Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 July 1875 — Shylock. [ARTICLE]

Shylock.

Shylock was a Jew who kept a secondhand’clothing store in Venice. By buying low and selling for al he could get, doing his own cooking by a gas stove, having no washing done and never spending accent, he had accumulated numerous ducats, which lie wasn’t averse to lending on collateral, provided the borrower had no conscientious scruples against paying 20 per cent, a month,,or such a matter, for the accommodation. Antonio was a merchant of Venice who hail speculated a good deal and owned canal boats. He had a bosom friend named Bassanio who was in love .With a rich widow, Portia, but having lived a fast life he hadn't the ready Cash whereby to compete with his more wealthy rivals. His father, tired of putting up for him, refused him any more money. “ Goto the ant, thou sluggard!” said the stem parent. He did ; he went to Ant-onio and besought him to ante for . him. Now Antonio, in anticipation of the grasshoppers, had invested all he had in wheat, and as soon as his boats that Were laden with it should arrive he expected to sell at a great advance and be fixed. But being anxious that his friend should , have a stake he agreed to borrow some ducats for him if his credit would permit. The next day he met Shylock on the Rialto (which differs from the alto heard at concert saloons, not having so much rye with it) and he asked a loan of 3,000 ducats. Shylock tore no love to Antonio, nor to any of his tribe, on account of the scorn they had heaped upon him and his race. He dissembled, however, upon this occasion, pretending he hadn’t the money by him—would have to see his brother-in-law. He at length agreed to provide the 3,000 ducats for three months, facetiously stipulating that Antonio should sign a tond (it was such a joke!) agreeing to forfeit a pound of flesh (the Jew could hardly tell it for laughing), to lie cut off wherever he (the Jew) decided, provided the money was not paid when due —“so helfup me gracious!” Antonio, fully believing in the success of his wheat speculation, and having heard that his boats were on the way, accepted the conditions and signed the bond.

Bassanio took the ducats and proceeded to lay siege to the heart (and purse) of the rich young widow. He was most assiduous in his attentions. He brought her chewing gum, peppermint drops, etc., whenever he came, took her out buggy riding, and escorted her to the gardens Sunday nights. In the swift delirium of love the days and ducats sped swiftly away. Bassanio became the accepted suitor of Portia, notwithstanding big rivals were opulent, one owning stock in a grasshopper exterminator and the other being a street-car conductor on a line that had not yet introduced the patent bell-stamp, and was improving his opportunities. In the midst of his felicitations he received a letter from Antonio, informing him that all his boats had been lost during a fearful gale on the Miami Canal, and he reduced to beggary, although he was not one that would beg-ary time. He had forfeited his bond to the Jew, and was only waiting to know what portion of his body Shylock would prefer to have his pound of steak from. He urged Bassanio to try and be present at the funeral, which would be held at the house. Bassanio took the first train for Venice, filled with remorse. The temper of Shylock had not been improved any by his daughter Jessica running away with a negro minstrel named Lorenzo, particularly as they carried away a stocking full of ducats, jewels and Southern Railroad bonds. He caused the arrest of Antonio, positively refusing to receive anything but the pound of flesh that had been forfeited. The case was brought before a Venetian Justice of the Peace for adjudication. Bassahio had made a lucky hit at bunko the night before, and offered to pay Shylock 6,000 ducats, instead of 3,000, if he would retire from the meat business and let Antonio go. The Jew was obdurate ; nothing but a pound of Antonio’s flesh, and an outside piece at that, would satisfy him. He produced a butcher-knife in court, and began to whet it on the stovehearth, and to show he meant business. The ’Souire had sent to Padua for a learned doctor of laws (and the laws needed doctoring pretty badly if they allowed a man to take it out of a debtor in that way) to determine the case, which was one of considerable interest, especially to Antonio. The learned doctor pleaded illness, and sent another doctor more learned than himself, and better doctored, whom he recommended. This latter, on his arrival, was admitted to tjte j'eeurt, and on account of his exceediifgty youthful appearance was derided by a lot of shysters from the Police Court, who filled the best seats.

The case was a plain one. The bond was produced in court and told its own story. Antonio confessed to it, and it was evident that he xyas liable to leave that court-room lighter by a pound. The learned doctor told Shylock that he must lie merciful, but Shylock said he didn’t have to. Then the doctor reminded him that the quality of mercy was not strained, no strainer having been invented at that time for anything but new milk. He said that Antonio must pay the forfeit if the Jew refused mercy—no power in Venice could alter the decree. Shylock cried out in the very ecstacy of joy: “A Daniel come to judgment!—yea, a very Daniel!” on account of the striking resemblance between the -learned doctor and Daniel Rice.

The doctor told Antonio be must bare his breast. Shylock brandished his knife fiendishly, eager to carve. He even had a pair of scales in the pocket of his linen duster to weigh the flesh with, so perfect were his arrangements for making the affair a success. He acknowledged that he had neglected to have a surgeon ready to stop the bleeding, because it wasn't “so nominated in the bond.” Antonio had lost all his money, and having seen enough to realize that life without ducats would be unendurable he calmly prepared for his obsequies'. Exposing his woolen undershirt he bade the Jew proceed with his carving. He was about to do so when the learned doctor reminded him that the bond did not give him one jot of blood. If, in securing his pound of steak, he shed one drop of Cher-r-r-r-istian gore his lands and goods were confiscated to the State. Then, too, if he cut less or more than sixteen ounces exact his life and second-hand clothes were forfeit Shylock, seeing that Antonio wasn’t his meat, offered to take the principal of the debt and say no more about it, but was reminded by the learned doctor that, as he had already refused it in open court, he must take the forfeit or nothing. Shylock’s goods were divided on the spot, one-half going to Antonio, whose life was conspired against, and the other half going toward the extinguishment of the national debt, which helped materially in making out the July estimate. Antonio did not keep his share; he turned it over

to the Jew's daughter, who married the negro minstrel, enabling Mm to retire from the profession with a handsome farewell toneflt, and set himself up Tn the saloon business. -The learned doctor turned out to be the charming widow Portia, for whom Bassanio had a mania— mania Portia— who had assumed a part to save her lover’s friend and benefactor. Her success greatly emtoldened the champions of Women’s Rights and intensified their demand that the learned professions be thrown open to the sex. She was wedded to Bassanio, and lived long and happy, often being overheard by the neighbors settling knotty points in domestic law out in the backyard. Of Bhylock only rare and faint glimpses have been.obtained until he met with such a masterly reproduction in Lawrence Barrett.—“ Fat Contributor," Cincinnati Saturday Night.