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Article JEWISH GRATITUDE* ← Page 2 of 3 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Jewish Gratitude*
the grave suspicion , which had , moreover , so strong an appearance of foundation . He assured the Jew , in the most simple yet emphatic manner , that he was innocent , that he had neither seen nor found the girdle ; adding , that had he intended to take his money from him , he would not have taken so much pains to restore him to life . Suspicion and gratitude now divided the Jew ' s mind . But the latter overwhelmed his heart and preponderated . ' You have saved my life' said he' and
, , I can forget the loss of the money . ' The merchant then took leave of his host ; neither , however , seemed content . The one ' s suspicion aud loss , and the other ' s offended innocence , rendered the departure a melancholy scene . The one was sad at the loss of his horse and money , and at being compelled to travel to his place of destination on foot ; and the other felt grieved at being innocently suspected of theft . " In the following spring the peasant had occasion to carry the dung
out of his yard into the plough-field , and pulling up the straw with the fork , he felt something heavy ; he lifted it up , and , behold ! it was a long leather girdle stuffed with money . Struck with amazement , he called his wife , and exclaimed , ' See what I have found ; whence comes all this money among the dung ?' "• ' Ay , ' said she , ' it , no doubt , belongs to the Jew whom you saved last autumn from the water !'
' ' You are right , ' said he , his eyes sparkling with joy ; ' now I shall no more be suspected as a thief ; the money he shall soon have back , and I will show him that I am an honest man . But how comes it among the dung ? ' They then considered for awhile , and at last surmised , that the girdle must have become loosened from the Jew ' s body when he lay on the straw , which was afterwards thrown on the dunghill . " The peasant ' s wife then began to utter her doubts whether , after
having saved the Jew ' s life , they were bound to return the money . But the honest peasant chided her for the very thought of appropriating to herself another man ' s property . ' And if it had been a thousand times as much , ' added he , ' and if I had no bread to eat , I would not touch it . But how am I to ascertain where the owner resides ? I forgot to ask his name . ' He again sank in deep sadness , and went at the next fair to the high road , in hopes of discovering the Jew , but in vain . Thus elapsed
three years , and the peasant ' s enquiries remained unsuccessful . " One evening , a loaded cart drove up to the peasant ' s door , and who should get down from the cart but the Jew whom the peasant had saved ! With joyful looks he entered the humble cottage , and said , ' God be with you , dear people ! do you know me yet ? ' ' Ay , ' cried the peasant , 'thank God that I see you again ; I have searched and waited for you a long timeand ' The Jew interrrupted himshook him bthe hand
, , y , and said , ' dear friend , pardon , pardon me , that I suspected you . I have , every time I came to the fair since the accident , enquired of the people , whether you had grown rich ? whether you had built a new and larger cottage ? But I always heard that you were as poor as ever . Thus elapsed three years , and I became convinced that you knew nothing of my money . Pray forgive me , dear friend , and once more receive my hearty thanks for having saved my life . I havesince thenbeen
suc-, , cessful in business , and have brought you , in the cart outside , some things , which I beg you to accept as a token of my gratitude . ' " Thus spoke tha grateful Jew , who ran to the door , and fetched from the cart new stuffs for clothing of various descriptions , and also a heavy purse , which he put on the table . The honest peasant could hardl y
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Jewish Gratitude*
the grave suspicion , which had , moreover , so strong an appearance of foundation . He assured the Jew , in the most simple yet emphatic manner , that he was innocent , that he had neither seen nor found the girdle ; adding , that had he intended to take his money from him , he would not have taken so much pains to restore him to life . Suspicion and gratitude now divided the Jew ' s mind . But the latter overwhelmed his heart and preponderated . ' You have saved my life' said he' and
, , I can forget the loss of the money . ' The merchant then took leave of his host ; neither , however , seemed content . The one ' s suspicion aud loss , and the other ' s offended innocence , rendered the departure a melancholy scene . The one was sad at the loss of his horse and money , and at being compelled to travel to his place of destination on foot ; and the other felt grieved at being innocently suspected of theft . " In the following spring the peasant had occasion to carry the dung
out of his yard into the plough-field , and pulling up the straw with the fork , he felt something heavy ; he lifted it up , and , behold ! it was a long leather girdle stuffed with money . Struck with amazement , he called his wife , and exclaimed , ' See what I have found ; whence comes all this money among the dung ?' "• ' Ay , ' said she , ' it , no doubt , belongs to the Jew whom you saved last autumn from the water !'
' ' You are right , ' said he , his eyes sparkling with joy ; ' now I shall no more be suspected as a thief ; the money he shall soon have back , and I will show him that I am an honest man . But how comes it among the dung ? ' They then considered for awhile , and at last surmised , that the girdle must have become loosened from the Jew ' s body when he lay on the straw , which was afterwards thrown on the dunghill . " The peasant ' s wife then began to utter her doubts whether , after
having saved the Jew ' s life , they were bound to return the money . But the honest peasant chided her for the very thought of appropriating to herself another man ' s property . ' And if it had been a thousand times as much , ' added he , ' and if I had no bread to eat , I would not touch it . But how am I to ascertain where the owner resides ? I forgot to ask his name . ' He again sank in deep sadness , and went at the next fair to the high road , in hopes of discovering the Jew , but in vain . Thus elapsed
three years , and the peasant ' s enquiries remained unsuccessful . " One evening , a loaded cart drove up to the peasant ' s door , and who should get down from the cart but the Jew whom the peasant had saved ! With joyful looks he entered the humble cottage , and said , ' God be with you , dear people ! do you know me yet ? ' ' Ay , ' cried the peasant , 'thank God that I see you again ; I have searched and waited for you a long timeand ' The Jew interrrupted himshook him bthe hand
, , y , and said , ' dear friend , pardon , pardon me , that I suspected you . I have , every time I came to the fair since the accident , enquired of the people , whether you had grown rich ? whether you had built a new and larger cottage ? But I always heard that you were as poor as ever . Thus elapsed three years , and I became convinced that you knew nothing of my money . Pray forgive me , dear friend , and once more receive my hearty thanks for having saved my life . I havesince thenbeen
suc-, , cessful in business , and have brought you , in the cart outside , some things , which I beg you to accept as a token of my gratitude . ' " Thus spoke tha grateful Jew , who ran to the door , and fetched from the cart new stuffs for clothing of various descriptions , and also a heavy purse , which he put on the table . The honest peasant could hardl y