THE JEW AND THE PEASANT.

Manawatu Herald, 26 August 1881, Page 3

THE JEW AND THE PEASANT.

Whether does the following story, narrated by the St. Petersburg correspondent of the London Times, reflect most on the cunning of the Russian Jew or the stupidity of the Russian peasant? We confess, for our own part, that, notwithstanding the authority we find f»r it, we hold it to be of a doubtful nature, and hardly credible. "As an example of the influence of the Jews among the ignorant Russian peasantry," says the correspondent, " the follow ing characteristic story was told to me by a Jew, and is worth columns of explanation :—A peasant goes to a Jew in an adjoining village and asks for the loaa of a rouble to buy ! vodka. The Jew consents to lend the rouble, but requires security, and offers to take the peasant's sheepskin coat in pawn. The peasant returns for his coat and gives it to '".he Jew in for a rouble. The latter.

however, lends.-' 1 the rouble on tho security of the she<»pskin ; only at tho usaal 100 pdgprft. interest, and tells \ the peasan-BKat wheu he comes to claim UiptoaThe mgt pay buck the and another rouble besides JHortbeTßfn . Th is ( lie peasant under • j> stands, and goes away with the rouble, r Before he gets far away the Je>v culls Mm back ancl says, ' \Vh.-it an idiot you are ! Give me back iow the rouble which I have just given you, us you will only spend it all in diiirk, avid you will then have only one ronVil' to pay me when you come for your coot.' The peasant, comp'ctely taken itt by this logic, gives b ck the rouble and goes home to his tiiends. When he has told them what he has done, some one exclaims, ' How is it that yon bring nothing back'? You bring uo money, no vodka, you still owe tho Jew a rouble, and you have lost your coat.' The dull peesaul scratches his head and replies, ' I really don't know myse'f how it has been done, but the Jew was perfectly right in his culcuhi -tion." The truth of t'.is .narration, we Siy, seoms very doubtful, but if their be any tru'h iv it,' it can hardly bu wondered at- however much it may be dey.reftated— that rough measures should now and then bo adopted against the Jews. — Rxeh.tnge..