It is quite another thing to beat out
and face the maneater on foot. Conse-
quently the sportsman does not always
get taken up to the maneater, but this
.is not because the villagers do not
know where he is, or rather she, for
it is the female who generally preys
on man.
The indiscriminate offer of rewards
in no way tends to the destruction of
the real maneater, while it insures the
wholesale extermination of the useful,
indeed, indispensable, deer and pig
stalker and the cattle lifter.
Extremes of Heat and Cold.
The greatest heat is never found on
the equator, but some ten degrees to
the north, while more severe cold has
been registered in northern Siberia
than has been found near the pole.
Warning.
"Life Is honey-sweet now," says the
Adams Enterprise, "with all the peach
trees in blosioin; but please remem-
ber that doesn't mean peach-and-
honey!"—Atlanta Constitution.
East Indian Delicacy Has Many Vlr.
toes—A Few of the Best and
Most Easily Prepared-
Boiling the Rice.
Curry was formerly only to ho
found on the tables of those who had
visited India, but its excellence Is now
so generally acknowledged that it has
become a favorite In every household.
When first used curry was prepared
from recipes brought from India, but
now it is to be had for a small prlco
put up in bottles and sold at all gro-
cery stores. It is thought by many
to stimulate a Jaded appetite and is
especially liked by bilious teinpeia-
inonts.
Rice always accompanies curries. In
boiling it every grain must be separat-
ed r the pot should therefore be kept
on a strong fire bo as to keep the
water constantly boiling; this motion
will prevent the grains from adhering.
Do not cover the atewpot; watch
closely so as to take it off the fire
when done, strain and dry it immedi-
ately.
Curried Chicken, East Indian Recipe.
—Cut up two chickens as for fricas-
see; put them intc a stew pan with
sufficient water to cover them, add a
seasoning of salt. Boil until tender,
cover closely and skim well. As soon
as the chickens are boiled take them
off the fire. Fry until brown, put in
the chickens and sprinkle over them
two or three spoonfuls of curry pow
der. Cover closely and let the chick-
ens cook until brown. After boiling
shake the pan, then put in the liquor
In which the fowls were boiled; let all
stew until tender. Serve with boiled
rice.
Sausartees, Cape of Good Hope.—
Take the fillet end of a leg of mutton,
cut it into small square pieces, lay
them in an earthen pan; season with
salt, a tiny piece of garlic (if liked),
a spoonful of curry powder. Squeeze
a little lemon juice over. Let stand
over night.. Put fat and lean pieces,
when ready to cook, in a skewer,
then boil them and serve on rice boiled
as for curry.
Oxtail Curry.—Divide an ox tail at
the joints, put into a stew pan with
three pints of water, a bunch of herbs,
a slice of lean ham or bacon. Simmer
four hours, after which take out the
tail and strain the gravy into a bowl.
Cut one onion into small pieces and
stir over the fire, with a piece of but-
ter the size of a walnut. Fry until
brown, then mix in one tablespoonful
of curry powder, one teaspoonful
flour, pepper and salt and a pint of
the liquor in which the tail was boiled.
Cook for 20 minutes, stirring frequent-
ly, then put in the plcces of tail. When
hot, squeeze in the juice of half a
small lemon. Serve with rice. An
apple is frequently added to the above.
It should be cut Into small pieces aud
cooked with the butter and onion.
Curry of Lobster.—Pick the meat
from a lobster, cut it into pieces, put
them into a stewpan with half a
blade of mace and half pint of cream.
Hub two tablespoonfuls of curry pow-
der and the flour until smooth In a
little cream; stir in a piece of butter
the size of a walnut; rub all smoothly
together. Put this over a slow fire and
simmer for an hour. Season with salt
and lemon. Serve rice on a separate
dish.
Curry of Cold Calf's Head—Take
about two and a half pounds of cold
calf's head, cut it into thin slices.
Brown a large onion with a piece of
butter the size of a walnut, add two
scant dessertspoonfuls of curry pow
der. pour in one pint of broth; thicken
with a little flour (about one teaspoon-
fulful); boil over a clear fire for a hal!
hour, keeping it constantly stirred
Add the juice of half a small lemon;
put in the slices of calf's head and
when thoroughly heated se>ve an a
hot platter with rice.
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Shacklett, Charles D. The Elgin News. (Elgin, Okla.), Vol. 1, No. 33, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 30, 1908, newspaper, April 30, 1908; Elgin, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc153016/m1/3/: accessed April 25, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.