The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-08-02

WHk11RN EO8 TIKI 0UNOAx REPUB1l1C
In the Industrious city Of Padua, which
was founded BY Antenoe, the brother of
King Priam Of Troy. there nourished about
The year Of our Lord lzD citizen named
Nicola Beochino. who owned much prop
erU. He had inherited from his father q
palace on 81 Agatha street, together with
several farms and . vast extent Of other
lends N tho suburbs. Contrary to the Gus
FeoW or the other wealthy residents Of Pad
pa he used no siiverwars, but contented
himself Ike . poor man with tin jugs and
plates. which wers % small they held but
ulttls wine or meat He Jared in this
manner because he feared that otherwise
his houselssper would make his living ex-
penses too heavy. Although wood was
'cheep fn fadua. he only burned shavings
u Ms nreplace. ana he spent the entire
winter without nre. since he was of the
opinion that 10 burn logs Of wood was
ie9mvalene to wasting ones money on
smoke
He willingly loaned money to those who
needed It provided thsy gave him inst
class security and paid high interest. On
tnees oooditions he was 80 ready to obligs
o1U ~ tat his large iron box WAS filled
With paper. IN which were recorded on rood
parchment the various emounts which were
que % him. II he had not been q Christian
one would havs said that he was q usurer.
AZ p undoubtedly true that he took all pos
sioie legal steps to recover any money that
might % Que to him. The law Of Padua
e regards insclveot debtors was severe.
1ney wefe put IN prison. whore death by
STARVATION awaited them. for tho Governor
@d not spend any Of the public funds In
ouyme food for thorn. and though the lead
sug @uoo0s oon1ider0d visit TO the prison
oue g ene seven cardinal works which
CHARITY and Pity imposed on them. they
c.a not ZEE sailed upon to perform this
-
However. about the year 1aio thu Law
wes made lese ssvere, and the debtors who
naa Deeu ruined by the wars which laid
4Sompetoy waeke were driven from the CITY
6lgnor Nicola Becchino caused MANY 70 hs
sent into exile, and very pitiful II was to
~ tne unfortunate creatures going along
t9e Gueets with nothing but the old clothes
Wnscn eney worA The miserable novels IN
ne outskirts Of the city which had served
tnem - homes had long been empty. and
Mpefs ana ospreys made their nests IN
In the year La signor Nicola Recch,no
called upon Zenone Minute to nav him 5nn
s0lo crowns zenone kept an apothecary's
store Ia. St Agatha street. opposita ths
6echino Palace. He was young. hut he
naeck hair covered the head of q s,holar'
ne Knew all the plants described by Dioso.
noe. ne had learned from q Spanish lew
me most wonderful secrets contained I'm the
Woaks Of the Arabian doctors and he even
poeeeeseo some OF the writings which had
escaped the destruction OF the ancient II.
nfar1oA Moreover, he constantly studied
ne WORKS OF Galen. These STUDIES had
caused him to neglect his business and he
would have Jared better AZ q professor in
the new University OF Padua than as a
1ealer In drugs and electuaries. Late into
ne night: having only the light from a
xoa1n candle and sometimes only the lfrht
q the moon. he was wont to remain mo-
eoenless. bent over large volume, which
l9eked Hke = conJurcr's textbook. while
= eAs - black a. Erebus. sat graYely on
H. ehculder.