EXTRACTS FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC. 167 



THRIFT, OR NOTHING IS USELESS. 



FROM THE GERMAN OF ZSCHOKKE. 



John Schmid was an old soldier with a wooden leg: he was 

 so poor, that for some years he was obliged to solicit alms from 

 door to door in the villages near to that in which he lived, which 

 was situated on the lake of Constance. Now, however, old John 

 Schmid sits at his ease in his arm-chair ; he is in independent cir- 

 cumstances ; yet few people guess how he came by his wealth. 

 One affirms that he discovered a secret'treasure ; others have gone 

 so far as to hint that he made a compact with the Evil One. 

 When such hints are dropped in my presence, I fail not to re- 

 prove the speakers. I know better the means by which the old 

 soldier got rich, and I will tell you how it was. 



John Schmid had three sons, whom he had brought up well in 

 spite of his poverty ; for he not only furnished them with good 

 advice, but with a good example, and suftered many privations 

 that he might send them to school. One morning in spring, as the 

 old man was dividing amongst them the bread which was to break 

 their fast, he said, ' My children, you are now old enough to gain 

 your own livelihood ; but you must not beg while there are other 

 means of obtaining it — that would be taking bread out of the 

 mouths of those who may want it more than you. Pierre,' he 

 continued, turning to the eldest, ' you are fourteen years old, and 

 have sharp eyes — use them to seek employment. You, Gabriel, 

 though a year younger, have strong arms, set them to work. You, 

 George, though only eleven, have stout legs, profit by them.' 



' But what,' exclaimed the three boys at once, ' would you have 

 us to do ]' 



John Schmid answered, ' I know that you have neither land to 

 cultivate, wood to fell, nor flocks to tend ; but there are many 

 things that are thrown away as useless, but which with a little in- 

 dustry may be collected and made profitable. By and by I will 

 show you how. Do not spend the money which you will earn in 

 obedience to your wants, but economise it for the necessities of the 

 future, be it ever so little. Could you save only a balz a day, 

 each would amass at the end of the year, twenty-four florins.' 



Upon this John Schmid set about showing his sons how they 

 might earn their bread. He desired ihem to go in dilferent direc- 

 tions to collect the following articles : first, bones, the largest of 

 which they could sell to the turners, who made them into various 

 useful and ornamental articles, while the smaller were required by 

 farmers for manure. Secondly, pieces of broken glass, to be dis- 

 posed of to the glass-workers for recasting. As it was spring, he 



