The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-11-23

be like a citadel, and those who have |
much wealth are wise in protecting
by force what they have gained by
craft.
So the palace of Nicholas Nerli was
provided with iron gates and chains.
Within, the walls were decorated by
clever artists with paintings of the
virtues, the patriarchs, the prophets,
and the kings of Israel. Tapestry,
hung in the rooms, displayed the his
tories of Alexander and Caesar
But in the city were the riches of
Nicholas Nerli displayed in pious
foundations. He had built, outside
the walls, a hospital, the frieZe of
which, in sculpture and painting, rep
resented the most honorable actions
of his life; and in gratitude for the
sums Of money he had given towards
| the completion of Santa Maria Nov
ella, his portrait hung in the choir of
| the church.
| And there he might be seen kneel-
| ing. with hands clasped, at the feet
| of the Holy Virgin; he was easily
| known by his cap of red wool, his
| furred cloak, his fat face, and his
small keen eyes. His good spouse,
| Mona Bismantova, with. quiet, sad
air, was at the other side af the
statue, in an attitude of prayer.
| This man was one of the foremost
citizens of the republic; and as he
| had never spoken against the laws,
and as he cared no jot about the
poor or those whom the rulers con-
demned to fine or Punishment, moth
ing had lessened, in the opinion of
the magistrates, the esteem he had
acquired by his great wealth.
| Coming home one winters night
later than usual, he was surrounded
at the very door of his palace by a
troop of half-naked beggars, who
stretched out their hands for help.
| With SCOTS he babe them be gone
But hunger made them bold and
fierce as wolves Gathering round
him in a circle, they demanded bread,
in voices hoarse and sad. He stopped
down to, pick up stones to cast at
them, when he saw one of his servants
/ approach carrying a basket of poor
/ black loaves for the stablemen, cooks,
and gardeners.
Making signs for him to- draw near,
he took the 1oaves in handfuls and
threw them among the beggars.
Then, entering the house, he went to
bed and slept.
In his sleep he was struck with
apopleXy and died so suddenly that
he thought he was still in his bed.
He saw, in place, silent from its
very brightness, st. Michael cleaning
with a light that streamed from his
body. .. e- ...
The Archangel, a balance in his
hand, was filing the scales. Recog'
nizing in the heavier scale the jewels
of widows which he kept in pledge,
a heap Of coins which he had un.
justly retained, and certain very fine
pieces of gold which he alone pos
sessed, and had acquired by usury or
fraud, Nicholas Nerli felt sure that
st. Michael was at. that moment
weighing before his eyes the life he
had just laid down. He became
grave and anxious.
Good ST. Michael" he said, "if
you are putting in one scale all the
gains 4 have made when alive, put
in the other, please, the beautiful
foundations by which l so magnif.
Gently displayed my piety. Don't
forget, either, the dome of Santa
Maria Novella, quite third of which
was at my cost, nor my hospital out
side the walls, which was built wholly
at my expense"
Fear not, Nicholas Nerli," said
the Archangel; Il will forget moth
ing" ...r ,
And with his glorious hands he
put in the lighter scale the dome OIL
Santa Maria and the hospital with
it's sculptures and painted frieze. But
the scale did not descend!
The banker was wildly and poig
nantly uneasy.
Good ST Michael" he said again
"look a little farther yet. You have
not put in the scale my beautiful
holy-water font, nor the pulpit of ST
Andrews where the Baptism of Om
Lord is represented, life-size That
work cost me much money"
4 The Archangel put the pulpit anC
the holy-Water font in the scale; il
did not fail lower " h99a1.1
4 Nicholas Nerli began to feel his
brow wet with cold sweat
Good Archangel,' he asked, "are
you certain your balance is accurate?'
ST. Michael answered with a smile
that, although his balance was diff
ferent from that used by Venetian
money-changers, it was still quite &C
curate.
"What?" sobbed out Nicholas Nerli
pale with dread, this dome, this pull
pit, this hoIy-water font, this hospita
with all its beds-are they no heavier
than whisp of straw or handful Of
down."
You can see for yourself, Mich
olas," said the Archangel, land so fal
the load of your iniquities overweighs
!, by much the slight load of your gooG
works"
Then l must go to hell" said the
Florentine, and his teeth chartered