A MISER sold all that he had and bought a lump of gold, which he
buried in a hole in the ground by the side of an old wall and went to look
at daily. One of his workmen observed his frequent visits to the spot and
decided to watch his movements. He soon discovered the secret of the
hidden treasure, and digging down, came to the lump of gold, and stole it.
The Miser, on his next visit, found the hole empty and began to tear his
hair and to make loud lamentations. A neighbor, seeing him overcome with
grief and learning the cause, said, "Pray do not grieve so; but go and
take a stone, and place it in the hole, and fancy that the gold is still
lying there. It will do you quite the same service; for when the gold was
there, you had it not, as you did not make the slightest use of it."
