Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-06-24
The History of n Penny.
ArAnLr rRos rae GERMAN

la the mint, where all our pounds, shil-
lings and pence are made, there once were
gold ducat aud penny Just coined. There
they lay, shining and clean, close together
on a table, and the bright rays Of the sun
danced and sparkled on them.
Then said the sovereign to the penny
"You jump, get away from me You are
only made Of common copper, and arc not
worthy the sunlight that shines on you
You will soon be lying all black and dirty,
on the ground, and no one will take the
trouble to pick you up am made Of
costly gold shall travel about the world
with great lords and princes shall do
great things, and perhaps some day shine
in the Emperor's crown
In the same room there lay by the fire
M old gray cat When he heard this be
licked his paws thoughtiuly, turned him.
self around on the other side, and said !;
"Some things 60 by the rule of contrary"
Aud so it proved with the pieces Of
moucy. 1t turned out the very contrary
Of what the gold ducat expected.
1t fell into the possession Of an old mser,
who locked it up in great chest, where it
lay idle and useless, with hundreds Of others
like itself But when the old miscr found
that he should not live much longer, he
buried all his money in the ground, that no
one might get it, and there lies the proud
ducat to this day, dirty aud black aud no
one will ever find it.
But the penny Travelled far about in the
world, and it came to high honors. And
this is how it happened
First, one Of the poor boys at the mint
received it in his wages. He carried it
home, and as his little sister was so de.
lighted with the clean, shining penny, hG
gave it to her.
The child ran out into the garden to show
it to her mother, and saw a poor lame
beggar passing by, who begged for piece
Of bread.
81 have not got any" said the child.
"Then give me penny to buy some,
said the bcggar, and the child gave him
her new penny. The beggar limped off tC
the new bakers. just as he came to the
shop an old friend of his passed by, dressed
as a pilgrim, with mantle, staff and scrip
lie gave to some children who were stand
ing round the bakers door pictures of good
and holy men, and the children in return
put some money into the little box he haC
in his hand. The beggar asked: "Wher,
are you travelling tor
The pilgrim answered. "Many hun
dred miles away, to the city of Jerusalem
where the holy Christ dwet and died.
wish to offer up my prayers at his grave
and redeem my brother, who is a prisone
in the hands of the Turks; it is for THU
purpose that | beg for money"
"Then take a mite toward it from me,
said the beggar, and he gave his penny II
the pilgrim, and would have gone away a
hungry as he came had not the baker, VIII,
saw all that had passed, given him the loa
which he wished to buy.
And now the pilgrim wandered througl
many lands, and went in ship far over tn
sea to the holy city of Jerusalem Wbe
he arrived here he first offered up his praye
at the sepulchrc Of the Holy Christ, an
then went to the Turkish Sultan who KEEP
his brother n prisoner. lie offered til
Turk large sum of money if he would ST
his brother free The Sultan wanted NOR,
The pilgrim said 81 have nothiu
more to offer you but this copper penn,
which was given to me by poor, hungr
beggar, out Of compassion. May you al,
have pity as he had, aud this copper penn
will secure you reward"
Then the Sultan took compassion on hr
and set his brother free, and he received Il
penny from the pilgrim.
The Sultan put the copper penny in b
pocket, and after little while forgot 0
about it. Now it happened that after
time the Emperor OF Germany came to J
rusalem to & sht against the Sultan. So Il
Sultan fought bravely at the head of /
army, and was never wounded. But O
day an arrow was aimed at his right breai
it struck him, indeed, but glanced of fro
his clothes without wounding him. T
Sultan was very much surprised, and VIII
his clothes were examined, after the bait
the penny was found in the pocket, and Il
had caused the arrow to glance of. So t
Sultan priced thepenny very much, and h
it fastened with golden chain to the b
Of his curved sword. Some time afterwa
the Sultan was made prisoner by the III
peror, and had to yield up his sword to
conqueror. So the penny came into t
possession Of the Emperor.
One day, when the Emperor was sitti
at the table, and was Just 10 the act of ra
ing his goblet to his lips, the Empress sa
she was anxious to see the curved Turk
sword. So it was brought in, and as 4
Emperor was showing it to the Empires
the penny became uniastened, and fell
the goblet of wine. The Emperor saw /
and before drinking the wine he took o
the penny. But when he looked at it
perceived that the penny had turned qui
green. This showed everybody that the
was poison in the goblet. A wicked serva
had mixed the poison, hoping to kill the III
peror. The servant was ordered to exec
ton, but the penny was set in the Emperor
crown. So this penny made child happ
gave bread TO beggar, delivered prisonC
saved Sultan from being wounded, Al
preserved the life of the Emperor. 1t
served to be set in an Emperors crown
Perhaps It is there to this day, if we cou
only see the crown.-CAildren's Hour.