Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1843-08-05
Vol. A..

mind for moment upon the portrait of an
aristocrat--an American arlstocrat--the
son Of Paul Montgomery, a worthy brewer,
who died worth half million, and left a
single heir. The father toiled early and
late for the larger portion of his life. He
was honest, upright, and kind -heartcd-a
good husband, good citizen, and too in
dulgent parent. But Hamilton was his first
born and his only son, and although at first
the worthy brewer exercised some degree
Of caution and care in the education Of his
child, his love for him soon knew no bounds,
and the youth was gratiied in every wish.
He was early taught to consider himself as
affluent in expectancy, and his weak mother,
as is too often the case in similar circum-
stances, ridiculed the idea Of making such
son with such expectations, either me.
chanic, a merchant, or professional man.
His education was, therefore, measurably
neglected, and although naturally gifted in
mind, the heir of the rich brewer was
taught to dress. to talk, and to act like a
gentleman, as the character is so sadly mis-
understood by the many. And a gentleman
he became! He kept his horse and gig
dressed as a fashionable of the first wa
ter--paid the highest prices for his clothes
sought the most aristocratic circes--looked
down with Indifference, if not contempt
upon the world below him in point of mo-
ney, and, withal, derived from his old father
somewhat of disposition to accumulate.
The earliest lesson of his life had been to
beware of poverty. 1t was described as
the source of all wretchedness and crime
as calculated to place man on level with
the brute, and to topple him at blow
from the upper world of abundance and
honor, to the lower circles of penury and
disgrace. Thus educated and fosered
with the old brewer constantly instIling
lessons of accumulation, the son, despite his
disposition to glitter in the world Of fash
ion, kept vigilant eye to the money world,
selfshness having become leading princ-
pie in his nature-a principle which not
only induced the desire to hold himself
above the multitude. but TO retain the means
by which he should be able to keep there
Such was the position Of Hamilton Mont
gomery, at the age Of twenty-five. AL
though gay and dashing, he was not diss
pated. His idol from an early hour Of boy
hood was self. He had been spoiled at the
outset of thoughtful existence, and nothing
but the dread of poverty, which the father
had infused into his mind in his hours of
comparative childhood, as the most fright
full of calamities, kept him within the limits
of a generous economy, and induced him
to cling with sort of instructive tenacity
to the wealth which was bequeathed him
on the decease of his sire. 1t was under
such circumstances and with character 50
formed, that the aristocrat was united with
the fnancier, and that the brewers son al
though born to the fortune and educated
to the position of gentleman, as under
stood by his parents, became imbued with
all the pride of mere wording, and felt
that his wealth constituted his character,
and that without wealth, life TO him would
indeed be blank.
Such, we repeat, was Hamilton Montgo-
merry at twenty five, when his father died.
Such was he five years AFTER when he led
gled much in fashionable life, and who,
with delicate constitution and devoted
spirit, lived for her husband rather than
herself. Such was he fifteen years after,
when, with greatly increased fortune, he
was widower, with an only daughter.
He was now at the head of the leading mo-
neyed institution Of his native city, hon
ored and respected by the community, and,
if not loved, not hated, for his heart was
rather kindly disposed than otherwise, and,
but for the passion for wealth which
seemed to increase with every hour of his
existence, as well as the vain desire to be
looked up to as superior mana superb
ority of form rather than substance--he
would have been worthy citizen. Pride,
however, was his besetting sin. 1t even
darkened his heart when the memory of
e his good father came rushing upon his
mind or when the name and the calling
, of that father were casually introduced in
the conversation of the upper circles"
! The leading banker seemed anxious to for.
get the honest brewer or at least to pass
over his early life and earnest struggles for
fortune, with cold and ungrateful brcvity.
His liveried servants and his gided car
E riage--his splendid city mansion and his
:. elegant country house--his "Wistar par
f ties" and his "musical sorees,"--all bespoke
$ a lofty air, high pretension, and an amb-
. tious taste. To associate them with the
:, son of brewer would not harmonic.
. The pride of his nature, or rather the de-
= mon of his vain heart, rcvolted, and the
9 naughty banker turned away with disdain
f from all such "reminiscences.
}. His daughter, too, the pride Of his heart,
+. the hope of his name--the bright, the
i. young, the beautiful What visions of
!. glory clustered around her path! A beauty
e and an heiress!--What a crowd of suitors
;. would contend for so rich prize The
a. e. ,ba Al