Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-10-02
EVENING STAR.
THE AvARIcIous MKRcHAIr,

largiro, one Of the most svaricious char.
acters in the world-for, though he had
realised q handsome property, eli his
thoughts were bent upon anassinp more
and more, his avsrioe still increasing
with his increase OF wealth. It happen.
ed that on returning one day from Q sale
OF some Of bis goods, with . purse of four
hundred gold crowns, while engaged in
trsnsacting other business. he was un.
lucky enough to lose the whole sum; nor
was he aware Of his loss untA he reached
home. Arriving there, be opened an i'm.
mense chest, containing many thousand
crowns, and on preparing to add the four
hundred to the number, be was struck
dumb with astonishment to find that they
were gone. He uttered an exclamation
OF horror every time he put his hands
into his pockets, till convinced at last
that his loss was but too true, he ran of
IN great consternation> along the cath he
had come, inquiriDg Of the very dogs he
met on his way, whether they had seen
or seized upon his treasure. He was
quite confounded when he reached the
place where he had first received the mo.
ney without obtaining the least tidings
of it..
Almost overwhelmed with despair, he
suddenly bethought him, as last re-
source, to apply to the magistrate, en-
treating that public erier might be in.
stantly sent forth, and offering the sum
of forty crowns for the recovery of his
treasure. With great courtesy be acceded
to the request, expressing himself at the
same time concerned to witness the ex-
cessive affliction under which the unfor-
tunate Filargiro seemed to labor. The
reward was accordingly proclaimed, and
the gold soon afterwards made its ap-
pearance in the hands Of an old lady, who
found it on her way home from church.
Fearful lest her conscience should be load
ed with such a weight of gold, though
extremely poor, she would have been very
greatly perplexed how to act, had she
not luckily heard the crier announcing
the reward of forty crowns, which she
hoped she might receive with q safe con-
science.
Observing her destitute appearance, the
Judge very humanely inquired whether
she had any means of procuring her sub
sistence, and whether she had not one to
assist her. 81 have nothing" she re-
piled, g but what gain by the work OF
my hands, and the help of one daughter ;
we weave and spin, Signor, to earn as
much as we want, living in the fear oi
the Lord the best way we are able. My
daughter, to be sure, [ should wish to see
married before die; but have nothing
to give her for her portion" The Judge,
on hearing the poor woman's account Of
herself, highly praised her integrity, in
thus restoring what she might 80 easily
have reserved for herself, and for q mar.
riage portion for her daughter observing
that it was an action of which he feared
that few others, under the same tempta.
ton, would have been capable. He then
summoned the merchant, informing him
taat his lost treasure was found, and re.
questing him at the same time to pu,
into the woman's hands the stated re.
ward.
The raptures of the miser were truly
amusing when he beheld and seized upor
the gold; but on hearing the demand 70,
the stipulated sum, his oountenance agai1
fell, and he began to think how he could
possibly withhold the promised reward
Having numbered the pieces once or tw,c,
exactly over, though he found them per.
fectly correct, he turned towards the Ole
woman, saying: "Thers are four ano
thirty ducats short of the sum which
put into this bag" The old lady ap
peared extremely confused at this accu
sation, and exclaimed in distressed tone
to the magistrate, 4" Oh, sir, can that b,
possible is it likely should have stoler
thirty-four ducats, when had it in my
power to possess myself of the whole
No, believe me: / swear, as I value my
hope Of heaven, that have restored th.
exact sum which l found on my return
from church not single farthing hav,
| taken out"
But the misery old wretch, continuing
to affirm most solemnly that the ducat!
were inthe same bag with the crowns
and that she must consider them as suf
ficient remuneration, the affair seemed t.
perplex the worthy Judge not q little
Yet when he reflected that the old mise
had only mentioned the four hundred
crowns in the first instance, he began t.
suspect his design of imposing upon th,
poor woman, in order to save the paltr,
sum offered as reward. He felt the ut
most indignation at the discovery of thil
deceit, believing no punishment 10 be tot
severe for this despicable breach of faith
But checking his rising passion for mo-
ment, be reflected that the most effectua
punishment he could bestow upon the
miser's attempt to impose upon the mag.
istracy, would be to make him fall into
the very snare he had laid for another
With this view he thus addressed tn,
merchant:
"And why did you not mention tn,
full amount of your loss before proclaim
ing the reward z"
81 overlooked it; I quite forgot it,
wes the reply.
"But 1t seems somewhat strange thu
you, who appear SO particular about ri
ties, should not have recollected ths cir
cumstance of the ducats. And aSfar al
l can understand, you wish to yfecovel
what is rot your own. / mean to Say
That this bag of gold could never have
belonged to you at all, since tie sum yor
first mentioned is not to be FUND in it. >
The Judge then turned towards the old
woman, observing, 'Since Il is clear thai
the money is none of his, and you havf
had the good luck to find 1t, pray keep it
the whole is your own, Should no owne1