Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-26

sgioyanbattis.a , niraldi cint Iao 1884, s.
s Is ths i aecatom nlS Is ''''''
There was once, Greek merchant
who was nffser He made plenty OF
money but spent little. Instead he
boarded every coin he could get, until
he had q great chest full OF them. to
which he even added more and more.
His life's passion was to increase his
wealth. He thought and dreamed OF
nothing else.
One day he sold some goods for the
sum of 400 crowns. He planned to
take this whole amount home with him
to add to the store in the huge chest.
But during the day he somehow lost
the money, though unaware OF 1t at the
time.
Reaching home. he opened the chest
and was about to put In the 400 gold
crowns when he discovered MS loss.
Alarmed. he went through his pockets
one by one. Enchanting loudly ut each
failure TO find the money: 1t became
certain that he had lost 1t.
In frenzy, the Greek merchant ran
back along the path he had taken
homeward. He looked everywhere for
his purse of gold, and so great was
his agitation that he even stopped to
ask the very dogs IL they had seen his
lost wealth. He was thoroughly puzzled
and had not the least idea what TO do
when he could find no trace Of the
money anywhere along the route.
His mind cleared after little, and
the idea occurred to him to seek out
the city magistrate and have him send
a crier about announcing the loss Of
the gold and Offering reward OF 40
rowns to the person who should return
the sum intact. The magistrate was
very glad to do this. and soon every
one was aware that the sum Of 400
gold crowns had been lost, and 40
crowns were offered to the person
honest enough to return them.
An aged lady, her eyes to the ground
as she thought of her devotions, found
the money. At first she was at loss
to to what to do with It, but she soon
heard the crier and his announcement,
so she went at once to give the lost
trate. Immediately the Greek merchant
purse had been found.
Now the Greek merchant was very
misery indeed. When he offered 40
crowns reward he had little expectation
that he would get his money back. But
now that the 400 crowns were actually
returned to him, 1t seemed that he had
been foolishly extravagant In Offering
SO large q reward. He immediately
began 10 think how he might escape
paying the 10 crowns to the poor old
lady.
The aged woman had been very
honest, for. rs she explained to the
magistrate while they were waiting for
the Greek merchant to arrive, she was
in great want, and the sum she found
would have provided an excellent mar
riage portion for her daughter, who
would otherwise have to remain UNI
married all her life. A girl could not
marry without q dowry, and this woman
had an excellent husband In sight II
only she had the money for her portion.
Yet, In spite OF this pressing need Of
funds, the woman had returned the
Greek merchants Ill gotten wealth.
She could have kept Il and no one
would ever have been the wiser. She
certainly deserved the reward II ever
q person did.
But the Greek merchant thought how
he might avoid paying the sum he had
offered. He counted the money care
fully. There was exactly the sum Of
400 gold crowns, Just as he had lost II.
But he spoke thus to the magistrate:
Signor, can II be possibie2 Here are
400 gold crowns. It Is true. But there
was also In my purse when lost IL
the additional sum Of 81 ducats. The
ducats are now missing"
The aged lady was alarmed at thus
having her honesty brought into a,ies-
ton. She turned 10 the MAGISTRATE with
these words: -Signor. ask yuu II II. II
likely that ! should have withheld such
. small sum when could have 60
easily kept the whole alnpunt7p
But the misery merchant swore that
his purse had contained 400 Gowns
plus - ducats. and since only 900
crowns were returned. obviously the "a
ducats had been taken out and Il was
only fair that that sum should serve
In lieu Of any additional reward.
The magistrate. however, was not
fooled by the attempt Of the Greek
merchant to avoid payment Of the lust
reward. He addressed the man after
this fashion:
why didn't you mention the a
ducats when You FIRST told me of your
loss and described It to nae?"
- overlooked the matter, signor. 7
quite forgot the extra sum-" said the
Greek merchant anxiously.
THAT seems strange" said the mag
istrate, for you were very particular
to make clear TO me the exact nature
of your loss. You wanted 10 make sure
that there would be no danger Of fall
ing TO identify your purse IL found. As
o matter Of fact, IL now appears that
you are claiming something which Is
not yours. II ! understand you, from
what you now say. your loss was
purse containing 400 crowns plus 80
ducats. Now 1t Is clear that this lady
would not have distracted 81 ducatS
from the sum she found. Therefore.
this purse Of only 400 ducats cannot
be yours-it must. In fact. belong To
&C . e one else. Indeed, one Of my ser-
wants lost Just such sum as this only
d few days ago."
The Greek merchant was silent, hav-
ing lost his tongue. The magistrate
then turned 10 the aged lady. saying:
IT Is clear. madame, that this money
Is not the sum lost by this merchant.
You have found IT. Possibly II is the