Will Call Again
The great Lessing too was often absent-minded in the last years of his life. One evening he knocked at his own house door. The servant not recognizing him in the dark called from a window: “The professor is not at home.”
“All right, it does not matter,” returned Lessing, “I’ll call again some other time.”
Saphiriana
(How the great humorist came by his name.)
Saphir’s grandfather’s name was Israel Israel. Emperor Joseph ordered that all Jews should take a permanent surname. Old Israel, when summoned before the magistrate was very undecided, so the man of law and justice, in order to make short work of it, said: “You are wearing a ring with a sapphire. Your name shall be Saphir. That settles it. No contradicting or——”
This “or” was accompanied by a certain look at two policemen. So this “or” is the cause of the humorist’s name.
Lend and Forget
Saphir was once asked by Baron Rothschild to write something in his album. Saphir wrote: “Lend me 100 Louis d’or and forget, forever your friend,