Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1880-05-29
ANTONIO AND BASSANIO.

Aho Aoho"lh9 Is luc StoIN Vi III
Merchant of Venice" as told by Mr.
James SPEEDING in the CornhiH Maya
ztne, and is stated by him to be found
IN an old collection of tales called II
feeorone.' written by Ser Giovanni. 8
notary of Florence, about 1873 Its in.
terest lies in the probability that ON il
Shakespeare founded his play:
Giannetto. the youngest son of a rich
merchant in Florence, receives from his
dying father letter addressed TO his
dearest friend, Ansaldo. the greatest OF
the Christian merchants in Venice, who,
being childlcSs man and Giannetto' S
godfather, had long been anxious to
adopt him. This letter, he tells him, is
10 be instead of any other provision
Behave well,'' he says, land you will
certainty be a rich man. Ansaldo
welcomes his godson with delight,
orders his servants to attend to him as
TO himself, gives him the keys of his
money boxes, and desires him to spend
all freely in distinguishing himself and
entertaining his friends; and to remem-
Der that 1.-The more he gains the good
will of everybody the more dear he will
be to him." Giannetto follows his di-
rection, quickly distinguishes himself
in all the qualities of gentleman, be-
comes 4 universal flvorite and the most
accomplished youth in Venice. and be-
HAYES in all ways to his godfathers en-
tire satisfaction
Such a man, it is thought by his
friends, should have something more to
do should see more, and be more seen;
and two of the most intimate, intending
mercantile voyage to Alexandria.
urge him to 90 with them in ship of
his own. He would like TO go if Ansal-
do will give him leave; Ansaldo is will
ing to furnish him if he would like to
go. He is provided with fine ship
richly freighted, and the three friends
Set sail together. The ships keep each
other company until Giannetto, early
one morning, seeing a fine port, and
hearing that it is the port of the Lady
of Beimontc, a beautiful widow, but
dangerous to visit, every visitor being
obliged TO undertake q certain task on
condition that if he accomplishes it he
shall take her for his wife and be lord
of the port and all the country, but if he
fails he shall give up TO her all that he
brings with him, and many had gone in
rich and come out with nothing-re-
solves to lake his chance; sails in, un-
perceived by his companions; is re-
ceived with festive welcome; after due
warning of the conditions, goes to his
trial: fails; loses all: and returns to
Venice, much ashamed and obliged to
say that his ship had been wrecked and
all on board lost except himself. Ansal-
do makes light of the accident. Since
his son has come back safe. all is well;
he may be cheerful and easy; they have
enough left.
But when the two friends with whom
he had set out return rich from their
voyage, and tell him il he will go with
them again the next spring he may
easily gain as much as he has lost,
Ansaldo. seeing that he could not be
happy without making the trial, pro-
vides him with another ship, more
richly freighted than the first; and the
three set out again in company, as be-
was TO get, without their knowledge,
into the port OF Belmonte, contrives to
elude them; sails in; is recognized and
received as before; undertakes the same
task again; again fails; and returns
again to Venice, having! lost all, and
saving that he had suffered another
These repeated losses had
nearly exhausted Ansaldo's means, but
not his affection or his patience; and
when the two friends returned again
very rich from their second voyage, and
he finds that Giannetto cannot be happy
without one more effort to recover his
losses. he sells all that he has in order
TO provide a third ship for him; and be-
cause all that he has is not enough to
do il rs handsomely as he would, and
he wants still ten thousand dueats, he
applies himself to Jew, at Mestri. and
borrows them on condition that if they
are not paid on the Feast of st. John,
in the next month of June, the jew
NAV take a pound of the merchants
flesh from any part of his body he
pleases. Ansaldo agrees, and the jew
has IN obligation drawn and witnessed
with all the form and ceremony ncces-
sary, and then counts him the ten thou
sand ducats of gold. with which Ansaldo
BUYS what WAS still wanting for the YES
sci. When il is time TO depart, Ansaldo
tells Giannetto that. since he well knows
Of the obligation to the Jew. he entreats
him. in case any misfortune happens,
that he will return to Venice, that he
may see him before he dies. and then
he can leave the world with satisfac-
lion. Giannetto promises to 90 every
hing he conceives may give him pleas
IRE. Ansaldo gives him his blessing.
hey take their leave, and the ships set
Dut.
Giannetto, still secretly bent upon
The lady of Belmonte, contrives again |
10 give his companions the slip and find
MS way into her port; isrecognized and
as before, and makes himself
,s popular; but this time, by the help i
# a friendly hint from sympathetic
,omsel who thinks it hard that such de-
,otion should be SO rewarded. he avoids
he cause of his previous failures, ac-
.nmnlishes his task triumphantly, mar
los the Lady of Belmonte, is pro-
.,s;med sovereign of the country, to
he great JOY both of herself and all the
,eople, and is still absorbed in the du-
;cs and enioyments of his new fortune.
hon one day, seeing a procession with
orcbes passing the window, and being
oiJ Thai II is company OF artitcers
' u.n IN make their offerings at the
;burch of St. John. the day being his
a .nt, he suddenly remembers with
e 'arror that St. Johns festival was
.mss,do' SD, payday. and he had forgot
a al, ohoI,t it! His wife. observing
en- ;n a am ton drew from him the con.
as, ; that =. his father was engaged
os, ,Dn tSousand ducats, that the term
" 'i 'o on,.:rod and if they were not paid