Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-11-20
The Cross Surety.

Once upon time two merchants lived
in a certain town, just on the verge Of a
stream One Of them was Russian, the
other Tartar; both were rich But the
Russian got so utterly ruined by some bust
ness or other, that he hadn't a single bit
of property left. Everything he had was
confiscated or stolen. The Russian mer-
chant had nothing to turn to--he was left
poor as rat. So he went to his friend,
the Tartar, and besought him to lend him
some money.
''Get me surety" says the Tartar
But whom can [ get for you, seeing
that [ haven't a soul belonging to me ?
STAY, though! there's a surety for you,
the 'life-giving cross on the church,"
Very good, my friendr' says the
Tartar I'LL trust your cross Your
faith or ours, it's all one to me-"
And he gave the Russian merchant
so, 900 rubleS. The Russian took the
money, babe the Tartar farewell, and
went back to trade in divers places.
By the end of two years he had gained
100000 rubles by the 900 he had Dor
rowed. Now he happened to be sailing
one day along the Danube, going with
wares from one place to another, when all
of a sudden a storm arose, and was on
the point OF sinking the ship he was in.
Then the merchant remembered how he
had borrowed money, and given the life
giving cross as a surety. but had not PAID
his debt. That was doubtless the cause
of the storm arising, No sooner had.h
said this to himself than the storm began
to subside The merchant took a barrel,
counted out $4,000 rubles, wrote the Tar
tar note, placed it. together with the
money, in the barrel, and then flung the
barrel into the water, saying to himself:
GAS I gave my cross as a surety to the
Tartar the money will be certain to reach
him.
The barrel straightWay sank to the
bottom; everyone supposed the money
was lost. But what happened? In the
Tartar's house there lived a Russian
kitchen-maid. One day she happened to
go to the river for water, and when she
got there she saw a barrel floating along
So she went little way into the water
and began trying to get hold Of it. But
It wasn't TO be done. When she made at
the barrel. It retreated from her; when
she turned from the barrel to the shore, it
tfoated after her. She went on trying and
trying for some time, then she went home
and told her master all that had happened.
At first he wouldn't believe her, but at last
he determined TO 90 to the river and
see for himself what sort of barrel
1t was that was floating there. When
he cot there, sure enough there was the
barrel floating, and notfar from the shore.
The Tartar took off his clothes and went
into the water; before he had gone any
distance the barrel came floating up to
him Of its own accord He laid hold of
il, carried il nome, opened it and looked
a cav w N ~ m
and On top Of the money d note. He took
out the note aud read it, and this is what
was said i'll it.
Dear friend! ] r. urn you The $4,000
rubles, for which, Wien | borrowed them
from YOU ! gave the life-giving cross as
a surety"
The Tartar read these words and was
astOnished at the power of the fe-giving
cross. He counted the money over to
see whether the full sum was really there
It was there exactly.
Meanwhile the Russian merchant after
trading some five years, made a tolerable
fortune. Well he returned to his old
home, and thinking that his barrel had
been lost he considered it his first duty
to settle with the Tartar. SO he went to
his house and offered him the money he
had borrowed. Then the Tartar told him
all that had happened, and how he had
found the Darrell in the river, with the
money and the note inside it. Then he
showed him the note, saying:
rs that really your hand?"
at certainly is, ," replied the other
Every one was astonished at this
wondrous manifestation, and the Tartar
said:
Then I've no more money to receive
from Won brDthpr- take that hack aoaiO
The Russian merchant had service
performed IS q thank-offering to God
and next day the Tartar was baptized with
all his household The Russian meI-
chant was his godfather, and the kitchen
maid his godmothcr. After that they
both lived long and happily survived to
a great age, and then died PEACEFUL "
R0lSt0l's "RuSSaun FoH Tales"