About this time a storekeeper in town found among a load of provisions hauled from Sacramento City, a barrel of provisions of some kind, which from all appearances and smell was so badly damaged as to be unfit for use. It was therefore consigned to the
rubbish heap in the rear of the store, where it was soon covered up with empty barrels and boxes. The proprietor noticed that certain emigrants from the Fatherland would be seen occasionally prowling around the back yard, apparently having lost something. But little attention, however, was paid to them, and one day a burly Dutchman came into the store, tired, covered with dust, and said:
“I vants me some von dot, for I vas walked more as den miles.”
The storekeeper remarked that he couldn’t tell what “dot” was.
“Vell, den, I shows you vat I want. You shust come mit me.”
The storekeeper followed him to the rear of the store, and the Dutchman, pointing to the rubbish heap, remarked that “some of dot in dere vas vat he wanted.”
The boxes and barrels being removed, the barrel of rotten meats was exposed to view, and he was informed that the contents were unfit to eat.
“Ach, mein Gott! I knows better as dot. You shust bust em in, und I shows you.”