The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1869-12-10


Nathan Hirsch, the Jew pawnbrok.
er. dWelt in one Of the narrow, crooked
lanes that led down. to the harbor.-
He listened from morning till might
to the music of the steps that crossed
his threshold, Late one evening q
young man in shabby cloak entered
the musty shop. la d
"Good evening. Mr.. Neumark, .
said the Jew. "What brings you SO
late ? Have you no patience till the
morning?' f..s.s4 80. -
"No, Nathan if l had waited till
the morning, perhaps l had not come
at all. What will you give me for
this violoncello ?'lsij'ra lHi
"Now, what am I to do with this
great fddle?" drawled the Jew. $50.
"That you know perfectly well, Ma
than. Put it in the corner there be-
hind the clothes, where no one will
see it. Now, what will you give me
for it. . - ''
Nathan took it up. examined it on
every side, and said, as he laid 1t
down: a1 H
"What will 1 give you? Is it for
two-pence worth Of wood and couple
of old strings l have seen fddles
with silver and mother of- pearl but
there is nothing here but lumber. = -
GHear me- said Neamark. "Full
five years long boarded, farthing by
.farthing, full five years [ suffered
hunger and pain, before [ had five
pounds that bought this instrument,
Lend me two on it. You shall have
three should l ever redeem it. -''
The Jew flung up his hands. '' q
"Two pounds Hear him! Two
pounds for pennyworth of wood l.
What am 1 to do with it, if yOu won't
redeem it p la .as.5!..a aI
"Nathan' and the young man
spoke low and strong-"you don't
know how my whole soul is in this
violin. 1t is my last earthly comfort,
my only earthly friend 1 tell thee,
I might almost as we'll pawn my
soul as it. Wouldst thou have my
soul?' -@-d--z-''75=i 1ii
"Why not? Aud if you did not
redeem it, it would be mine. But
what would Jew do with your soul?''
aaHush, Jew. Yet the fault was
my own. The Savior whom thy peo-
pie cruci6ed has redeemed my soul,
and 1 am his 1 spoke in the light
ness of despair. But 1 am his, and
he will never suffer me to want. II
is hard when must sacrifice the last
aud dearest. But he viii help me. I
will pay thee back" s.l5H 7-
"Young man, you will not deceive
me with these vain hopes. The last
time, did you not ell me that a rich
merchant would help you?
stSisbert? Yes. I went to him al
his own hour, and he said I came tor
late; the place had been given to an.
other. Am 1 to bear the penalty O.
the conduct of Others ~ z=- ---
II deal with you and not with 9th.
ers," ;" returned the Jew, coldly. "Takt
your great fiddle away"
Nathan, you know 1 am stranger
here. Remember when you we're |
stranger, and the Christian helped tht
Jew. / know no one but you. Give
me but thirty shillings.'' =''-'
'sThirty shilings /! Have, / no
said already that no merchant cai
give thirty shillings for a penny
worth of wood?" -,as
"Thou art a hard and cruel man.
And With these words Neumarl
Fsnatched up his beloved vioioncellC
and rushed out of the shop '-i9
"stOp, stop, young man. cried tn
Jew "trade is trade. / will give yOl
one pound,''
Thirty shillings, Nathan. To
morrow I must pay one pound, ant
how am 1 to live? Have mercy
~ have sworn that l will not Civ
thirty shilIings; but cat of old friend
ship 1 will give you fve- and twenty
that is, (you will nOte,) with penn.
interest on every form for eight days
and for the next week twopence, an
if you can not pay me then, It
mine. "Aow, what am 1 to do wit
this great piece OF wood p 80
at is hard but ! must submit. Ala
!, God have mercy on me p 80.
"He is a good and faithful Goo
the God of my fathers, and he helpe
me much, or / could not afford I
lose by such bargains as this. lively
pence and four-and-twenty pe1c
make six-and-thirty. 1 may as we
take it off the fVe-and d-twenty shill
ings. Il will save you bringing
e back here" a-4 -=l-s 81
, Neumark make no answer. II
} was gazing at his violoncello, VIII
, the tears rolled silently down h
, L.---a -. 4l l-t
cheek. a.
"Nathan,I have but one reques
? You don't know how hard it is
: part from that violin. For ten yea