The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-06-20
4 FLORENrINE DESPOT
Three stories About Duke Alexander.
 (From Maumilnnu's MngnNue,)

VI iA'H' -'uNAAAAl'AA . -'"b"H'N'N'i
 Among the officers of the court was one filling the post of Chamberlain, to whom the duke was much attached, This man had run up a long account for robes with poor wool merchant, who being unable to wait longer for his money, solicited payment. The Chamberlain put him off time after time, and at length told him he came too often, and was growing a nuisance. Still the merchant, who really needed his money persevered, and after some months had passed in futile efforts to gain his point, he took the advice of his friends, and went to the palace to seek audience of His Highness. The duke, who was always accessible to any one of his subjects, listened to the merchants story, questioned him, and convinced himself of it's truth. "Go home" he said; send to the Chamber lain once more, asking for payment, and report the result to me-" The merchant did as he was bid, but had to report only an insolent reply to his re- quest.
 Very we'll" said the duke, T will arrange it for you" He sent the man away and let few days pass. Then, choosing a favorable opprtunity, when the Chamberlain was dressing him, he began to caress him, batting him gent ly on the head, stroking his cheeks, and finally dropping his hand on the Cham berlain's neck, he took off a chain of great value. and turning to one of his pages, said: Take this chain; carry it to the Wool-merchant, and tell him to keep it carefully until our friend here pays him for the robes he has had" " Then, in meaning tone, he added to the Chamberlain: You will oblige me very much by redeeming that chain within eight days" And with that he went off hunting, leaving his dishonest servant overwhelmed with shame.
 There was a certain citizen in Flor | ence who had contracted a good many debts, not through misfortune, but through simple disnclination to pay He was very rich, but concealed that fact as much as possible, and by rep resenting himself to the council as a poor man we'll nigh crushed with mis- | fortunes, had obtained from them a letter protecting him from arrest, Among his creditors was poor widow who had placed in his hands the chief 1 part of her small provision for life, but | could get neither interest nor principal l from him. She importuned him for payment, but he, emboldened by impu- nity began to deny that he had ever known her Then the widow resorted | to the law courts. Her case was plain; ] the merchant ignored it, and, finding that he did so, the widow took steps to | have him arrested The officers of the | law found him in his house, and were about to lay hands on him, when he 1 suddenly drew forth his letter of Dro- | lection, flourished it in their faces, and | discomfited them.
 There was but one course left, and 1 the woman took it. She went to the 1 duke, who listened to her story patient | ly, and, being satisfied of its truth, sent a secretary to the merchant bidding
 him do what was right. The secretary returned with a plausible answer; but nothing was done, and in a few days | the widow came again to say she was as far as ever from getting her money,
 Why do you not have him arrested?" ] asked the duke. How can I, Signor,
 when the council protects him?"
 Then he cannot have the means of paying" the duke argued. "On the contrary, he is very rich, and nothing 1 but his avarice led him to seek protec- | tiOn." Tt is a strange case" said the duke. Come back to me in six days more" That period Duke Alexander
 passed ill making inquiries as to the
 real position of the merchant, and,
 having fully informed himself of this,
 he summoned the man to the palace, and requested him cOurteously to dis charge the debt, representing that it
 would be a pleasure to himself to know
 that the poor woman had her rights. The merchant declared he would pay
 her shortly but added that he was q poor man, and could not do it at the moment He left the duke, assuring
 him that the money would be paid ere
 long. but when the widow returned to
 the palace at the end of the stipulated
 period the duke found she had heard
 nothing from her debtor Instantly he
 called 8. page, saying sharply:
 Find the man who is in debt to this poor woman and bring him here at | once" His manner was so stern that the page lost not moment on the way
 but brought back the merchant in less
 time than one might have thought pos
 sible. The duke was standing by the fire, his cloak thrown about his shoul- ders, for he was going to mass, and
 waited only to dispatch the business
 which he had in hand; and as he stood he was raking among the coals and ashes with a stick. "So," said he, when he saw the defaulting citizen en-
 ter, then you have not yet p2id this
 poor woman?" "Oh, Signor, l am too poor" was the reply. "Too poor;
 broke in the woman, "too poor! Then sell your farms in this place, your stores of corn in that, your olive trees and all your other wealth, and pay me what you justly owe!" The duke lis tened with a smile, and drawing his stick out from the fire, he traced a cir cle on the floor with the blackened end Get into that space.'' he said, and the merchant obeyed. Now" said the duke. you shall not come outside that circle until you have paid the widow If you do, I will cut off your head. ' "Signor, signor," protested the fright ened man, q shall have to stay here | forever "On the contrary" said the duke calmly. "I am now going to mass; if I find you here when I return
 be assured that I will hang you" The dulze departed The merchant, halt