The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1910-04-21
THE BLACK BREAD.


BY Anatole France.
Nicholas Nerli was one Of Florence
best known bankers From morning t
night be sat at his desk busy counting
his money. He len large amounts tt
emperor and pope, and when he die
not lend n to the devil 1t was only
because he was afraid that there nigh
mot be profit enough In the business.
Nicholas Nerli was keen and sus
ipecting. He had accumulated a vas,
fortune and made many people poor
but he was highly respected in the city
of Florence. He lived in a magnificent
palace. but great iron bars a beer
put in front Of every window, and al
the lower windows were hidden by iron
shutters, and daylight was only q
United through those In the upper
story.
NOW this was very wise OF Nerl1, Tor
the houses OF the rich must be like
cages and those who have acquired
riches by usury must be prepared to
defend them by force.
Therefore Nicolas Nerli's palace was
surrounded by high wrought iron
fences, and every door was kept bolted
and barred. Inside 1t was fit for a
king. Heavy carpets covered the floors.
n costly COLLINS. representing the
virtues, In the forms of beautiful wom-
IN, covered the walls; while in other
rooms were priceless paintings show
Ing the history Of Alexander. Caesar
n other great heroes.
Nicholas Nerli gave literally to char-
table institutions. and outsides of the
city walls he had built a hospital. the
outside walls of which showed In fres-
cos the noble deeds of his own life.
In return for a large amount Of
money which he had given to complete
the building Of the church of Santa
Maria Novella his portrait had been
hung in the center nave of the church.
showing him kneeling before the holy
virgin. Every n In the city recog-
nized him In his red cap, his coat lined
with ermine and his small, piercing
eyes. His good wife, Mouna Bisman-
tosa, stood o. the other side Of the vir-
gin with a pious expression in her hon
est. good natured face.
Nicolas Nerli was counted one Of the
best citizens of the republic, having
never raised his voice even once to
complain Of the existing laws. He
knew nothing OF the sufferings of the
poor, nor Of those whom the high and
mighty had thrown into prison.
One evening as he was returning to
ais palace he was surrounded by a
crowd of ragged. half starved beggars,
who pitifully asked him to help them.
He tried to drive them away with
harsh words, but hunger had made
them reckless. They crowded around
him and cried for bread, If only a mis-
cradle crust.
He was just in the act of stopping
down to pick UP some stones to throw
at them when he saw one of his serv-
ants walking toward the palace carry
Ing q huge basket full of loaves Of
bread. He told him to hand him
h basket, and instead of throwing the
cfHrn ok ~ L. - ~
black bread among them. The same
night while he was sleeping he was
with %apoplexy and died so
quickly that he thought he was still
dreaming when ST. Michael appeared
him with a pair Of scales In his
In the one, and that was the
heavier, he saw all the jewelry that he
had pledged 1t with him, all the
gold which he gained by usury, and
when he looked into the face Of the
archangel 1t was grave and stern, and
os Nerli understood that his fate hung
the balance he began to tremble in
deadly fear.
Saint Michael" he said, IF you put
IN the one scale all that I have robbed
stolen, please fill the other with
all the good that I have done. Remem-
Der all the money I gave away to
charity. Do not forget the Cathedral
VI SANTA MARIA gel NOVelia, Which
would never have been finished but for
me. nor the great hospital which was
built by my money alone"
Have no fear, Nicholas Verli," the
angel replied, 81 shall not forget"
And with his beautiful hands he put
the cathedral and the great hospital.
with its beautiful frescoes, in the 9TH
er scale, but 1t did not go down. Neril
,trembled with fear.
oh. Saint Michael. o have not put
In the golden basin for the holy water,
which I gave to st. Johns church, the
carved pulpit I CAV to st. Andrews
church or the baptimal fount I gave
20 the Church of Saint Peter. These
gifts cost me much. very much money"
The archangel put the basin. the pull
pit and the baptismal found in the
scale, but still 1t did not move. Great
beads of p~ersp!ration stood out on Ner-
It's forehead.
Saint Michael he stammered, ARE
you quite sure that you scales are
correct?
Saint Michael smilingly replied that
they were modelled after the pattern OF
those used by all the bankers In Venice
and Florence.
Then. roe to me! And the church,
the hospital. the pulpit and the fount
do not weigh as much AZ my miserable
gold!"
.You e for yourself. Nicholas Nerli,
that your sins are Tar heavier than
your good Deeds"
Then I must go to HE'LL" stammered
rserli, whose legs almost failed him.
Patience! Nicholas Nerlt, patience!
have not yet put in all. There Is some
thing here"
And his angelic face. radiant with
Joy. he drew forth a basket filled with
loaves OF black bread and put it into
the scale. which began to sink imrne-
dfateiy until the twoawere exactly even.
Nicholas would not believe his own
eves.
"You see now, Nicholas NerH." the
angel said. you are at neither for
heaven o hell! Go back to Florence
give away more bread to the poor. and
give the loaves away with your wv
hands. as you did last night, without
letting anyono NOW II. and Won are