Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1845-02-28

noise about gentleman who said," II he let
lug OF land for fve-pence when he could get
etght-pence for it, he should be giving away
three pence to the tenant" The gentlman
only said what was true: the gentleman only
said what nearly all the world do with one
another every day of their lives. I was read
ing in London newspaper that was lent me
day or two ago, where all sorts ef things
were advertised to be sold one under the other;
coats and waistcoats, and trousers for almost
no money at all. Well, the people who buy
'em say it 5 no business of theirs how the
things are made; that's not their concern-all
they want, as duty to themselves and fami-
lies, is to get cheap penn'orth, as it were to
wrap themselves comfortably up in a bargain
and then GO with their prayer-books to churci,
to show it. If we could ever think that the
time would come when folks would MT BAR
gain with folks. as though because they ID
money to buy, they d eat their fellow crea-
lures up-if it is Mt bold in me to say fellow.
creatures-if we could ever hope for such a
time, why, sir, then this world would be in
deed much nearer heaven than, perhaps poor
men have any right 10 EXPECT. And yet, sir,
church has puzzled me now and then. When
the parson has told US that we are all made of
earth, l have, | own it, now and then looked
into fine pew or two, and-lf it S a sin, |
hope may be pardoned for it-and l have
sometimes doubted it. To be sure, soil is so
different; the better sort of folks may be rich
and loamy; and the poor, the cold stiff clay,
only fit for draining.
Still, sir, folks say that things are brighten
ing up for the poor. There are good many
signs of it. Only last autumn, m told,
three real lords played at cricket somewhere
with some shopkeepers. man in our VIII
lage-who s reckoned to know something
has said it is Mt unlikely that in less than
in quoits or football with day-laborers If
ever this should come to pass, it must lead to
good things. For Of course the matter won't
stop there. The squire, after making so fami-
liar, will look in at the men 5 houses; will talk
with their wives and little ones about their
food, and their clothes, and such like-giy-
ing them kind word and a helping hand
when they want it. This, of course, will
come of the matter; otherwise. for my part,
can't see such very great good in it, Polite
ness is nice thing, and sometimes warns a
poor mans heart more than he can tell it: but
politeness itself won't put 'tato on the plate
when there is Mt one. Folks can't eat quoits
and footballs.
And now, sir, hope you will be so good as
to let me have this bit of land. It will | feel,
make quite man of me. Yes, sir, mean
that word and no other. AS it is, sir-I don't
know how it can be-but somehow at times I
don't feel a man at all. / seem as if I'd no
business in the world; as if was sort oftoad
or slug upon the soil; an interloper on the
land, having no right even to make foot:nark
in 1t. The sun does Mt seem to shine for me
nor the wheat to shoot-nor the hedge
flowers to blow. | feel sometimes as if pow
erty in this world was made the mark of Cain,
and was upon me; with this hard difference,
too, that any man hight smite me for it.
| And then, sir, the temptations that fly and
run about one! l mean the game, sir. Many
a time, when I've heard the pheasant crow, it
has somehow sounded-though not bit like
it-ike one Of my children crying for food,
and then for a minute my brain has been in
blaze, and I'D have done anything. When
things are at the worst, and starvation is for
days in ny cupboard, the devil--or something
like him-has sent the hares running about
me, as though on purpose to be knocked down
with a stick. It's hard matter, sir, to keep
ones hands off dinner running at ones feet
"a dinner that it's hard to think belongs to a.
) body in particular.
And therefore. honored sir, do hope for a
,, bit of land. lifts no bigger, one may say,
than lark's turf, like the lark know | can
whistle upon it and be happy. And SO, hon
, ored sir, asking your pardon for my boldness,
as poor man, in thinking Of such thing.
remain, yours humbly to command,
ABEL WEED.