Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1837-03-24

been so, If l had sat and begged as you ar,
doing
| have no other means of gaining nv liy
ing Are you lame2' No sir
You are not blind or deaf, and YOU GER
tainly are not dumb as every passer-by car
testify Listen; Ishall tell you my history
in few words. Some fifteen or twenty
years ago, was a beggar like Yourself; a,
length began TO see that it was very dis.
graceful 10 live on the bounty of others. and
! resolved TO abandon this shameful way OF
life as soon as possibly could | Quilted
Paris-I went into the proyinces--I begged
for old rags. The people vera very kind
to me, and in short time returned to Pa.
RS via icleraldy large bunflc Of rags Of
every description Icarried them to a paper
maker, who bought them at fair price. |
went on collecting. until to my great Joy my
finances enabled me to purchase rags, so
that was no longer forced to beg them
AT length, by diligence and industry. be-
came rich enough to buy an ass with two
panniers, and this saved me both time and
labor. My business increased, the paper
makers found that dealt honestly by them:
never palmed off bad rags for good ones
prospered, and see the result-In place of
being poor despised beggar. have ten
thousand crowns year, and two houses in
one OF the best streets in Paris. IT. then.
my friend, you can do no better, begin as
rag merchant, and here he continued, is
a crown to set you up in your new trade
1T is more than had and in addition,
please to take notice, that If find you here
another Sunday, shall report you to the
police
On saying this, the old gentleman walked
oil, leaving Anthony and myself in a state of
great surprise. Indeed, the beggar had
been so much interested in the history he
had heard. that he stood with open mouth
and eyes in establishment, nor had he even
power to solicit aims of two well dressed la
dies who passed at that moment. / could not
help being struck with the story. but had
no time to comment on it, as the diligence
had arrived, in which seated myself, and
pursued my way. From that period los,
sight OF the beggar; whether the fear of the
police or the hopes Of gaining ten thousand
crowns year had wrought the change
was not aware; it is sufficient to saw that
from that day forward he was never seen at
the Barrier.
Many years after. it happened that bust.
ness called me to Tours. In strolling
through the city stepped into bookseller
shop 10 purchase a new work that had made J
some noise. Hound there four young men.
all busily employed. whilst stou, good look
ing man was giving them orders, as he |
walked up and down with on air of impor.
lance. thought had seen the face Of the
bookseller before, but where, could not for |
The moment tell, until be spaLe, and then |
discovered him to be my old friend Antho.
ny. The recognition was mutual; he grasp
ed my hand. and led me through his shop
into well furnished parlor; he lavished ev-
cry kindness on me- and finally gave me
his history from the time we parted at the
Barrier With the crown OF the stranger he
began as he advised him, to collect rags; he
made money became the partner Of pa
per manufacturer; married his daughter in
short, his hopes were fulfilled; his ambition
yratified, and he could now count his income
1t ten thousand crowns He prayed every
lay for blessings on his benefactor, who had
been the means Of raising him from the de-
graded condition of common beggar. An
hony is SO convinced OF I've evil and sin of
dleness, and of subsisting on the aims of
'thers, that while liberal and kind to those
Who are willing to work, no entreaties, no
ever prevailed on him to be-
tow single sous on those who would not
lelp themselves.