Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-02-22
FOR 4 ZUANZIG.

Either leads the soul TO God.
$. $. Cohcn m Christian Registcr
ron / ZW'1NZIG.
Sixty years ago says the Servian) a sill
yer piece of money known in Servia as a
scanzig was worth fully six guldens two
dollars and half Of our present currency,
for then we had neither railroads nor
steamboats,, nor hotels with German land
lords, nor theatres, nor gas. Indeed, We
hardly knew what roads were. On the mil
itary frontiers, where the soil was not at
all fertile, money was so rare that it might
have passed for d chimera Of the imagina-
ton, as in the opera Of Robert lie Diable.
Even in our time all along the banks Of
the Save, we trade more by exchanging ar
ticles than in any other way. \ peasant
woman, for example who wants to buy
silk handkerchief or anything Of that kind,
never thinks Of giving money for it. She
will pay the merchant with a basket Of
fruit or eggs or some other article of coun
try produce.
Now sixty years ago even a small piece
of money was a great treasure And it
was for the sake Of zwanzig that the old
blind minstrel Mirko became AN assassin
and was hung.
NtNeIJncleNS lue l"HlI on llidl WAS upJ
bad or cruel at heart he had already en-
dured several cold winters with no cover
ing but a ragged cloak but alas the rags
fell at last quite to shreds, and it was abso-
lutely necessary to procure another cloak
for the coming winter if be wished to avoid
dying Of cold
1t was at this time that the old minstrel
first dreamed-and an insensate dream it
was-of possessing for once in his life
zwanzig. in order that with 1t he might buy
himself a cloak
Whenever he earned few kreutzers he
usually spent them in having his ,pu'ise
shoes mended, or else his hat, which was
terribly battered by wind and rain 1t was
only rarely that he had the pleasure of jing
ling some copper kreutzers in his pocket
for the peasants usually paid him for his
music by handful or two Of corn or wheat
or some bread, and few Of the more gen
erous by giving him some lard Now even
in Servia sixty years ago lard could be sold
for money. The poor old man suddenly re
hected that if he put all his lard aside and
saved it he might, If he had enough. 20
some day TO the town and sell his lard for
a zwanzig. "Of what use is it, said he TO
himself, ITO comfort my stomach with lard
if in the winter | must die of the cold =
| When the autumn came Mirko tied his pro
vision of lard in the pocket of his torJd,
and hired little girl to lead him by the
hand to the nearest town
The old minstrel was as happy as a child
| at the thought of returning with a zwanZig
clasped in his hand The pretty silver
| piece assumed in his Imagination the really
| grandiose proportions of a golden ducat.
/ This zwanzig was for him the alpha and
omega Of wealth he wished for nothing
beyond and though in his songs he FIRE
quently chanted the glories of heroes who
reposed upon gold encouches and threw due
ats about like water, his own dreams were
| limited to the new dalmotque which he
| hoped to buy He felt in Imagination the
comfort of the thick folds over his back
and shoulders, and he laughed in his heart
at the thought of rain or snow
Are we very far from the town = he
asked the little girl every moment.
They were within sight of the church
spire when they met a young man, who
asked where they were going at such a
pace.
II am going to sell the provision of lard
that / have here, said the blind man,
showing his torba, the pocket of which was
stuffed to bursting aud tied with twine
The little girl carried also some pieces Of
lard in a basket
How much do you want for your lard =
said the young man.
a zwanzig {" replied the old man in Il
voice which trembled with emotion.
1T is a large sum. Show me the lard.
The blind man united 1t.
''Nou will never sell it for that in the
market said the young man, as he weigh
ed the basket the little girl had carried.
"Ah, you think so r. faltered the blind
man, trembling with a sudden fear. But
| have twenty pounds of lard it is not
dear.
Certainly not, if the lard were good !;
but yours has been picked up here and
there. Still, if you We're not in too great a
hurry for your money
II wanted to buy cloak.
In that case you can wait two months
longer; 10y that time the plums will have
been distilled, the Siirorif-d will he sold,
and can pay you
''You will give me a zwanzig = cried the
old man, his face Illuminated suddenly by
"A radiant JOY.
"Yes, will give you a zwanzig.'
Then take my lard,
The peasant returned to his house de
lighted with his bargain; the blind min
strel still more delighted, returned to his
village.
November came and with November the
e.
the house of his debtor, and demanded the
zwanzig.
All what a pity = exclaimed the young
man The year is a bad one for pums
they are all spoiled, and the slivovitza is sc
bad that we are compelled to drink it our
selves. Have patience until the next win
ter, and then | will pay you.
81 shall be very cold but | will be pa
tent, ~ replied the blind man, and he re
turned home All through the winter he
. shivered with cold in his miserable rags.
/ November and the snow returned once
, more, The minstrel again went TO his debt
or and claimed his money,
, II had little grain, said the young
man, but the Save has overtlowed it,
banks and my grain is lost. | entreat yol
E To wait until next year this time | will as
: suredly pay my debt"
my blood is no longer quick enough t.
I warm me- replied the blind man "bu
/ since the Save has destroyed your fields,
= will suffer and wait
, All how bitterly he repented the no
: having carried his lard 10 market But TIN
q zwanzg still seemed to him such an i'm
n mense sum that he was patient, and waite,
I almost without murmuring.
, Before the end of the winter his old cloal
$ was like torn spiders web.
: Once more the autumn winds ha'
n swept away the very last of the withere,
g leaves, once more the hoar frost whitene'
II the fields.
The old minstrel shivered and tremble
with the cold.
He had himself led 10 the house of hi
debtor, but the young peasant met him a
, the door, saying Il have lost my wife
. and am ruined | will come and bru
u your money as soon as ! can
y The blind man returned home, but wit
! the firm resolution to submit to no NOR
delays
The winter passed, the summer also AZ
ie tumn returned once more. The old ma
~ had heard nothing from his debtor, whe
1t 10 one day he heard that he was ia,
c about to marry rich peasant girl who ha
% a dot of many zwanzigs.
The minstrel had himself immediatel
led to the young mans house
Pay me- he said. 81 know that yo
now have money
"a Leave me in peace, answered the pea
90 ant.
S., 81 have suffered the cold of three vii
lA ters have waited three years :" oXclain
ed the minstrel. II will wait no longer
IS, "Old fool !" replied the young peasan
ud slamming the door in his face-''o fo,
@e u run after a zwanzig for three years !'
The minstrel retired. But ON the We