Connecticut western news., 1878-06-20
The Twelve Purses.

One night the Emperor Joseph II. of Germany determined on visiting his guards, to ascertain their fidelity and what dependence might be placed on their vigilance. Finding them all asleep at least in appearance, he returned to his chamber for some money which he had reserved for different purpose, con tained in as many purses as there were sol diers on duty-twelve in number. These he visited once more and placed under the arm of each, one of these purses, in every one of which were 8 hundred pieces of gold.
 One of the soldiers who was not asleep though he feigned to be so, took particular notice of the Emperor, and at his departure examined the purse which had been put under his arm, and finding that it contained hundred pieces of gold, supposed each of his companions had as much, of which he might take possession before they awoke. This he immediately put in practice by gently easing them of their valuable burden. }f
 T he emperor, who had, no doubt that all the soldiers were asleep when he vis- tied them, and that they must be over joyed on awakening, at discovering their good fortune, caused them to be called together early in the morning, and asked them successively what they had dreamed the preceding night, and whether the success was answerable to the vision, imagining that each would say that he had found purse under his arm with a hundred pieces of gold. But not a word of the matter did he hear from the first eleven that he examined until he came to the twelfth, the watchfuI sen- tinel of the preceding night, who, mak. ing profound bow to the king, said
 < Sire, fancied at night that a per son who very much resembled your majesty, visited us one after another, and, finding us all asleep, returned to his chamber, but soon came back with a dozen purses, which he attached sever- ally to the arm of each of us, and then withdrew. Afterward, sire, it was evi- dent, unless my dream deceived me, that when that generous and venerable per- son had retired, began to examine the contents of the purse under my own arm, and finding in it a hundred pieces of gold, I supposed each of my com panions had so many, when I was seized with sudden zeal to put them all to- gether, saying to myself that, for many oogent reasons which then occurred to me, it would be we'll to de so; and so I did, which pleased me exceedingly on awaking. This, sire, is the whole of my dream. hope your majesty approves of my devotion, which, I assure you, is very sincere and affectionate."
 The emperor, learning from tlis in- genious harangue that the soldier was not one of those who slept, and that not withstanding he had feigned being in the same condition with his companions, he was the only one at his duty, per mitted him alone to enjoy the reward,
 Yes, I approve of your decision the prize is yours alone, for you only were awake. As for the rest, it is suffi- cient for them to know that each had a hundred pieces of gold, which he lost by being asleep. Hence they will learn that riches are not acquired by slumber, or if by some lucky accident they fall to the share of the slothful, they take flight as suddenly and as unforeseen at thev came " ------ -.-