Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-09-04
THE BEGGAR AND BANKER

THE BEGGAR AND BANKER.
"Stand out of my way" said rough voice I'M
der my window, one day as | sat musny over the
busling scenes below me, at my lodgings. "Your
honor will please recollect" replied a sharp but
somewhat indignant voice your honor will please
to recolect that am beggar and have as much
right to the road as yourself" "And am bank
err" was rotorted still more angnly. Amused at
this strange dialogue. ] leaned over the case, and
behel1 two citizens in a position which a pugilist
would denomnate squared, their countenqnces
somewhat menacing. and their persons presenting
! contrast at once ludicrous aud instructive. The
one was a purse-proud, lordly hammered man. ap-
p1renty in silk, and protecting carcass of nearly
the circumference of hogshcad; the other ragged
and dirty, but equally impudent and seli-important
pelSonase; and from comparison of their coun
tenances 1t would have puzzled the most profound
NJ. ID. which, Of their otundites was stored habit
u1lly with good victuas and drink.
! Upon close eXapination, however, of the conn-
tenlnce Of the banker, discovered, almost as soon
as my eye fe'l uponit, line bespeaking something
! OF hlmor, aud awakened curiosity as he stood fix
! ed ana eyedstts, antigonit; and this became more
Gle r and rohspicuuus when he lowered his tone
aud sad, How will you make right appear" Said
the beggar Why listen moment and | will
teach you. In the first place do you Take notice
/ God h16 given to Inc soul and body Just as good
for all the purposes of eating, thnklng, and druA
| lng' ana taking my pleasure, as he has you-anG
! then you may remember Dives ind Lazarus as we
pass Then again, it is free country, and here
| too we are on an equality-for you must know thai
! here even becgars dog may look gentleman in
the tlce with as much indifference as he would a
brother. ] and you have the same common mas
ter; are equally free; and live equally easy; are
both travelling the same journey, bound to the same
place. and have both to die and be buried in the end'
But" interrupted the banker " do YOU pretend
there IS no difference between the bergar and
banker| Not in the least as to essentials. You
swagger and drink wine in company of your own
chooslng-l swagger and drink beer which like
better thln your wine, i'll company which | like
better than your company You make thousands
I day, perhaps-l make shlings, perhaps if you
are contented am we are equally happy at night.
You dress in new clothes; arn Just as comforta-
bic in my old ones, and have no trouble in keeping
them from soIling; if have less property than YOU
have less to care about; if fewer friends / have
less friendship to lose; and if do not make as
great figure in the world, make as great shqd-
ow on the pavement; ! am as great as you. Be-
sides, my word for it, have fewer enemies, meet
with lower losses, carry as light heart and sing
as many songs as the best Of you"
! And them" said the banker, who had all along
tried to slip word in edgcways, sis the contempt
of the wor nothing?"
"The envy of the world is as bad as its contempt
you have perhaps, the one, and share of the
other. We are matched there, too And besides,
the world deals in this matter equally unjust with
us both. You and live bv our wits, instead of
Ewing by our industry and the only difference be-
tween us IN this particular worth naming 49, that it
costs society more to maintain you than it does me
i am content with little. you want great deal
Neither OF us raise grain or potatoes, or weave
CLOTH or m1nuf cture anything useful, we, there
fore, add nothing to the common stock, we are on
ly consumers, and If the world Judge with strict
lnpartiality, therefore, it seems to me would be
pronounced the cleverest fellow"
Some passer-by here interrupted the CONVERSE
uon The disputants separated apparently good
friends and drew in my head, calculating, some
what in the manner of Alexander in the play" Is
there no difference between the beggar and the
banker"
But several years have since passed away, and
now both these persons have paid the last debt OF
nature. They died as they lived, the one beg
gar and the othera banker. | examined both their
graves when next visited the city. They were of
similar length and breadth-the grass equally
green upon each, and the sun looked as pleasantly
on one as on the other. No honors pleasures or
delights clustered round the grave of the rich man
They were both equally deserted, lonely and for
go'ten thought, too, of the destlnies that had
passed; of that state in which temporal distinctions
exist not; temporal honors regarded not-where
Ipfde and all the circumstances which surround this
life never lind admittnce. Then the distinctions
OF time appeared indeed, an atom in the sun
heam compared with those which are made in that
chlngeicss state to which they both had passed.
| ,ifo!op'ng al Eject 0nS.--On the occasion of the
late Presidential election, n row had occurred at
the ballot box in a certain town. during which ps-
tolls, guns, brlckbits &c. we're in requlston The
rlnTlelders were taken up and one of the witness
es wls called upon for his testimony in the follow
ing manner
Lawyer On the night Of the election you soy
you were shot?
Witness - | did that
L--Were you shot behind or before'
| WI wasn't shot neither hefore mr. beh;rd