The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 184?-1851, 1845-12-03
MISCELLAN EOUS.
The Bcggar and the Banker.

Stand out of my way said rough voice un-
der my window, one day as sat musing over
the buslling scenes below me, at my lodgings.
Your honor will please recoIect, replied sharp
but somewhat indignant voce-'your honor will
please to recoect that am beggar, and have
as much right to the road as yourseIf' 'And |
am banker,' was retorted sill more angrily.-
Amused at this strange dialogue, leaned over
the easement, and behed two citizens in an atii-
tude which pugst would denominate squared,
their counenances somewhat menacng, and
their persons presenting contrast al once ludic-
rous and instructive. The one was a purse
proud, lordly hammered man, apparently in silk,
and protecting carcase of nearly the circumfe-
renee of hogshead; the other ragged and dirty,
but an equally jmpudent and selfimportant per-
Isonage; and from d comparison of their collnte-
nances it would have puzzled the most profound
M. d. which of their rotundites was stored ha-
btuallI with good victuals and drink.
Upon a close observation, however, of the
countenance of the banker, discovered almost
as soon as my eye fell upon it, line bespeaking
something of humor, and awakened curiosity, as
he stood fixed and eyeing his antagonist; and
this became more clear and conspicuous when
he lowered his tone and said, sHow will you
make right appear2' Said the beggar, 'why lis
ten moment and will teach you. In the first
place do you take notice. God has given to me
soul and body just as good for all the purpo
ses of eating, thinking and drinking, and taking
my pleasure as he has you-and then you may
remember Dives and Lazarus as we pass. Then
again, it is free country, and here, too, we are
on an equality--for you must know that here
even beggar's dog may look a gentleman in the
face with as much indifference as he would q
brother. | and you have the same common
mastes; are equally free; and live equally easy
are both travelling the same journey, bcrnd tt
the same place, and have both TO die and be bu
ried in the end.'
But interrupted the banker, Fdo you pretend
there is no difference between the beggar and
the bankerP Not in the least as to essentials
You swaggel and drink wine in company of your
own choosng-l swagger and drink beer, whcl
! | like better than your wine, in company whcl
| like better than your company. You make
thousands day, perhaps--I make shllings, per
haps if you are contented, am--we are equal,
happy at night. You dress in new clothes; an
just as comfortable in my old ones, and have n,
trouble in keeping them from soiling; if | have
less property than you, have less to care about
if fewer friends, have less friendship 10 lose
and if do not make as great figure in the
world, make as great shadow on the pave
ment; am as great as you. Besides, my wort
for it, have fewer enemies, meet with fewe
losses, carry as light heart, and sing as many
songs as the best of you.'
'And then, said the banker, who had all alon
tried to slip in word edgeways, SIS the con
tempt of the world noihing?'
'The envy of the world is as bad as its cor
tempt---you have, perhaps, the one, and
share of the other. We are matched there, toe
And besides, the world deals in this matte
lequally unjust with us both. You and live b
our wis, instead of living by our industry; an
the only difference between us in this particula
: worth naming is, that il COSTS society more
maintain you than it does mel am content wit
| little, you want a great deal. Neither of II
: raise grain or potatoes, or weave cloth, or manu-
facture any thing useful, we therefore add notl
ing TO the common stock, we are only consumer
and if the world judge with strict imparlalit,
therefore, it seems to me would be pronounce
+ the cleverest fellow.
Some passer-by here interrupted the converse
tion. The dsputants separated apparently goo
friends, and drew in my head calculating somt
what in the manner of Alexander in the pla,
is there no difference between the beggar an
the bankeIT
But several years have since passed ava,
and now both these persons have paid the la:
debt of nature. They died as they lived, ii
one beggar and the other banker | examine
s both their graves when next visited the city,
They were of a similar length and breadth--th
grass equally groon above each,a the sun loo
ed as pleasantly on the oneas on the other.-