Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1919-10-09
The Magic Gold.


with gold. He was tremendously
pleased, and hid it in secret place
Then he said to himself, "If | work
very hard | can fill that pot with gold,
and | shall be rich man." So ne
toiled early and late, and saved every
penny he could. 1t was the greatest
possible pleasure when he managed to
get gold coin and add it to his store.
But after a few months an uncomfort-
able suspicion took hold Of him.
Though he had put in a dozen gold
pieces, there semed to be less than
before. He felt despairing. What
was the good of trying to fill the pot'
The more he added the smaller grew
the rest Of the coins.
just at that time poor woman came
to him and said, 81 hear you have
money. My daughter is lying very
i'll, far away. Won't you let me have
some of your gold so that | can go to
her?" He was ready to say "No," but
something in the old woman's face re-
minded him of his mother, so he an
swered, "Well, let me see what | can
do" That evening he gave her hand
full of the precious gold. She was so
very pleased that it made him feel al
most happy, though he thought sadly
that his pot would be emptier than
ever. Before he went to bed he went
to have one more look at it, for he liked
to sit and see the shining coins. Would
you believe it?-when he looked in
there seemed to be more gold in the
pot than he had ever had since the day
he found it. "Ah," he said, "it is
tricky gold, but all the same there must
be less than before" He went to bed
very sad.
Next day young neighbor came to
him and said, 81 hear you have some
money. | have got chance to buy
little business. II | could buy it, |
could get married. Won't you lend
me some Of your gold ?" He was quite
angry at being asked, and was about
to turn away, when something in the
ma ms face made him think of young
brother he had lost years before. His
anger cooled, and he answered, "Very
well, you can have the gold, though |
know may never see it again, for the
business may fail" He went to his
hiding-place and took out two handfuls
and gave them to the man. Before
he went to bed he went sadly to take
one last look at the pot. He could
scarcely believe his eyes. 1t was two
thirds full. The gold coins had GER
tainly grown bigger, though there were
fewer Of them. "Ha-ha" he cried,
"now know the secret. This is magic
gold. The more give away the more
| have"
He could scarcely sleep that night,
for he was so anxious to 60 out and
give away his gold so that he might
have more. In the morning he filled
two pockets with most Of the coins
and set out to get rid of it. He did
not find it so easy as he expected.
When he offered money to his poor
neighbors, some Of them thought he
was joking and were offended. Some
of them thought he had robbed other
people, and would have none Of it. But
by the end of the day he had got rid
of it all. He hurried home expecting
to find the pot filled to the brim. What
a disappointment he had. 1t was lower
than ever. The coins were the same
size as before, and, Of course, he had
taken out two pocketfuls.
That night he did not sleep at all.
He was thinking, thinking all the time.
At last he understood. at is magic
gold" he said to himself. "The more
put in the less it grows. The more
| take out to help people that ask me
for it the more it grows, but ! must give
it because am sorry for them, not be-
cause | want more When | give it
just to get more get none"
Do you understand? ? You have a pot
half filled with magic gold, too. Hap
piness is magic gold; so is love. 1t
only grows when you give it away. But
it won't grow if you give il for what
you can get. Now you can understand
what the text in the Bible means,
"There &c that scattereth and vet in