The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1853-06-24

(! was HdTuIy tne 'ehtn part OF the value OF
the stone. The jcweller looked at Mas
saccio, and said, "To sell it at that price
you must be robber, and arrest you.
"If 1t is not worth so much, give mc
less" said Massoccio; 81 am not robb,
Ell, | am an honest man; it was the scr.
pent who gave me the diamond"
But The police now arrived and con
Quoted him before the magistrate. There
he recouuted his adventure, which ap-
peared TO be mere fairy vision. Yet
as the Signor Vitals was implicated in
the story, the magistrate referred the
affair TO The state inquisition, and ap'
peared before il. lso 81
"Relate to us your history" said one
OF The inquislors, "ahd lie not, or we
will have you thrown intothe canal"
Massaccio related his adventure. ~
$780," said the inquisitor, "yod saved
the Signor Vialis?" .3'a
| Eyes, noble signors." aa q Ao'.a
"And he promised you marriage por-
iion for your bride, and his palace a,
Venice for yourself?r aa ha1 j5sqsm7
"Yes, noble sisnors - eH1Ha -fga
Sand he drove YOU like beggar from
his dooi?n b 1.'s.s'al n GIL
ayes, noble signors" aa.7aga a5aa
"Let the signor vi.alis appear" said
the same inquisitor. 9l
Vtals appeared. an7 e PCT
"Do you know this man, Signor Vita
lism said the inquisi,or. 5H
"Eo, | know him not" replied Vitalis
The inquisitors consulted together oa
"This man." said they, speaking Of
Massaccio, sis evidently knave and a
cheat; he must be thrown inlo prison.
Signor vitsIls, you are acquitted" Then,
making sign TO an officer Of police,
"ra&e that man." said he, "lo prison."
Massaccio fell on his knees in The
middle of the hall. "Noble signors,
noble signors," said he, "it is possible
that the diamond may have been Stolen;
the serpent who gave ii me may have
wished 10 deceive me. tits possible Thai
the ape, ihe lion eud the serpent may
all be an Illustration of the demon; but
i, is true that | saved the Signor VitaIis,"
Turning to him. 81 ask you not for the
marriage portion for my bride, not for
your palace Of marble, but say word
for ne suffer me not 10 be thrown into
prison; do no, abandon me. | did not
abandon you when you were in The pitt
"Noble sigaors,n said Viialis, bowing
to the tribunal, II can only repea, wha, |
have already said; know not this man.
Has lie a single witness to produces"
AT this moment the whole court was
thrown into fear and astonishment, for
the Ion, monkey, and the serpent entered
the hall together. The monkey was
mounted on the back Of the lion, and the
serpent was twined round the arm Of the
monkey. On entering, the lion roared.
the monkey spluttered, and the serpent
hissed. icHaa t@ nt.i ai@
"Ah, these are the animals of the pitt"
cried Vitals, in alarm. 'aa .9eg a.f
"Signor Vitalis," resumed the chief of
the iDquisiiors, when the dismay which
this appari,ion had caused had somewhat
diminished, "you have asked where were
the witnesses of Massaccio? You see
that Gcd has sent them at the right time
before the bar OF our tribunal. Since,
then, God has testified against you, we
should be culpable before Him if we did
no, punish your ingratitude. @Your palace
aud your possessions are confiscated, and
you shall pass the rest of your life in a
narrow prison. And you," continued he,
addressing himself TO Massaccio, who
was all this time caressiDg the lion, the
monkey, aud the serpent, "since V,fe>
tian has promised you palace Of marble,
and portion for your bride, the republic
of Venice will accomplish the promise; !;
the palace end possessions of Vitalis are
thine. You,' said he TO the secretary Of
the tribunal, 'draw up an accoun, Of all
this history, that the people of Venice
may know, through all generations, that
the justice of the tribunal ofthe stale
inquisition is not less equitable than it is
rigorous. a
Mdssaccio and his wife lived happily
for many years afterwards in The palace
of Vitalis, with the monkey, the lion, and
the serpent; and Massaccio had them re-
presented in picture on the wall of his
palace, as they entered the hall o! The
tribunal, the lion, carrying the monkey,
and the monkey carrying the serpent.
There is something higher. in polite
ness than Christian moralists have recog-
nized. In its best forms ss a simple,
outgoing, allpervadng spirit, none bur
the truly religious man can show IL For
it is the sacrifice Of self in the little
habiluaI matters of life-always the bes,
test Of our principles--together with a
respect, unaffected for man, as our brother
under the same grand destiny. In its
lower and more common development iG
everyday life, we havo very much tol
learn ofihe Europeans. Essa
Give man brains and riches, and he