The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1842-10-11
MISCELLANEOUS.
CHARITY OF MEN OF THE
ORLD.
BY LOUIS FITZGERALD TAsIsTRo.

drawing room o. the famous bank FItz Har.
ding, one of the fortunate naiiLiondries oil
Belgrave Square. Seven had struck, and
Il servant in gorgeous livery had uttered
those words so sweet 10 the ear of the I'M
patient gastronome."din Is on the table, y
/ | shall not describe the dining groom OF Il
! DfiiOnqrie--thc sanctuary within which are
laboured out sc many conceptions and pro-
Jects, SO many revolutions. financial and
political. Neither will describe the royal
magnicence of feast which might have
! shamed those of Lucullus. Let II suffice
J to state that Fitz Harding, on that day, did
the honours of his table to foreign diplo-
matiSt, whose protection he sought for the
conclusion of loan TO the secretary gene
raj of ministerial department, whose posi-
ton enabled him to facilitate the adjudIca-
ton of Il great enterprise and 10 three
provincial members OF parliament, whose
vote might have the effect of enriching his
native county with Il canal, which should
pour abundance and fertility INTO the Golfers
OF the Insaiiab!c. contractor. And thus short
enumeration Of fne principal guess is equiv
a!cnt TO the bill of fare
Lady Emely Fliz Harding, blazing with
diamonds, anu brilliant IN youth and beauty,
presided with grace and iveilness. Amia-
bic and smiling, she replied with eqna! ad .
dress TO the batteries Of the secretary gene
raj. AMI the madrgalS of the foreign dIplJ-
matIst. Every one was in the happlest
ven, SaIics OF fancy flew about with
champagne corlis the provincial members
were us noisy Us during one OF . Gonnell'S
speeches and the banker himself was al
most wit.
All things had been discussed, and all
subjects exhausted, from Bulwer's last nov
el 10 Mrs. Trollope's amusing lmpertInen-
ces, in addition TO those of The loan, the
contrast and the canal when the conversa-
/ ton fell on thc-subjcct OF bcDevo!ence, con
/ necied with Il charitable ball; fancy bali
which was to collect together the flowers oil
London society, Lady Fitz Harding was
one of the lady patronesses of this great ball.
which was 10 take place within fortnight.
Many sayings were uttered, wise and fool
ish, on the subject of charity, of the poor,
of dancing hilanthropy, AID 5cHovolcnce III
entire ciats--ihat great invention of modern
times. TIE tear stood in Fitz Harding :
eye as ne spoke of the families of the desti-
tute, who had no prop and no provision but
! he sensbility of the rich. As for Lady
| Emily, she was sublime. "Of what value
was opulence but TO soothe distress !" Be
tween the second course and the dessert, she
had got rid of forty tickets. "She only
wished she could dispose of two hundred
not from vanity, thank heaven that was a
feeling she had never known but from pity
to the unfortunate orphans, who she loved
to call her children,--her family"
''Dear Emily ~ said the banker, sit is 50
rich pleasure to her TO succour the wretch
ed. Its her only JOY P'
"Ah You flatter me-, quoth Lady EN-
lily, 81 do it for your pleasure for you arc
happy only when you are doing goodl''
Al this moment, servant entered, and
announced TO Fitz Harding that some one
wished to speak TO him.
cat this hourr' said the banker angrily
You know well, John. that see no one
while am engaged at table"
The servant drew nearer TO his master
and whispered, sit is Mr.. Hopkins"
At that name Fitz Harding rose. begged
his guests 10 excuse him, and passed into
his study.
/ little man dressed in black, there n
waited the banker. Beneath his arm he
carried huge bundle of papers.
"Excuse me if disturb you," said Mr.
Hopkins, "but | can only come at this hour
or early in the morning, which would dis
turh YOU still more; and as you will no
admit of any intermediary in the little mat
ter which you have intrusted to me- =
$40 the point. to the point, Mr.. Hop
kins ~
Would YOU believe, Mr.. Fitz Harding
that left my Office this morning at sever
o'clock, and that have not yet dined :
have made fifteen seizures to day."
''ro the point, | beg of you. | am en-
gagged. Have you at length brought M
some money! Shall | obtain my right
from these insolvent debtors 2"
Il fear not sir, at least unless you proccct
TO ex:rcmitles--thc sale of their goods. o
capture of their bodies. But your sensibil
ity"--
You know very well, sir. that there is n
such thing in matters of business. Beside:
have not had recourse TO Your agency bu
because had to deal with dishonest person:
who are able TO pay"
81 hey say not. "
"Soy you have got nothing Nothing fror
Mrs. lliegens the millener! She has owe
me eighteen pounds for this year past"
Nothing"
"What is the state of the affair 7"
eve have got judgment and execution
i the sale is for " ednesdav, bat | wished t
see YOU before issuing bills"
Zine sale must proceed"
"She asks three months forbearance
She is wholly without resources, and wi
be compelled TO abandon her business. He
, husband. who held a small situation in tn
bank. is dead of the cholera and she is lei
destitute, with three Young children"
"Oh she says her husband is dead {
cholera | can ascertain that, through m
wife, who is a member of the committee {
; orphans. In the mean time, issue the bill
at any rate"