THE TALISMAN OF SOLOMON

money as now belonged to him. It seemed to him that
there was nothing in the world he could not enjoy. He
found friends by the dozens and scores, and everybody
seemed to be very fond of him.

He asked no questions of the Talisman of Solomon,
for to his mind there was no need of being both wise and
rich. So he began enjoying himself with his new friends.
Day and night there was feasting and drinking and sing-
ing and dancing and merrymaking and carousing; and
the money that the old man had made by trading and
wise living poured out like water through a sieve.

Then, one day came an end to all this junketing, and
nothing remained to the young spendthrift of all the
wealth that his father had left him. Then the officers
of the law came down upon him and seized all that
was left of the fine things, and his fair-weather friends
flew away from his troubles like flies from vinegar.
Then the young man began to think of the Talisman
of Wisdom. For it was with him as it is with so many
ofus: When folly has emptied the platter, wisdom is
called in to pick the bones.

“Tell me,” said the young man to the Talisman of
Solomon, “what shall I do, now that everything is
gone?” i

“Go,” said the Talisman of Solomon, “and work as
thy father has worked before thee. Advise with me
and become prosperous and contented, but do not go
dig under the cherry-tree in the garden.”

“Why should I not dig under the cherry-tree in
' the garden ?” says the young man; ‘I will see what is
there, at any rate.”

So he straightway took a spade and went out into the

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