DIE INSHURANCE BUSINESS.
ACT I.
Scene I.—Brownschweiger’s sitting-room and kitchen. A family scene. Yokle smoking pipe and plaiting corn husk mat. Ike on the right picking and handing husks to him. Frany, in the center sewing, dressed in cap and white handkerchief pinned across her breast. On left, Grandmother Aunshitz in huge white cap and spectacles seated in arm-chair, scraping an apple and eating it. To her left, Sallie crocheting. Seated on the floor to the left, Abe is covering a ball. Empty chair between Yokle and Frany. Grandmother coughs a great deal.
Yokle. Hurry up Ike und mach die wish net so dick. War der huxliter hide do, mam?
Frany. Yaw, den nu’midag.
Yokle. Wie feel hen die oyer und der butter g’macht?
Frany. Der butter is yusht 14 and die oyer yusht 16. Und du waisht das dee hinkle net orrig layia by dem kolta wedder. Alles tsomma hut yusht $1.92 g’macht, und des mus ich hovva. Dee Sallie mus en Polenay und en hat hovva und—
Abe. O yaw, sell is der wake. Dee Sallie mus alles hovva und ich mus worta. Der shool-maishter hot hite weeder g’saut ich set en neyee cheeografee greega.
Ike. Yaw, dad, und ich mus en mental hovva.