The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1910-04-14
H BLACK BREAD.
BY Anatole France.

BY Anatole France.
icholas Nerli was one OF ~florence's
best known bankers. From morning TIC
night he sat at his desk busy counting
his money. He lent large amount &c
emperor and pope, and when he do
not lend any to the dew it was only
because he was afraid that there might
not be profit enough in the business.
Nicholas Nerli vas keen and sus-
,pecting. He had accumulated a vast
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 had been
put in front Of every window, and all
the lower windows were hidden by iron
Shutters, and daylight was only adj
mitted through those in the upper
story.
Now this was very wise Of Nerli, for
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 Nerlis palace was
surrounded by high wrought iron
fences, and every door was kept bolted
and barred. Inside it was fit for a
king. Heavy carpets covered the floors,
and costly COLLINS, representing the
virtues. in the forms of beautiful wom-
IN, covered the walls; while in other
looms We're priceless paintings show
ing the history of Alexander, Caesar
and other great heroes.
Nicholas Nerli gave literally to char
table institutions. and outside of the
city walls he had Quilt 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 one 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-
gin with a pious expression in her nom
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
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 round
him and cried for bread, if only a mis-
erable crust.
AAS was JuSI All lA4S dSl VI oloOplIl
down to pick up some stones to throw
at them when he saw one of his Serv-
ants walking toward the palace carry
.ng a huge basket full of caves of
black bread. He told him to hand him
the basket, and instead of throwing the
stones at the poor he divided the loaves
OF black bread among them. The same
night while he was sleeping he was
struck with apoplexy and died SO
quickly that he thought he was still
1y~on ~ ~ ,lo~ ca -L-
before him with a pair OF scales in his
hand. In the one, and that was the
heavier, he saw all the jewelry that he
had taken from orphans and Widows
who had pledged it with him, all the
gold which he gained by usury, and
when he looked into the face Of the
a%rchangel it was grave M stern, and
rs Nec!t understood hat his fate hung
In the balance he began to tremble in
deadly fear.
Saint Michael he said, If you put
tn the one scale all that I lave robbed
and stolen. please fill the other with
oil the good that l have done. Remem-
Der all the money CAV way to
charity. Do not forget the Cathedral
of Santa Maria del Novella, which
me, nor the great hospital which was
built by my money alone"
Have no fear, Nicholas Verli," the
angel replied, Il shall not forget"
And with his beautiful and he put
the cathedral n the great hospital,
with its beautiful frescoes, in the 9TH
er scale, but it did not go down.. Merrill
trembled with fear.
oh. Saint Michael, you have not put
in the golden basin for the holy water,
which gave to st. Johns church, the
carved pulpit l gave to ST. Andrews
church or the haptimal fount l 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 it did not move. Great
beads of perspiration stood out on Ner-
IFS forehead.
Saint Michael he stammered, "are
you quite sure that your scales are
correct?"
Saint Michael smflingly replied that
they were modelled after the pattern of
those used by all the bankers in Venice
and Florence.
Then, woe to me! And the church,
the hospital, the pulpit INC the fount
do not weigh as much as my miserable
gold!"
You see for yourself, Nicholas Nerli,
that your sins are far heavier than
your good Deeds"
Then l must go to hell" stammered
r;erli. whose legs almost failed him.
Observation-Disclosures Nerli, patience! /
nave not yet put In all. There is some
thing here"
And his angelic face, radiant with
joy, he drew forth a basket filed with
caves of black bread and put it into
the scale. which began to sink imme-
diately until the two We're exactly even.
Nicholas would not believe his WI
eyes.
You see now, Nicholas Nerli," the
angel said, you are fit neither for
heaven nod hell! Go back to Florence,
give away more bread to the poor, and
give the loaves away with your own
hands. as you did last night, without
letting anyone know it. and you are
saved, for the gates of heaven will be
opened to you when you have done
good for the sake of doing good with
out any thought of conceit."
Nicholas Nerli awoke in his bed and
decided to follow the advice of the
Erohangel and feed his poor brethren.
that, he might enter heaven. and ne
fo,a1d that he received his rerrar auan