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having its weight evenly poised on the wheels by the trucks in the
hands of its driver； enabled him by this movement to cunningly
throw the center of gravity and the greater weight on the man；a
fact which that less sagacious brute never discerned。 Perhaps I am
using a strong expression regarding his driver。 It may be that the
purely animal wants of the dog； in the way of food； care； and
shelter； are more bountifully supplied in servitude than in
freedom； becoming a valuable and useful property； he may be cared
for and protected as such （an odd recollection that this argument
had been used forcibly in regard to human slavery in my own country
strikes me here）； but his picturesqueness and poetry are gone； and
I cannot help thinking that the people who have lost this gentle；
sympathetic； characteristic figure from their domestic life and
surroundings have not acquired an equal gain through his harsh
labors。
To the American eye there is； throughout the length and breadth of
this foreign city； no more notable and striking object than the
average German house…servant。 It is not that she has passed my
Spion a dozen times within the last hour；for here she is
messenger； porter； and commissionnaire； as well as housemaid and
cook；but that she is always a phenomenon to the American
stranger； accustomed to be abused in his own country by his foreign
Irish handmaiden。 Her presence is as refreshing and grateful as
the morning light； and as inevitable and regular。 When I add that
with the novelty of being well served is combined the satisfaction
of knowing that you have in your household an intelligent being who
reads and writes with fluency； and yet does not abstract your
books； nor criticise your literary composition； who is cleanly
clad； and neat in her person； without the suspicion of having
borrowed her mistress's dresses； who may be good…looking without
the least imputation of coquetry or addition to her followers； who
is obedient without servility； polite without flattery； willing and
replete with supererogatory performance； without the expectation of
immediate pecuniary return； what wonder that the American
householder translated into German life feels himself in a new Eden
of domestic possibilities unrealized in any other country； and
begins to believe in a present and future of domestic happiness！
What wonder that the American bachelor living in German lodgings
feels half the terrors of the conjugal future removed； and rushes
madly into loveand housekeeping！ What wonder that I； a long…
suffering and patient master； who have been served by the reticent
but too imitative Chinaman； who have been 〃Massa〃 to the childlike
but untruthful negro； who have been the recipient of the brotherly
but uncertain ministrations of the South…Sea Islander； and have
been proudly disregarded by the American aborigine； only in due
time to meet the fate of my countrymen at the hands of Bridget the
Celt；what wonder that I gladly seize this opportunity to sing the
praises of my German handmaid！ Honor to thee； Lenchen； wherever
thou goest！ Heaven bless thee in thy walks abroad！ whether with
that tightly…booted cavalryman in thy Sunday gown and best； or in
blue polka…dotted apron and bare head as thou trottest nimbly on
mine errands；errands which Bridget o'Flaherty would scorn to
undertake； or； undertaking； would hopelessly blunder in。 Heaven
bless thee； child； in thy early risings and in thy later sittings；
at thy festive board overflowing with Essig and Fett； in the
mysteries of thy Kuchen； in the fulness of thy Bier； and in thy
nightly suffocations beneath mountainous and multitudinous
feathers！ Good； honest； simple…minded； cheerful； duty…loving
Lenchen！ Have not thy brothers； strong and dutiful as thou； lent
their gravity and earnestness to sweeten and strengthen the fierce
youth of the Republic beyond the seas？ and shall not thy children
inherit the broad prairies that still wait for them； and discover
the fatness thereof； and send a portion transmuted in glittering
shekels back to thee？
Almost as notable are the children whose round faces have as
frequently been reflected in my Spion。 Whether it is only a fancy
of mine that the average German retains longer than any other race
his childish simplicity and unconsciousness； or whether it is
because I am more accustomed to the extreme self…assertion and
early maturity of American children； I know not； but I am inclined
to believe that among no other people is childhood as perennial；
and to be studied in such characteristic and quaint and simple
phases as here。 The picturesqueness of Spanish and Italian
childhood has a faint suspicion of the pantomime and the conscious
attitudinizing of the Latin races。 German children are not
exuberant or volatile： they are serious；a seriousness； however；
not to be confounded with the grave reflectiveness of age； but only
the abstract wonderment of childhood； for all those who have made a
loving study of the young human animal will； I think； admit that
its dominant expression is GRAVITY； and not playfulness； and will
be satisfied that he erred pitifully who first ascribed 〃light…
heartedness〃 and 〃thoughtlessness〃 as part of its phenomena。 These
little creatures I meet upon the street；whether in quaint wooden
shoes and short woollen petticoats； or neatly booted and furred；
with school knapsacks jauntily borne upon little square shoulders；
all carry likewise in their round chubby faces their profound
wonderment and astonishment at the big busy world into which they
have so lately strayed。 If I stop to speak with this little maid
who scarcely reaches to the top…boots of yonder cavalry officer；
there is less of bashful self…consciousness in her sweet little
face than of grave wonder at the foreign accent and strange ways of
this new figure obtruded upon her limited horizon。 She answers
honestly； frankly； prettily； but gravely。 There is a remote
possibility that I might bite； and； with this suspicion plainly
indicated in her round blue eyes； she quietly slips her little red
hand from mine； and moves solemnly away。 I remember once to have
stopped in the street with a fair countrywoman of mine to
interrogate a little figure in sabots；the one quaint object in
the long； formal perspective of narrow； gray bastard…Italian
facaded houses of a Rhenish German Strasse。 The sweet little
figure wore a dark…blue woollen petticoat that came to its knees；
gray woollen stockings covered the shapely little limbs below； and
its very blonde hair； the color of a bright dandelion； was tied in
a pathetic little knot at the back of its round head； and garnished
with an absurd green ribbon。 Now； although this gentlewoman's
sympathies were catholic and universal； unfortunately their
expression was limited to her own mother…tongue。 She could not
help pouring out upon the child the maternal love that was in her
own womanly breast； nor could she withhold the 〃baby…talk〃 through
which it was expressed。 But； alas！ it was in English。 Hence
ensued a colloquy； tender and extravagant on the part of the elder；
grave and wondering on the part of the child。 But the lady had a
natural feminine desire for reciprocity； particularly in the
presence of our emotion…scorning sex； and as a last resource she
emptied the small silver of her purse into the lap of the coy
maiden。 It was a declaration of love； susceptible of translation
at the nearest cake…shop。 But the little maid； whose dress and
manner certainly did not betray an habitual disregard of gifts of
this kind； looked at the coin thoughtfully； but not regretfully。
Some innate sense of duty； equally strong with that of being polite
to strangers； filled her consciousness。 With the utterly
unexpected remark that her father 'did not allow her to take money'；
the queer little figure moved away； leaving the two Americans
covered with mortification。 The rare American child who could have
done this would have done it with an attitude。 This little German
bourgeoise did it naturally。 I do not intend to rush to the
deduction that German children of the lower classes habitually
refuse pecuniary gratuities： indeed； I remember