Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-08-16
The Penny.

The Penny.
Translated from the German.
In mint where gold and silver and
copper coins are made, a ducat and a
!, penny had just been finished. They
both now lay together, bright and clear
close on the table, and glittering in the
sunlight. b8
The Ducat said to the Penny: Low
fellow, get away from rae! You are
only made of common copper, and dc
not deserve the sunshine. You will
soon be lying on the ground all tar
nished and black and nobody will care
to pick you up. !, on the contrary, am
made of precious gold. | shall, there
fore, travel through the wide world
among lords and princes, do great
deeds, and at lat even become part
of the kings crown."
In the same room, there lay on the
beuch by the stone a wise Old cat.
When he heard the Ducat's speech he
turned over on shis other side, and
stroking his beard thoughtfully, said:
"Turn about is just as likely" And it
so happened that the fate OF. the two
coins was just the reverse of what the
Ducat had predicted.
The Ducat came into the possession
of q rich old miser, who kept it in his
money cnest, where it lay for a time,
idle and useless, among coins Of its
own rank. But as the miser foresaw
that he must soon die, he buried all his
money in the ground; and there the
proud Ducat lies to this dav, and has
/ become furnished and black, and no
/ body is ever likely to pick it up.
The Penny, however, was to journey
/ through the wide world, and come to
honors, which happened in this wise: .
In the first place, a poor boy, en-
ployed about "a mint, received it as
wages. He carried it home, and as his
little sister was greatly pleased with the
bright, new piece, he made her a pres
emit of it. The child ran with it into
the garden, to show it to her mother.
A sick and old beggar limped up to
her, and asked for piece of bread.
81 have rone," said the girl. s
"Then give me a penny to buy
some," said he. And she gave him the
4 coin. Hel then hobbled off to the
bakers. As he stood by the shop
there came up the street an old &C
quaintance, clad as a pilgrim, and car
rying a staff and wallet. He gave to
the children who stood about pictures
Of the saints and other worthless, for
i which the children dropped money IN
the bag which he held out. The beggar
asked him, "Where are you going?"
Many hundred miles farther, to the
city of Jerusalem, where the dear little
Christ-child was born and died.
shall pray at His grave, and them re-
deem my brother, who is held for ran
) som by the Turk. For that purpose /
am collecting money in this bag
) Then take also for that purpose
} my mite," said the beggar to the
; pilgrim, and was about to 60
: away as hungry as he came
, But the baker who had been looking
, on, and had seen the whole, gave the
poor man the bread which he had
meant to buy.
The pilgrim wandered through many
countries, and sailed across the sea tC
the great city of Jerusalem. When he
arrived there he first prayed at the
Holy Sepulchre, and then visited the
| Turkish Sultan, who had shut up his
brother in prison. He offered the Turk
a large sum of money to set the cap
! tive free; but the Turk wanted more
2 still. The pilgrim answered, 81 car
3 offer you nothing more but this penny
which poor beggar gave me out Of
: pity. Be you as compassionate as he
/ and the t. copper, coin will make yor
rich" Then the Sultan took pity
5 gave the prisoner his freedom, and re
S ceived the penny from the beggar.
t The Sultan put the copper coin IL
e his pocket, and for some time after
ward thought nothing of it. Then i
E happened that an Emperor came tt
Jerusalem and made war upon the
Sultan. The latter defended himself
!. bravely, and escaped being wounded
, Once, however, an arrow was shot di
Il rectly at his breast, and struck hin
), fair, although it glanced off from hi
: garment without injuring him. HI
was astonished at this, and when, aftel
: the battle, they examined his clothes
: they found in his pocket a cope,
? penny, on which the arrow had glanced
> Then the Turk held the penny in higl
: honor, and had it fastened by golt
chain to the handle of his sword. Blu
/ after this the Sultan was taken captiv,
o by the Emperor and was obliged t.
a give up his sword, which, with tn
' penny, thus came into the Emperor
D hands.
I: One day as the Emperor sat at table
). and held in his hand a goblet Of wine
r the Empress remarked that she mucl
D wished to see the Turkish sabre. It wa
d brought in, and as the Emperor showe'
!; it to his wife, the penny dropped int
= the goblet of wine. He noticed it, an'
before ne put the goblet to his ipi