Violet de Vere—name of a poem by Robert William Service (1874-1958) about a strip-teaser brought before a judge for disturbing the peace. Violet is released when she reveals that the judge owes her money.
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Fredericksburg is in the Hill Country west of Austin and north of San Antonio. It is near but not "on" the Pedernales. Fredericksburg was settled largely by Germans (as was most of Central Texas), and as recently as the 1940's German was commonly spoken in its cafes. Even today (2004) the main street (named Der Hauptstrasse) boasts an array of German restaurants. Austin had a large German population when O. Henry lived there in the 1890's, and when he was publishing a weekly humorous newspaper called _The Rolling Stone_ he lost many subscribers and advertisers by satirizing the Germans. Note his treatment of a German accent later in this story.
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scat—skat, a popular German card game
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Donnerwetter!—(German) an exclamation, literally translated "thunder-weather!"
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Ausgespielt—(German) finished
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