The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-12-25
THE SAVINGS BANK.
by BERTnoLD AUERBACH.

You know | lost my father and mother
in my infancy, and that | had not a
relative in the world. l was wild and
Ithoughtless when began my apprentice
ship as blacksmith. My master was, on
the other hand. grave, reserved man,
so that very few words from him were
important. When for the first time he
paid me a weeks wages he said: "Peter,
you do not need more than half of what
lis due; the other half l will set aside for
the savings bank" And so it was.
On Palm Sunday he went with me to
the savings bank. My name was written
bin large register and they gave me a
book, on the first page Of which was in
scribed my name, and on the second,
the deposit, seven crowns. | held my
little book lovingly, and looked often at
my name and the amount of my capital
i reformed my habit of smoking, and
gave myself no rest till | had another
small sum to deposit. When | passed
the bank building would say to myself
"Theres my good money bringing
interest night and dav, Very good. l
will add to the amount"
Would that had continued to talk
alone to myself! But soon confded to
whom for that reason we called the
Palatin. To amuse myself on Sunday
would take my book from its box, and
would try to compute precisely how
much month my twelve crowns would
bring me. The Palatin, who was a skill
iful accountant, told me exactly, and
then he began to make sport of the tri-
fling amount, and tossed my book in the
air, cxclaiming:
look at the fortune of the great
capitalist, Peter WernerW
The little book fell on my head, and
seemed to have suffered insult. wiped
lit, put it back into the box, and did not
show it to my companion again.
One day there was great fire in the
city. The house that contained the
savings bank was consumed before aid
could be brought. | was greatly excited
when learned that the registers of de-
post were burned. All my fortune was
described in them. The Palatin, how.
ever, laughed heartily.
"Iou fool" he said. "what are YOU
crying for9 The city has guaranteed the
deposits made in the savings bank. You
have your receipt. The State must pay
you"
This reflection treasured me. showed
my book to my companion again, and he
told me that it was perfectly correct
That night when we lay down side by
side to sleep, he said
"You and | cen be rich and will have
nothing to do but to see the world and
3et our money work for us"
He added that we must 90 to California,
Syhpre the earth ia full of cold
Every good" / answered, "but who
will give us money to make the voyager
Haven't you your bank booll?"
"You call it trife Yourself"
1--WE will make something better OF
it, said he, striking light. II have an
idea. Get up and show me your book. %
Capital" he cried, when | had given
him my book. Nobody will have the
slightest suspicion. Received this day
Eve crowns OF five crowns will
make five hundred" and we will have
the means of starting on our travels"
At these words | began to tremble
"My friend" said |, "this ought not
to be done. l will not permit it :"
''Iet me alone" replied he; 81 will
show you how easy it is"
A fatal curiosity woke in me, and
said to him
"You can do it this way Try it or
another paper, or else you would spoil
my book, and l should lose the little
possess"
hoped he would not succeed, and
that his failure would deliver me from
my guilty covetousness; and yet l could
have wished him to succeed.
"Let me alone" he sharply replied
fand do not make me angry; or else my
band will tremble and l shall spoil every
thing"
I crossed my arms on my chest. anC
with trembling l watched him change
the words in my precious book. while il
seemed as if my heart was bursting
Then he took little knife and scratched
out few letters. l shivered and yet
said to myself:
"Now you are rich and able to grow
richer"
looked at what he had Just written
Received five hundred crowns" No
body could detect the least falsilicatio OF
In these words, and the great register
was burned.
We returned to bed. I already saw
myself across the ocean, picking II!
nuggets OF gOlu. nau carriage, VIII
four magnificent horses, and a servan
who offered me beautiful meerschun
pipe, trimmed with silver, while anothe
poured my champagne.
The next morning, at the table,
feared every moment that l might SEE
an officer approaching to take me Il
prison. was so much afraid of utter
ing an imprudent word that / dared no
reply Immediately to any Question.
no longer dared to carry money to thu
savings bank, but made long detours t.
avoid passing the building in which
had been recognized. Gradually, how
ever, l recovered a sort of tranquility
as saw nobody suspected what | haC
done. But when, on the approach o
Christmas, my masters children began
dancing around me one morning, saying
eve know something that We shan
tell" their voices ierced my heart Xix
a knife. They knew the surprise tina
their father was preparing for on
pleasure, and were delighted with thei