EXTRACTS — FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC. 169 



ing hard enough, of selling too cheaply, or of extravagance in 

 treating himself to a cup of wine rather too often. Poor old 

 Schraid ! — do all he could, he was unable, on some occasions, to 

 settle these discussions*. Nothing seemed likely to cure the evil 

 but separation ; and addressing his sons, he said, ' Take each of 

 you one hundred florins, and seek your fortunes in the world ; in- 

 dustry and economy always prosper. The rest of the capital 

 shall remain in the hands of the banker, in case that any unfore- 

 seen misfortune should fall on any of us so as to need it. But 

 while it remains untouched, the interest will be added to the prin- 

 cipal.' To this the young men agreed; and taking each his ap- 

 portioned sum, bade adieu to their father. They took their depar- 

 ture, each in a ditferent direction. Pierre went eastward, Gabriel 

 westward, and George towards the south. John Schmid grieved 

 to part with his children, but he knew it was for their good, and 

 bore his regrets in silence. 



Years rolled on. John Schmid grew old and weak, but he 

 would not touch a kreutzer of his children's capital. At length 

 he fell ill ; and some of his neighbors, pitying his lonely state, 

 sent him relief; others declared they had poor enough of their 

 own to support, and though he had lived in their village for twenty- 

 one years, threatened to send him away as a stranger. Upon this 

 old John wrote to the merchant who held the money, saying, 

 * Send me three hundred florins of the capital I deposited in your 

 hands ; for I am aged and weak, and for fourteen years I have not 

 heard of my children. Doubtless they are dead. It will not be 

 long ere I follow them to the grave.' 



The honest merchant promptly replied to the old man's de- 

 mand. ' I return youj' he wrote, ' the sum you ask. The balance 

 remaining is perhaps greater than you imagine. It has increased, 

 by little and little, to more tlian one thousand florins.' 



When the money arrived, the peasants stared with wonder, and 

 declared that John Schmid must be a conjurer. But the old man 

 l^imself, in spite of his riches, was unhappy. He wished to join 

 his sons, whom he thought to be no more. He would often ex- 

 ' claim, ' I shall die in solitude ; no son is left to close my eyes. 

 However, he recovered from his illness, and it was destined that 

 lie should not die alone. 



One Sunday evening he was seated with other peasants under a 

 linden tree, when a servant on horseback rode up, and inquired if 

 any one could direct him to the cottage of John Schmid 1 The 

 villagers, full of astonishment, replied, ' You need not seek him in 

 his house for he is here.' As they stared and whispered inquiries 

 to one another as to what was to come next, two handsome carria- 

 ges entered the village, and stopped before old Schmid's door. 

 Three well-dressed gentlemen and two ladies descended from the 

 Loaches, and as old John made his appearance, threw themselves 



VOL. I. — NO. 1. W 



