Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-12-21
a Boys Bargain.

In the middle of the last century there
lived in the little town of Montdideir
France, an apothecary, by the name Mas
ter Lombard, and by report a miser.
Everybody sid Master Lombard was
rich, and though what everybody says l.
not always true, it WAS true in this in.
stance. Lomb bard was rich, buthe lived
like beggar. He spent very little, and
be gave away nothing. He lent money on
good security, tut he never lent any of il
to the Lord by giving it to the p"or-never
accepted the security of that Bible assur-
ance that those who do 81 shall be amply
repaid. No; Master Lom bard cared only
for money-lent only that he might make
more money. For this he denied himself
decent clothes, or wholesome food, or COM
Portable lodging. 1t was meat and drink
to him, he said, to look At his golden coins,
to hear their true ring of metal, to count
| them up as is they were so many friends
or children, and TO relish the thought OF
what be could do with his money if he
CHOSE. He never read, or, reading only
ecorned. the -ulemn words: Your riches
are corrupted: your gold and silver is
cankere9 and the rust of them shall be
"A witness against you, and shall eat your
flesh as it were fire. Ye have hoaped
| treasure together for the last day"
One snowy night, when Lombard had
closed his shop and was sitting in hi-
back parlor over the smallest scrap of fire,
eating a dry erast, there was knocking
at the outer door.
Old Lombard kept no servant, and nei-
Their had friend nor child beneath his
70 him
business, fo~, ss you may imagine, be was
not man given to hospitality. When
the knock was heard at the door, there
lore, he knew very we'll it must be either
the idle trick Of soma foolish boy to annoy
him, or customer, and being eoonOmi-
cal of his nwu trouble as well as of every
thing else, be wai;td FIR the stranger to
knock again.
If it is only a mischievous boy he
said, he'll not venture to knock twice if
it ia a customer, he is sure to do So
The knock was repeated, and old Lom-
bard rose and, passing through his shop,
unbarred and unbolted the outer door,
and looked ont straight before him into
the snowy street. He saw nothing, and
was about to shut the door again with an
angry word when child's voice arrested
AiH hlbEhhAbhs
Please you, good Master Lombard, ii is
me-
Me ! said old Lombard, suddenly dart
ing upon a small boy who stood shivering
upon the snowy doorstep, 'and who is me
that he should dnra to disturb quiet
trader? Who says I never give to those
who want? Tell them they speak false.
You want thrashinP, and I'll give you
that. Come here
He eeiz-d the boy by the ear, but the
lad struggled and released himself, say
ing:
Il lid not come to play trick on you,
Master Lombard. but to ask you to make
some medicine for my neither
Medicine for my mother !! Lombard re-
peated in a hooking voice. And Is my
mother i'll p High living is too much for
her let her try meagre soup, or no soup
at all
please you, Master Lom bard, my moth.
er is dying. partly for want of food-you
know she is very poor-partly for want of
medicine but this paper Tells us what il
sure to do for her all that medicine can
do 1t is in Latin, but you kaow all about
it,
Come in,' said Lombard, and the 10Y
followed him.
He closed the door, went behind the
counter, put on His speotaoles. and stoop-
ing down over bit of lighted candle,
read the paper which the had given him
The boy watched the old mans face
auxiously as he read, and when he ceased
asked whether it WAS a good remedy for
such and such complaints, detsiling bis
mothers ailments.
Yes said old Lombard, the remedy is
excellent, but it is dear; it would cost
gold piece
"A gold piece = cried The poer child in
alarm. COB, what shall do? have but
seven SOUS
4 don't know What you are to do, ex-
oept take yourself out of my shop as
quickly es may be-
'Oh, Master Lombard, yon know that
ever since my fathers death. sickness and |
distress have been in our home, and now
my mother ia dying
That is no flair of mine old Lombard
answered. People who have no money |
are best out of the world
Il implore you cried the boy, 'send me |
not away without the medicine. For |
Gods sake. do this charity, and God will |
reward you!
L tell von,' laid nld Lombard, 4 will
do no sach thug. Money will buy medi-
cine in this shop. Nothing for nothing
those are my terms
Give me the mediciae,' said the die
traoted boy, AS the thought of his poor
suf ring mother pressed itself en- him and
almost broke his heart, 'Oh, good Master
Lombard, | will be your servant-your
slave. [ will eat little; l will work
much. 1 will do anything, suffer any
thing, if you will help me now
Old Lombard seemed to hesitate he
was rather surprised at the poor boys We
hemence. He knew him to be sharp and
honest, and it occurred to him that il
might not be a bad speculation to close
with the boys bargain but it was not
his way OF doing business to say 60. No;
ne was too hard trader for that.
you wonld be a valuable servant he
said. in his mocking and malicious way.
You would eat of the best till you fell
asleep, ana sleep till you were hungry {
again. You would need laced coat, like
| nobleman at Versailles, and money in
both pockets for your idle hands to play
with. Out with you need no such help
Is you can give
1t was hard trial to the boy to bear ,
be cold cruelty of the old man, but he
bought of his mother and looked to God.
MIR. Lombard, If you will give me I
rial will come here on your own terms |
will work night and day will cheer ,
ully eat black bread will never wrong j.,
gu in any way-only give me, tbeg Of
'ou, the medicine to restore my dying ]
nothsrP nsllssA