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The Upper Rhine : Mayence to the Lake of Constance
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TITLES.

179

thick as " bachelors' buttons " on a slieet of paper. It is merelyby such means that the ricketty state is kept from falling topieces; for the Prussian government is very much like thechickens populär at English supper -parties — the severalmembers being held together merely by ribbons.

Not only, however, are " Red Eagles " more plentiful than" Groschens " in the land,— a Preussisch Ritter often having agreater supply of coins on his breast than in bis pocket,—buttitles are as common as nicknames among our thieves andbeggars.

However paltry the government post that a person mayhappen to fill, the denomination of his office is used uponall occasions as a " handle" to his name; and this, withthe ordinary prefix of " Sir," tends to make such a title as" Hebe Piuvat-Beief-Eröffner Schleicher" sound almost asimposing as that of "Lobd High-Ciiancellor of England."

Indeed, nearly every person belonging to the middle classes(with the exception of shopkeepers) has some long-windedofficial addition to his patronymic. A petty clerk of theworks, for instance, is " Heer Bau-Inspektor Dummkopf," and amere tide-waiter, " Herr Zoll-Einnehmer Keinsteumpfe ;" thenthe law-stationer to the Courts is addressed as the " HeerGerichts-Schreibee Nudelnfeessee ;" whilst the book-keeperat tho garrison has the outlandish designation of the " Herr

ReCHNUNGSRATH - UND - GARNISON -VeRWALTUNGS - DlRECTOR VON

Rüchzugführer ;" and, to crown the wliole, the principal policeagent is for the future, it is said, to be styled—we must havean entire line for the euphonious appellation—

"Heee Andeen -Menschen- Geschäften-Nase - Dabinstecker

Spitzbube."

Now these Ojibbeway-like, crackjaw titles, if rendered into

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