The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-07-30
LITTLE FOLKS STORY.
That Which is Justly Earned
Can Never be Lost.
from Good Things. ]

! From Good Things
There was once poor man who had
| hired himself to certain rich one with
out an agreement as to the wages he
was to receive. He served his master
for year and day, and when the term
was ended, he went to him and asked
that he might be paid what his master
thought he had earned. The master
took out penny and said to him:
''There. You have your wages
The servant took the penny, thanked
the master, and then went to a rivulet
which had very rapid flow. When he
reached the bank, he said to himself:
''Good heavensi how does it come to
pass that in a whole year | have only
earned one penny9 God knows wheth-
er have earned no more than that.
Therefore will convince myself, and
will throw this little coin into the wa
ter; If it should swim, then have 1
earned it; but if it sink, then have
not earned it,
Thereupon he crossed himself and
said:
''Merciful Heaven! if | have earned
this penny, let it float on the top of the
water; but if not. then let it sink to
the bottom
So saying, he threw the penny piece
into the stream; and 10 it sank to the
bottom at once.
Then he stopped, took the penny out
of the water, and brought it back to his
master.
Master, he said, 81 bring you your
money again, as | have not earned it;
and will serve you for another year."
And he began to serve as before; and
when the year and day we're COM
pleted, he came again to his master and
asked him to pay him what he thought
he had earned. The master again took
out penny and said to him:
There you have your wages.
The hind took the money, thanked
his master, and went straight to the
same rivulet, crossed himself, and threw
the penny into the water, saying:
''Merciful heaven! if have rightly
earned it, let this money float on the
top of the stream; if not, then let it
sink to the bottom"
=; But when he threw the coin into the
stream, it sank to the bottom at once.
Then he bent down, drew it out, and
taking it to his master, said, as he gave
it to him:
Master, here you have your penny
again; | have not earned it yet. and |
will therefore serve you Tor another
year.
So he began his service over again,
and when the third year came to a
close, he went once more to his master,
and asked him to give him as much as
he thought he had earned. This time
also, the master gave him only penny :;
and he took it, thanked him, and went
for the third time to the rivulet to see
whether he had rightly earned the
money or not. When he got there, he
crossed himself, and threw the penny
into the water with the words:
"Merciful Heaven! if | have rightly
earned this money, let it swim upon the
top; if not, let it sink down to the
ground. -
This time. however, as the penny fell
into the water, 10! it swan upon the
surface. Full of joy ne drew it out of
the stream, and thrust it into his pock-
ct; then he went deep into the wood,
built himself little hut, and lived hap
lily therein.
After sometime. hearing that his old
master was about to sail in ship across
the sea to another country, he went to
him with his penny, and begged of him
to buy something with his money in the
foreign land. The master promised to
do so, took the penny, and set out on
his Journey. And while on his travels.
he came once upon some children on the
sea-shore, who carried a cat with them
which they were about to kill, and then
throw into the water. When the mas
ter saw this, he FASTENED down to them
and demanded:
What are you doing, children -
And they answered him:
This cat does nothing but harm,
and we are going to kill it.
Then he drew out the penny of his old
servant, and offered it to the children
for the cat. The children were glad of
the offer, took the penny, and gave the
cat to the merchant. He, however, took
the cat on board his ship and set sail.
As he pursued his voyage, there arose
one day violent storm which carried
the vessel, heavens knows where, so
that for whole three months he could
not find his right way. When the
storm abated, the master Of the ship,
not knowing where he was. sailed on a
little farther, and at last landed before
fortress.
As soon as it was known in the fort.
ress that ship from foreign land had
come to shore, great many people
streamed down to see it, and one OF
them, man Of importance and very
rich, invited the master of the ship home
to supper. When he came to the house,
there was sight to see! Rats and
mice ran about in all directions. and the
servants stood armed with sticks to pre-.
vent their jumping on to the table.
Then said the merchant to the master o.
the house:
"For heavens sake, brother, wha,
does this mean!''
And the other answered him: