Page:Anecdotescatechi00spiruoft.djvu/59



The knowledge  of  God  is  essential  to  uprightness of life. The Emperor  Joseph  II  (+ 1790)  was  in  the habit of  frequently  moving  among  the  people,  in  order to acquaint  himself  thoroughly  with  their  circumstances and  particularly  with  their  needs. One year, when  there  was  a famine  in  Bohemia,  he  sent a large quantity  of  corn,  to  be  distributed  to  the poorer class  of  inhabitants. Almost immediately  after this consignment  had  been  sent  off,  he  hastened  to Bohemia  himself,  in  order  to  convince  himself  that his instructions  concerning  the  relief  of  the  poor  had been followed. Journeying incognito,  he  stopped  at one  of  the  small  towns,  where  he  found  several  wagons loaded  with  corn  standing  before  the  town  hall. The emperor  entered  into  conversation  with  some  of the  bystanders,  and  from  them  he  learned  that  the wagons had  been  waiting  there  for  hours  because the official  charged  with  the  distribution  of  the  grain had not  put  in  an  appearance. Thereupon the emperor in  his  civilian’s  dress  went  to  the  residence of  the  official  in  question,  and  called  him  to account  for  keeping  the  people  waiting  so  long. The man replied:  “ You  have  no  business  to  teach  me  my duty; I know  very  well  what  I have  to  do.”  Then the emperor  unbuttoned  his  coat,  and,  showing  the decorations on  his  breast,  said: “ I,  who  speak  to  you, am your  emperor. By my  imperial  authority  you are deposed  from  your  post,  and  you  have  nothing more to  do  with  the  distribution  of  the  corn.”  Calling another  official,  the  emperor  appointed  him  to  fill