Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1843-11-09
POVERTY.

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Franco" portrays poverty probably in lis
true character, showing that while it is
undesirable, like every other picture in
human life, It has its redeeming features.
"To man who has been born poor,
and who all his life has lived poor, power
ty is not a very terrible evil il is his nat
uraI condition, to which he has inslinc-
lively moulded himself, and his wants are
no greater than his means of satisfying
them his appetite is good, his sleep re-
freshing, his cares few, and his friends sin.
cere for no one thinks it worth his while
to play the hypocrite to a man who has
nothing to give or to lend the sun shines
for him with as bright an aspect as for the
rich; the fresh breeze kisses his check
and plays with his locks, as though be
were a Dart of the elements; the whole
world out of doors is rich, no. unfrequent-
ly their best parts are as much source
OF pleasure to him as TO their owners
His children are very dear to him, and
always rise to condition above their ia
theirs; aud his wife although compelled
to labor hard and endure what other wo-
men consider grievous burdens, is always
true to him, and loves him better, as he
does her, for the very toll and difficulties
she has had 10 encounter for the sake of
him and his children.
But to the poor man who has once been
rich. poverty is the deadiest i'll that can
befal him. When poverty first comes to
bis dwelling, the first glance at her mea
gre image almost drives him mad Indeed
it not unfrequently happens that her cold
frown kills him outright. But if he can
sustain the first shock Of her presence, the
danger will soon be over, and day by day
the unwelcome and hated visitant will
grow less repulsive, until at last the poor
man will marvel why she should have so
terrified him in the beginning.
Absolute, unmtigated want, like pain
and disase, must affect all alike; but this
is not the kind of poverty we mean such
condition is hardly known in our happy
land, where there are few cases Of suffer
ing from want, except amongst the disso.
Lutte and idle; and they are always wretch.
ed, whether rich or poor.
The sudden breaking IN and overturn.
! ing in the family of merchant when o.
vertaken by bankruptcy, cannot be fully
understood, except by those who have ex-
perienced it. 1t is like clipping the wings
of wild bird, and shutting him up in a
cage, to beat his breast against the cruel
wires Of his prison, while he catches a
glimpse of the blue ether, where his mate
and his companions are soaring with out.
stretched pinions above him. The real
deprivation of the luxuries, or even COM
forts, in which he had been used TO in-
dnlge, is no, the chief cause Of suffering
with the poor bankrupt; it is the altered
tone of those with whom he associated in
his prosperity, which gives him his keen
est pang.
The easy AR of familiarity Of his equal,
the deferentlal respect Of his dependents,
and above all the manner of his creditors,
are sudden changed in night; his COM
panion becomes cold, his dependant grows
lnsolen,, and his creditors look at him with
suspicious glance, which seems TO accuse
him Of embezzlement and fraud. OF a
sudden he feels that his responsibility has
oozed away from him; and when he finds
that he has got nothing but his character
to depend upon, he begins 10 distrust his
own virtue, as he discovers that it will
neither gain him credit for dollar, nor
insure him the respect OF his acquaint.
4 ance; and he almost wishes that he had
taken better care Of himself when he had
it in his power to do SO. But he has CIV
en- up to his creditors the last copper in
his pocket; and he meets wdtE no compass
sion from them, if they get copper less
than their dues. He remembers in his
trouble how differently he had treated
those who were indebted to him, and takes
comfort 10 the recollection, but he won
ders why men will continue to treat their
beings according to their posses
sions, and not according to their merits.