Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1896-12-24
Saint Maru's Beacon
THE SAYINGS BANK.


when | began my apprenticeship
as locksmith. My master was,
on the other hand, a grave, reserved
man, so that q very few words from
him were important. When for
the fret time he paid me . weeks
wages, he said Peter, you do not
need more than half Of what is due
you ; and the other half | will set
aside for the savings bank And
so il was.
On Palm Sunday, before mass,
he went with me to the savings
bank. My name was written in q
huge register, and they gave me
book, on the first page OF which
was inscribed my name, and on the
second my deposit, seven crowns.
/ held my little book lovingly, and
looked often at my name, and the
amount of my capital. was so
enchanted with this FIRST operation
that | became avaricious. | re-
formed my habit Of smoking, and
gave myself no rest till had
another small SUN 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 had continued to
to talk alone to myself But /
soon confided in a companion from
the Palatinate, and whom for that
reason we called the Palatin. To
amuse myself on Sunday, | would
take my book from it's box, and
would try to compute precisely how
much month my twelve crowns
would bring me. The Palatin, who
was a skillful accountant, told me
exactly, and then he began to make
sport Of the trifling amount, and
tossed my book into the air, ex-
claiming: Look at the fortune OF
the great capitalist, Peter Werner p
The little book fell on my head,
and seemed to me to have suffered
insult. | wiped it, put it back into
the box, and did not show it to my
companion again.
Just before Christmas there was
a great fire in the city. The build.
ing that contained the savings bank
was consumed before aid could be
brought. | was greatly excited
when learned that the registers OF
deposit were burned. The Palatin,
however, laughed heartily. You
fool y said he, what are you cry.
ing for? 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: peter
you and / can be rich, and have
nothing to do but see the world
and let our money work for us.
He added that we must both 60 t.
California, where the earth is full
of gold.
Very good / answered, 'bui
who will give Us the money to make
the voyage p
Haven't you your handbook q
You called it trifle yourself.
we will make something better
OF it, he said, striking a light. q
have an idea. Get up and show
me your book
Capital p he cried, when l had
given him my book. Nobody will
have the slightest suspicion. Re.
ceived this day five crowns OF
five crowns will make five hun.
dred, and We will have the means
of starting on our travels
AT these words began to trem.
BILE. my FRIEND said I, sthis
ought not to be done. l will not
permit it.
Let me alone replied he l will
show you how easy it is
A fatal curiosity awoke in me,
and ] said to him: You can do il
this way. Try it on another paper
or else you will spoil my book, and
| shall lose the little / possess.
| hoped he would not succeed
and that his failure would deliver
me from my guilty covetousness ;
aud yet | could have wished him to
succeed.
Let me alone he sharply re.
piled, and do not make me angry