Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-07-05


In the mint where gold and silver and
copper coins are made a Ducat and a Penny
had lust been finished They both now lay
together, bright and clear, close on the table,
and gittering In the sunlight.
The pucat said to the penny, Low fellow,
get away from me You are only made OF
common copper, and do not deserve the sun
shine. You will soon be lying on the ground
all furnished and black, and nobody will care
10 pick You up. ! on the contrary, am made
of precious gold. | shall therefore travel
through the wide world among lords and
princes, do great deeds, aud at last even he
come part of the kings crown
IN the same room, there lay on the bench
by the stone wise old Cat. When he heard
the Ducats speech he turned over on his
other side, and stroking his beard thought.
fully, said, Turn about is Just as likely"
And it 50 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 a
rich old mser, who kept It in his money
chest where it lay for time, idle and use
less, among coins of its own rank. But as
the miscr ioresaw that he must soon die, he
buried all his money in the ground and
there the proud Ducat lies to this day, and
has become tanished and black, and no
body is ever likely opick it up.
The Penny. however, was 10 journey
through the wide world and come to great
honors, which happened in this wise
In the first place, q poor boy, employed
about the mint, received IL as wages. lie
carried it home, aud as his little sister was
greatly pleased with the bright new piece,
he made her present OF it, The child ran
hith it into the garden, to show it to her
mother. \ sick and old beggar limped mp
10 her aud asked for a piece Of bread. u
have none" said the girl.
Then give me a penny TO buy some"
said he. Aud she gave him the coin. lie
then hobbled OFF to the bakers. As be stood
by the shop, there came mp the street an
old acquaintance, clad as pilgrim, and
carrying q staff and wallet. lie gave to the
children who stood about pictures of saints
and other worthless, for 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 then redeem my brother, who is
| held for ransom by the Turks. For that
| purpose J am collecting money in this bag
Then take also for that purpose my
| mite" said the beggar and gave the penny
/ to the pilgrim, and was about TO go away as
| hungry rs 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 TO 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. lie offered
| the Turk large sum of money, to set the
captive free but the Turk wanted more still.
! The pilgrim answered, can offer you moth
ing more but this penny, which poor hun
cry beggar gave me out Of pity. BE you as
compassionate as he, and the copper coin
will make you rich" Then the Sultan took
pity, gave the prisoner his freedom, and re-
ceived the penny from the beggar.
The Sultan put the copper coin in his
pocket, and for some time afterward thought
nothing of it. Then it happened that an
Emperor came TO Jerusalem, and made war
upon the Sultan, The latter defended him
self bravely and escaped being wounded.
Once, however an arrow was shot directly
at his breast, aud struck him fair, although
!
ing him. lie was astonished at this and
when, after the battle they examined his
clothes, they found in his pocket a copper
penny, on which the arrow had glanced.
Then the Turk held the penny in high
honor, and had it fastened by gold chain
to the handle of his sword. But after this
the Sultan was taken captive by the En-
peror, aud was obliged to give up his sword,
which. with the penny, thus came into the
Emperors hands.
One day as the Emperor sat at table, and
held in his hand goblet of wine, the En-
press remarked that she much wished to see
the Turkish sabre II was brought in. and
as the Emperor showed it to his wife, the
penny dropped into the goblet of wine. Tie
noticed it, and before he put the goblet 10
his lips, took out the penny. As he looked
at it more closely, he saw that it had turned
green. At that everybody knew that there
was poison in the wine. 4 wicked servant
had mixed it, in order to kill the Emperor
The servant was forthwith sentenced to
death; hut the Emperor had the penny set
in his crown.
Thus the penny had pleased u child, So
cured bread for hungry heggar, released a
prisoner, saved the Sultan a wound and the
Emperor his life. For this was it set in the
Imperial crown