News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1893-01-12

amount, and tossed my book int,
the air, eXclaiming: "LOOk at tn
fortune of the great capitalist, Pete
Werner!" "
The little book fell on my head
and seemed to me to have suffered
insult. | wiped it, put it back int
the box, and did not show it to my
companion again.
Just before Christmas there was {
great fire in the city. The building
that contained the savings bank wa
consumed before aid could be brought
l was greatly excited when l heart
that the registers of deposit wer
burned. The Palatin, however
laughed heartily. "You fool" saiC
he. "what are you crying for? TIL
city has guaranteed the deposit
made in the savings bank. You hav
your receipt. The State must pa.
you"
This reflection reassured me.
showed my book again to my com
panion and be told me that i
was perfectly correct.
That night, when we lay down sid
by side to sleep, he said: "Peter
you and | can be rich, and bavenoth
ing to do but see the world, and le-
our money work for u.s." He added
that we must both 90 to California
where the earth is full of gold.
Very good" l answered, "bur
who will give US the money to MAKE
the VOYAGE"
Haven't you your bank book
"You called it a trife yourself
ave will make something better o
it," he said, striking a light. @
have an idea. Get up and show mi
your book"
"Capitall" he cried. when l haC
given him my book. Nobody vii
have the slightest suspicion. Re
ceived this day five crowns OF five
crowns | will make five hundred,
and we will have the means of start
ing on our travels,
At these words | began to tremble
"My friend" said l, "this ought not
to be done. [ will not permit it,"
LET me alone" replied he; i will
show you how easy it is.
A fatal curiosity awoke in me, anC
l said to him: "YOu can do it this
way. Try it on another paper, OIL
else yon will spoil my book, and
shall lose the little l possess"
| hoped he would not succeed, anC
that his failure would deliver me from
my guilty covetousness, and yet
could have wished him to succeed.
LET me alone" he replied sharply
"and do not make me angry; or else
my hand will trembIe, and l shall
spoil everything"
| crossed my arms on my chest
and with trembling [ watched hin
change the words written in my book
while 1T seemed as if my heart was
bursting Then he took a little knife
and scratched out Il few letters.
shivered, and vet | said to myself
"NOw you are rich, and able to grow
richer" "r
j looked at what he had Just writ
ten. "Received five hundred crowns. ,
Nobody could detect the least falsif
cation iii THESE words, and tine grea
register was burned.
We returned to bed. | already saw
myself across the ocean, picking W
nuggets of gold. l had a carriag,
with four magnificent horses, and a
servant who offered me a beautiful
meerschaum pipe trimmed with sill
yer, while another poured my cham
pagne.
The next morning at the table
feared every moment that l might
see an officer approaching to take me
to prison. | was so much afraid o
uttering an imprudent word that
dared not reply Immediately to any
question. | no longer dared to carry
money to the savings bank, but made
long detOurs to avoid passing th'
building in which it had been reor
ganized. Gradually, however, l re
covered sort of tranquility, as
saw that nobody suspected what
had done. But when, on the approach
of Christmas, my masters children
began to dance around me one morn
ing, saying, "We know something
we shan't tell" !" their voices pierced
my heart like a knife. They knew
the surprises their father was prepar
ing for our pleasure, and were de
lighted with their secret.
On Christmas Eve, Counselor Men
ninger's S servant came running to Ou1
workshop. | was in the doorway
She said she had come for me, and
must 90 at once with my tools to he
masters house.
The counselor's name had terrified
me. Could my offence be already
known? | had decided not to usr
the book until spring, and had neve
shown it. But | was afraid of every
thing.
Nevertheless, went with the yOuns
girl. She had n sweet, fresh face, anC
the pure Christmas light burned il
her eyes.
"My father was a locksmith," salt
she. ''St. Peter is our patron, anC
for many people the key to Paradis
is the key to their mOney-bOX."
We arrived at the cOunselor's house
and | was shown into Il arichly-furnish
ed room. The counselor brought M
an elegant case whose key was brok
en-, and bade me open it. He thei
told Catherine, my guide, that he haC
other preparations to make, anC
bade her remain with the lOcksmith
"It will be hard for you" said | t.
Catherine, O. to leave these beautifu
rooms for some poor little home"
81 have plenty of time in which t.
make up my mind to it, +" she replied
"But you do not yet know every
thing. Living in a rich dwelling, on
soon learns that it matters Iitti
whether he is served with a goldel
spoon or a brass one. The essentia
thing is to live in peace with a goOt
conscience"
At these words | could no lOnge
find the keyhole, and Catherine begal
to laugh at my lack of skill. A
length, however, | opened the casket
and my eyes were dazzled by it's con
tents. Upon a blue velvet cushion
glittered a set of diamonds.
Catherine stepped to the door ant
called her master; but no sooner ha,
he glanced at the casket then he rude
ly seized my hand, saying: 9Th
brooch with the large diamond in III
centre is gone!"
shook like poplar leaf, and wa
about to throw myself on my knees
when heard GATHERINGS voice.
Glow can you think" said she
II was here"
"Be still! We will examine yo1
tool"
He called to his wife, and then, turn
ing to me, said that he would searcl