12.The early history of their vast fortune is quite curious.About a hundred years ago there was in the city of FrankfortontheMain，Germany，a Jewish moneylender named Mayer Anselm Bauer.His signwas a red shield ，which in German is Rothschild .He was not at that time a man of large fortune.The French armies were then invading Germany，and a German prince，fearing that the enemy would seize his large property in jewels and gold if he should leave it，and not daring to take it with him in his flight，finally bethought him of this moneylender.The Jew was reluctant to undertake the trust，but finally consented，and the vast fortune was left in his hands，without a scrap of writing to show that he was responsible for it.He carefully buried the treasure in his garden，but left his own money in its usual place.When the French came they seized the money of the Jew，but did not discover that of the prince.After they left，Rothschild （so called from his wellknown sign）used some of the prince‘s money so judiciously as to gain considerable profits from it.When the wars were ended the prince returned to Frankfort，and at once visited the banker.It was with fear and trembling that he asked for his treasure，not only because the enemy might have taken it，but also because he feared that even if it had escaped that danger the honesty of the Jew would not have been proof against the great temptation to appropriate the millions so wholly confided to him.What was the prince’s delight，however，to hear from the banker that all the fortune was safe.Moreover，Rothschild proposed to pay him five per cent.for its use，although his own property had been intentionally sacrificed so that the French would not suspect the greater hoard.The overjoyed prince fully recompensed the banker for his losses，and thereafter was never tired of sounding the praises of the honest Jew of Frankfort.The latter in time，amassed a huge fortune，largely from loans to governments which has been greatly increased since by his descendants.
13.Here is a case in which an honest man was a better safeguard for treasure than Stone walls and steel locks.
14.Care of the Helpless Poor.There is a great deal of nonsense in calling people “poor.”Of course some have much more money，much finer houses，many more luxuries，than others.But whether one is considered poor or rich depends entirely on the point of view.Some years ago a group of mineowners in Colorado were chatting in aWashington hotel.All of them were millionaires.The talk fell on a certain renowned general of the civil war，whose property was estimated at five or six hundred thousand dollars.“Ah！”said one of the party，“I suppose he really is quite as happy as if he were rich.”To the man with millions the other man with thousands seemed poor.But most people would think such a man rich.
15.The fact is that no one is really poor if he is able and willing to earn an honest living，and has the chance to do it.He is independent，and where there is independence there is no actual poverty.
16.But there are always some people who have no property，and who，for one reason or another，cannot get a living.Perhaps they are broken down in healthperhaps they are too old and feeble to work.In that case，if they have friends who can take care of them，they will not suffer.But if they have no one to care for them they will simply starve if left to themselves.This cannot be permitted.So the people of each county provide a home of some sort for the destitute.It is usually plain.It should always be comfortable.The inmates，we must remember，are not criminals.They are merely unfortunate.And it is the duty of the public to care for them.
17.Tramps.There are always some men who are able to work but prefer to be idle.If they have no property to support them they can live only by begging or stealing.Sometimes such men spend their time wandering about the country，sleeping in barns or under haystacks，and begging for money and food and clothes.These wretched beings are called “tramps.”It is a great pity to see a man so low down as these.If they would work they could generally get an honest living.But they prefer their worthless，vagabond life to one of steady industry.They deserve little sympathy and less help，for they are unworthy of either.The county homes for the poor are not intended for tramps.
18.Sometimes a man has been known to excuse an act of dishonesty by saying，“The world owes me a living.If I can‘t get it in one way I must in another.”But that is pure nonsense.The world owes no man a living unless he earns it.If one is so unfortunate that he cannot provide for himself at all，the community will take care of him.But any man who canwork and prefers to be idle and to depend on those who do work is，after all，only a sort of tramp.He is of no manner of use to the world.
19.Towns.In some states the counties are divided into still smaller neighborhoods，called towns .This neighborhood is so small that the people can come together without much difficulty to decide public matters.At these town meetings the people often vote to build a bridge，to repair a road，or something of that sort.They also choose the town officers，generally for the term of one year，and decide how much money shall be used for town purposes.