groschens

I found no difficulty in tracing out a “restauration,” the proprietor of which readily undertook to furnish one principal meal per diem for seventeen silver groschens, that is, one shilling and eightpence halfpenny per week, paid in advance.

A Tramp's Wallet stored by an English goldsmith during his wanderings in Germany and France

Leipsic was my natural destination, and thither I proceeded by railway, paying two dollars eight groschens for the transit in an open carriage.

A Tramp's Wallet stored by an English goldsmith during his wanderings in Germany and France

Under these circumstances I asserted my claim to the trade geschenk, and, having fulfilled all the conditions of a tramp unable to find work, received from the Guild twenty silver groschens, or two shillings.

A Tramp's Wallet stored by an English goldsmith during his wanderings in Germany and France

Schönefeld, twopence halfpenny; a lodging, and board for two nights and a day at Schwerin in a “grand hotel,” but faring with the servants, cost one shilling and ninepence; at Ludwigslust, a comfortable bed after a grand supper with the carpenters at their house of call, was charged one shilling and sevenpence; and at Perleberg, where I lodged superbly, the cost was sixteen silver groschens, or a fraction over one shilling and sixpence.

A Tramp's Wallet stored by an English goldsmith during his wanderings in Germany and France

Hannibal was no richer than I was, and my whole stock consisted of six groschens, a sum equal to threepence.

A Tramp's Wallet stored by an English goldsmith during his wanderings in Germany and France

I have set thee down as a mere vender of sausages, and lo! thou holdest tavern and eating-house; dispensing prandial portions of savoury delicacies in flesh and vegetable, at the charge of six silver groschens the meal.

A Tramp's Wallet stored by an English goldsmith during his wanderings in Germany and France

An extra bed and double rent enabled us to domicile together, and we paid for this chamber, roomy and commodious (always overlooking the stable), per month, together with morning coffee and a bullet of white bread, two dollars eighteen groschens each.

A Tramp's Wallet stored by an English goldsmith during his wanderings in Germany and France

This vagabond life I delight in! — an earnest, quiet student, who, for reasons of economy, has made the Schuster-gasse his place of refuge; and a dishevelled button-maker, last from Hamburg, who has just received his geschenck, or trade-gift, amounting to fifteen silver groschens, about eighteenpence in

A Tramp's Wallet stored by an English goldsmith during his wanderings in Germany and France

But he acquiesced in the desire to board myself, and generously made the additional payment of one dollar sixteen groschens, or five shillings per week, for the purpose.

A Tramp's Wallet stored by an English goldsmith during his wanderings in Germany and France

Finding that my stock of cash was already reduced to the half of its original bulk, that I had indeed expended one pound, I seriously endeavoured to find employment in Dresden; but utterly failing in that hope, I claimed the “viaticum” of the Guild, which was ten silver groschens, or one shilling.

A Tramp's Wallet stored by an English goldsmith during his wanderings in Germany and France