Letter From John B. Prutzman to Alfred L. Shoemaker, February 26, 1948

Authors

John B. Prutzman

Document Type

Correspondence

Files

Date

2-26-1948

Keywords

rhymes, fraktur, Brilla-schmidt, beer, Spangsville, Earl Township, Oley Township, Pennsylvania Dutch dialect

Description

A handwritten letter from John B. Prutzman addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated February 26, 1948. Within, Prutzman recalls some Pennsylvania German rhymes.

Sender

John B. Prutzman

Recipient

Alfred L. Shoemaker

Corresponds to:

Packet 203

City

Spangsville, Pennsylvania

Transcription

Spangsville Pa. Feb. 26 - 1948

Mr. Alfred L. Shoemaker I always like to read your Old Berks Folklore in the Eagle some time ago I read about the old Brillashmit I can well remember him and his little dog Roverly I have a Birth and Baptism Certificate that he filled out in 1882 when my wife was born in Earl Township but is not Fraktured just plain writing I remember to meet him at a certain place when he had some money and he said gib do Bova zwa Gloos Beer ich Bazals and later I met him when he had no money and the boys said gib Schmitty zwy glass Beer ich Bazals after a bit Augh got gib meer ust ma Ines. I can remember a few Rhymes that my Grandmother used to repeat for us when I was a young Boy, one of them is

Es fegley Hucked auf am Lada und Sphind an galer Fada de Mommy huck ol im Hinkel Hause und Sucht de Betha Hona Rause

and one was

Truss Truss drill dar Bamer Hut

an Fill

es Fill Springt a weck un Bauer dar Lide im Drek. And one was

Dar Schwa is forgango

de Relt is do hee

dar Bivit is Kumma

un de Schwam sin sund gree

Now doady und Mommy now

sagt uns net ma

as boll moal widder zite

far Fissha zu ga. Over

Used to know some more but can’t remember them anymore. I like to read Pennsylvania Dutch I used to have a book printed in Penn. Dutch but don’t know what became of it wish I would have it now just for past time excuse my poor writing and spelling. If I live till next Nov. 17th I will be 80.

John B. Prutzman

Spangsville Pa.

Language

English and Pennsylvania German

Rights Statement

This item is available courtesy of the Ursinus College Library Special Collections Department. It is not to be copied or distributed for commercial use. For permissions which fall outside of educational use, please contact the Special Collections Department.

Recommended Citation

Prutzman, John B., "Letter From John B. Prutzman to Alfred L. Shoemaker, February 26, 1948" (1948). Alfred L. Shoemaker Folk Cultural Documents. 272.
https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/shoemaker_documents/272