The cards had continued perverse for him.

He pushed his soft black hat back from his rumpled crest of gray hair and commanded Minna Vielhaber to break a municipal ordinance which had received his official sanction.

Herman cheerily combed his red beard and scoffed at his late opponent.
"It makes dark," Minna reminded him.

"You should have light." Herman lighted two lamps suspended above the tables.

Then he addressed the Wilbur twin, now skillfully prolonging the last of his cookies.
"Well, young one, you like your bread and cheese and milk and cookies and apfel kuchen, so?
Well, I tell you--come here.