The rector acknowledged the compliment to himself and the Romans by a bow, and as he noticed that the president glanced frequently at the clock, he hastened to finish his speech, and concluded with these words: "My respected hearers, if we consider poverty at the present time, we shall find that it is only the children of poor people, and of the mechanics, who go begging in our city." With that he retired, carrying off his "reserves" under his arm.
He was followed by Johann "Meinswegens." "Gentlemen," said he, "I am, meinswegens,[[11]] a dyer," and thereupon he extended his two hands over the cask with so much emphasis that the whole Reformverein was astonished,--"I used to go to school to the Herr Rector, and he is right, we must have a republic, meinswegens Plato's, meinswegens somebody's else; but what the Herr Rector said about the mechanics, that is a sin and a shame; I mean, meinswegens, the mechanics and not the Herr Rector. Gentlemen, I have, meinswegens, travelled into strange countries as a journeyman mechanic--"
"You sat in the chimney-corner, with your mother," cried a voice from the crowd.
"What? I have been as far as Birnbaum in Poland, and, meinswegens, farther still, ever so far! as true as the sky is blue, and on the word of an honest blue dyer," and he smote on his breast. "And, gentlemen, I could, meinswegens, keep two journeymen, only that, unfortunately, indigo is so dear."
"Oh, you rascal! You color with logwood!" cried shoemaker Deichert.
"That is a stupid joke!" cried Johann.
"What, indigo? Hear!" cried several voices, "he colors with logwood!"
"Yes," cried the roguish shoemaker, "one can easily tell the women-folk that he colors for, they look like tar-barrels, the old logwood gives such a strong color."
"Young man," asked Johann, in a very superior way, "have you, meinswegens, ever looked into my dye-tub?"
"You should hold your tongue, when we are talking about poverty; you are well enough off," cried another.