The Washington critic., 1885-10-21
THE SAVINGS BANK.
by BERTHoLD AUERBAcK.


from him were important. When for
the first time he paid me weeks
wages, he said; "Petcr, you do not
need more than half of what is due
you; the other half / will set aside for
the savings bank" And so it was.
On Palm Sunday, before mass, he
went with me to the savings bank. My
name was written in huge register,
and they gave me u book, on the first
page of which was inscribed my name,
and on the second deposit, seven
crowns. | held my little book lovingly,
and looked often at my name and the
amount of my capital. was so en-
chanted with this operation that be-
came avaricious. 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, "There is my
good money bringing interest night
and day. Very good. | will add to
the amount"
Would that I had continued to talk
alone to myself But | soon confided
to a companion from the Palatinate,
and whom for that reason we called
the Palatin. To amuse myself on Sun
day would take my book from its
box, and would try to compute pre-
cisely how much a month my twelve
crowns would bring me. The Pal
attn, who was u skillful accountant,
told me exactly, and then he began to
make sport of the triiling amount and
tossed my book into the air, cxclaim-
ing, Look at the fortune of the great
capitalist, Peter Werner
The little book fell on my head, and
seemed to have suffered insult. /
wiped it, put it back into the box and
did not show 1t to my companion again
Just before Christmas there was q
great fire in the city. The house that
contained the savings bank was con
sumed before aid could be brought /
was greatly excited when / learned
that the registers of deposit were
burned All my fortune was inscribed
in them. The Palatin, however, laughed
heartily. "You fool - he said, what
are you crying for? The city has
guaranteed the deposits made In the
savings bank. You have your receipt.
The State must pay you"
This reflection reassured me. /
again, and he told me that it was per-
fectly correct.
That night when we lay down side
by side to sleep, he said, "Pcter, you
and | can be rich, and will have moth
ing to do but see the world and let our
money work for us" He added that
we must go to California, where the
earth is full of gold,
every good" answered, "but who
will give us money to make the voy-
age?"
Haven't you your bank book?"
"You call it triile yourself"
1--WE will make something better of
it,, said he, striking a light. 81 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 five crowns OF five crowns
/ will make five hundred and we will
have the means of starting on our
travels"
At these words ] began to tremblc.
"My friend" said |, "this ought not
to be done. / will not permit it.
LET me alone" replied he; II will
show you how easy it is"
A fatal curiosity woke in me, and l
said to him: "You can do it this way.
Try it on another paper, or else you
would spoil my book, and | should lose
the little | possess" "
hoped he would not succeed and
that his failure would deliver me from
my guilty covetousness; and yet |
could have wished him to succeed,
LET me alone" he sharply replied,
"and do not make me angry; or else
my hand will tremblc and | shall spoil
everything"
| crossed my arms on my chest, and
with trembling | watched him change
the words written in my precious book,
while il seemed as if my heart were
bursting. Then he took little knife
and scratched out Il few letters. |
shivered, and yet / said to myself:
Now you are rich and able to grow
richer"
l looked at what he had just written
Received five hundred crowns" No
body could detect the least Justification
in these words, and the great register
was burned.
We returned to bed already saw
myself across the ocean, picking w
nuggets of gold, ] had carriage with
four magnificent horses, and a servant
who offered me a beautiful mecrschaum
pipe trimmed with silver, while
another poured my champagne.
The next morning at the table
feared every moment that might sec
an officer approaching to take me tc
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 tho
savings bank, but made long detours tC
avoid passing the building in which /
had been recognized. Gradually, how
ever, recovered sort of tranquility
as saw that nobody suspected what
had done. But when on the approach
of Christmas, my masters children be
| gan TO dance around me one morning
saying, 1--WE know something that W,
shan tellw their voices pierced ny
heart like knife They knew tht
surprises their father was preparing fo
our pleasure and were delighted will
their secret.
On Christmas eve Counsellor Men
| hlHSNl D bSl ' UNI Nhllt running W uu
workshop, | was in the doorway. Sh
said she had come for me, and that
must go at once with my tools to he
masters house.
The counsellor's name had terrified
me, Could my fault be already known
l had decided not to use my book til
spring, and had never shown ii, But
was afraid of everything.
Nevertheless, | went with the younl
| girl She had u sweet, fresh face, anC
the pure Christmas light burned in he
eyes,
MY father wants locksmith," -" sale
she, "St Peter is our patron, and 70
many people the key to Paradise is tn
! key TO their money box"