New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-14
A FLORENTINE DESPOT.
THREE STORIES ABOUT DUKE ALEXAN'
DER.
From Macmillan's Magazine

able 70 wait longer for his money. solicited pay
ment The Chamberlain put him Off time after une
growing nuisance Still the merchant. who really
needed his money; persevered and after some me
point he took the advice Of his friends. and went 70
ns Duke seek VINO %as always
to any one Of his subjects listened 10 the mer-
chants story h and enS to " the
Chamberlain once more, asking for payment. ana
bid but had to report only an insolent reply to
YOU" He sent The man away and let few days
pass Then choosing favorable opportunity, when
caress him pa ting him gently the head. strokins
his cheeks, and finally dropping his hand on the
value and turning to OF his pages. said: Take
this chain carry It To- the wool merctaht, anu yea
him TO keen carefully until our Trend mere pays
him for the robes he has had" Then. In mean,
Ing tone he added TO the ,ha1 cha3 with
in eight days" And with that he went OIL hantlnnS
leaving his dishonest servant overwhelmed with
shame.
There was a certain citizen in Florence who had
contracted a good many debts 10: through msfqr-
tune, but through simple dis!nclination to pay. he
was very sh bur concealed ns re, - az r. l onc ii
as a poor man we.-ngh crushed win misiortunhss,
h-d a24s Am no rs fs
who had placed in his hands the CHIEF part OF her
s s; ne oP princp9 from him She portuned him
FOR payment but he. embodened by impunity, be-
the the WIDOW resortei to the law courts Her
plain; the merchant made no defence and sentence
Ignored IT, and finding that he ia so the widow
took steps 70 have him arrested The officers OF The
law found him IN his house and were about 70 lay
hands on him, when ne suddenly drew forth mis- let
OF protection hourshed /, In their faces. and dis
There was but one course left. and the woman
took f. She went to the Duke who Listened 20 her
was right. TIE secretary returned w!th p.aurlIle
ar s4s,,r II
tho widow came again 70 ~ SIC was as ;ar 49, TVer
Tg Fns s. ar m2 b % n XSu can an 'yS n5r
when tho Council protects him Then 10 cannot
H. contrary he IS very rich and nothing but hs
avarce el him 70 seek protection" IT r. s.rans.
more" That period Duke Alexander passed IN max
INK inquiries "a TO tne real position o. the mcr-
chant. AMI. having '1'ly Informed Nimf.t OF tn!s;
H. summoned the man to tho palace. and requested
him courr"ously 20 discharge the debit repr's"ntirg
to poor woman hid her rights. Tae nrersaini d.
II" loft mo Duke assuring him that the money
}nd be PSd ne ere o9s Pg o y9en 9 tho RI
per- ! the Duke found she had heard nothing rom
her debtor. Instantly he called n page, saying
~Finl the man who Is IN dept % iris poor woman
but brought hack no merchant In e-s tine 'han one
nc hy the fire his cloak thrown about his shoulders.
for he was gong 10 mass and waited only - IL
STOOD he was rahng among the Goals and ashes
With stick 80 said ne. when he saw me Ia.
fauting citizen enter. then You have not ye; pad
wa, the rcny TOO broke n'i the zoo woman pEG
stores o.; corn in that your olive trees and ali your
c p %fSn %h me s Tnl y and his
s'ck out from the IRE. ne traced circle on the
he said. ana the merchant obeyed. Now said the
Duke you shall no. come outside thai circle until
you have plid The widow. II you 10. VIII cut IN
Your head" 'Slgno-. signor." protested the fright
.ncl man. Il shat have g. stay here forever" "On
going to mass. Il N"d you here when return. be
assured that | will hane You" The Duke departet
wss quito able % keep his wo-D sen, IN pgs;-has;e
TIE money due 10 the widow Just before the Duke
have answered with one 50 pis-headcd"
Long ago there came to Florence in his youth a
ve.yet-maker from Bersamo. who ope-ed shop.
and. aided by fortune and his own good sense. be-
Sns T o M R bs Moh MS n y'F a
continue his work. H. sold his shop aud retired
time in go~i works The lie which he had re-
nounce sun held his Interests. however and he con-
who sim retained his shop. and was glad enough %
CAIN u pom" his s With Indec the fact f ha hs
old gossip had hardly any use for HIS money i'm
pressed scl; this astute merchant that he began
10 ponder some scheme by wnlch that money couii
be worthily employed: and having at last thought
he oG Vas ne in his od S x noey h
oil man al not fail 10 notice this melancholy. and
was made the more ANXIOUS ny II, since all his ques
lions as 10 rs cause were deity turned aside
Days passed. ana thr merchants gloom Increased;
AZ last go deep dd II become that the old man. who
bad kindly heart and a very strong regard FOR his
ms house on" day, ana as they sat AZ table IN the
sArIcn. pressed and even conjurei him 10 Disclose
It's cause processing himself ready TO do anything
pressing 81 COOL man. The merchan; had hooked
at once So he returned evaslvc answers assumsi
a semb.ance OF gaycly. and even told his friend
knew quito well already. ny these devices. varied
by occasional relapses into deep melancholy, he
pitch, and when he judged the proper moment 70
have come. he declared. he half dead with anx-
time ago II appcarai h. had sought sock w"rpS
had left the remainder to stand over. relying on
S"d ms hnn 0n pa osH wSrc S MN @ he
OF dishonest feilows-thr time was AT hand when he
w at his Wits end s WonG nn nave and ne
his colleague by telling him this he added II nc had
not been SO urgently pressed The good old man
Don't dcspair gossip" he said. GOD Will not de-
the house and came back with bag in which was
the greatcr part OF the money which he had OBJ
pillar standing near. and on IT the old counted
out 40 scudi saving: Take them for six or eight
months nj your convenience" He knew his old
friend too we'll TO ask for receipt such formalties
were necessary where both parties trusted each
other. The merchant overwhelmed his friend with
thanks and vert home gdyly. protesting he had
never until that moment known the worth OF true
affection; Time passed: the ak months or eight
months Cor which the money had been len; sped by
but nothing was sail about returning it The old
man wondered. but felt delicacy In reminding his
friend OF the transaction. Eighteen months slipped
away. however, and at last he reminded the other
gently that tho term fixed for repaying the money
was long past. Money answered the merchant.
with n puzzled expression, what money you
talking of" What money? Why the scudi which
or vevets protested with every appearance OF good
fnith. ~ think you must be testing, have not tho
accept money from you without failing to return Il
promptly The old man continued with rising in
dgnatlon to assert his claim. but without the ieas,
success. and finally tho other pushed him out OF hi
shop. saying pccvishy: There go away in Gods
name before do say anything | shall be sorry
for
Thus insuted and swinded the old man be,oox
himself 10 the Duke. IN whose Justice and resource
he felt that his last hope lay of recovering his
money. The Duke. after listening 10 his story male