Page:Anecdotescatechi00spiruoft.djvu/99

 but the  king,  who  overheard  the  conversation, laughed heartily,  and  said  the  count  richly  deserved the  snub.

The poor  can  often  help  the  rich  in  time  of  need. A poor countryman  had  to  deliver  several  loads  of wood  at  a large  manufactory. When he  brought his wagon  into  the  courtyard  of  the  factory,  he noticed  that  the  workmen  had  put  up  a new  grindstone and  rolled  the  old  one  into  a corner. On the wagoner’s going  to  the  master  to  receive  payment for the  wood,  he  asked  if  he  might  have  the  old grindstone. The manufacturer  replied  that  he  was welcome to  take  it,  if  only  to  get  it  out  of  the way. The man  thanked  him  very  heartily,  and  said it might,  perhaps,  be  in  his  power  to  show  the  gentleman a civility. But at  this  the  manufacturer  got angry, and  said,  proudly: “ I want  no  civilities  from you; if I require  your  services,  I shall  pay  you  for them.” The  man  went  his  way  in  silence,  and  took ' the coveted  grindstone  away  with  him. As often  as he  used  it,  he  thought  of  what  the  rich  man  had  said, and prayed  God  to  give  him  some  occasion  of  repaying him  for  the  benefit  he  had  conferred  on  him. The wished-for  opportunity  soon  presented  itself. One Sunday,  when  the  countryman  was  on  his  way to church,  he  saw  a carriage  coming  along  the  road at a mad  gallop. The horses  had  taken  fright,  and the coachman  had  fallen  from  his  seat. In the  carriage the  wealthy  manufacturer  was  seated  with  his family, crying  aloud  for  help. The countryman  did