The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1846-06-27
Miscellaneous,
A BEGGAR ON HORSEBACK.
BY Y. s. Arthur.

crease with their increasing riches, Some
say there are no exceptions, Perhaps not; ii
any, they are few,
Some years ago, in the neighboring city
lived very good sort of man, naturally
whose industry brought him in a moderate
support, with which he professed himself
content. His wife managed his domestic af.
fairs prudently, and gave to his humble home
an air of comfort that few houses of persons
in his circumstances Wore. He was master
mechanic in small way, with an income va
ryIng rom five TO eight hundred dollars PEI
anflum. He kept very accurate accounts
and carefully calculated each month the prob.
able profits of his business, with Il view ia
knowing the limit beyond winch he must not
90 in his eXpenses.Ilis rule was to live within
his means. lffive dollars a week had been
his income, hewoud have managed some
how or other to live on four and n half
Acting Oh this principle Gardeners exter-
nal circumstances gradually improved.
His calling was one that frequently brought
fohis shop men in the higher stations oflife,
men of wealth and standing in the communi-
". As Gardiner was man ofsome intelli-
genco, and disposed to be laxative, these per-
sons entered frequently into conversation
with him on various topics.
Time wore on, and Gardiner, from saving
Il hundred or two dollars every year, accumu-
lated enough to purchase the house in which
he lived and carried on his business. The
purchase was not Il very heavy one, but it
gave occasion to some of his customers to
banter him about growing rich.
"You will now ride IN your carriage Gardi-
ner," said a wealthy Visiter ut his shop to him
one day, laughing,
''Ifl were as rich as Crusus," replied the
mechanic, III would never so far forget the
tl,,, =,
life. No, no, Mr. Lyon; you will never see me
in carriage while can walk money or no
money. Would be less able TO walk because
I was rch?"
mo, suppose not; butyou would be more
able to ride" SAID his customer, laughing.
81 would walk, Notwithstanding"
81 do not believe it. The fact is Gardiner,
anlan never grows rich without thinking
himself ofmore consequence than before"
fYou think so?"
~ know So"
~ don't believe word of it. lam sure
that if were worth Il million of dollars,
would not consider myselfa whit better than
I an BOW. | would not be, and why should
he the fool to think differently"
''You don't know yourself, Gardiner"
81 believe know myself well enough to
determine beforehand how should act in
such an unlocked for contingency"
"lt's NOT at all unlocked for by me, Gardi
ner," said Mr. Lyon, affecting serious air.
"a nam who gets ahead like you do in the
world must accumulate Il fortune, and when
he has done that, he must live ina style cor
responding with his means"
''As you do, but not as l would"
"Why net?',
"Because don't believe in all this eXtrava-
gance and show. What would | want with
nfto
should feel every minute like kicking them
cut ofmy way. Since was old enough to
do it, have helped myself, and all ask in
this world is the ability to do so until die"
"Then you blame me, and others in my po
sition for giving employment to a large num-
Der of persons who might otherwise find it
difficult to get anything to do? There's my
old coaehman, for instance who thinks it
quite privilege to be retained in my service
1t gives him more pleasure to drive me out,
lam sure than it does me to ride out. And
the same might be said ofevery other domes-
tic in my family We have as many as twelve
employed, from the coachman down to the
cook"
''Twelve servants to take care of two per-
sons!" exclaimed Gardiner, with sneer and
n tone of contemptuous surprise. 81 pray
Heaven may never come to that"
The manner of the tradesman offended his
customer, but the latter was too well bred to
betray his real feelings. On leaving the shop
he said to himself by way of soothing his
chated temper--"If we play with edged tools
we must expect to be cut"
Mr. Lyon did not again visit the shop of
Gardiner. The latter accounted for the fact
ofhaving lost good customer on the ground
that he had offended him by speaking the
truth, and did not hesitate to talk about it
freely and call Lyon purse proud nabob.
These remarks were made to persons who
knew Mr. Lyon, and who laughed at him for
having incurred the trades mans dspleasure.
From that time Gardiner took a new pleas
IRE in railing at what he called the folies
ofthe rich, and carried it to such an extent
that his words and manner drove other good
customers from his shop. The consequence
was that, from progressing healthily, his bust
ness became stationary for while, and then
showed the symptoms, ofdecline. Wheth-
er this were the "beginning of the end" with
him cannot be told, for a most unlocked for
event occurred which induced him to give
up his BUSINESS and turn gentleman!
He was at work one day when the postman
came in and handed him package with the
London post mark upon it. On breaking the
seals he found, to his utter astonishment, i'll
formation that distant relative, from whom
he had expected nothing. had died with out a
will, and that he was the legal heir to large
estate. Accompanying this letter was bill
OF exchange for twenty thousand dollars.
1t was some time before he could fully COM
prehend the nature of his new position. He
was bewildered in mind for some days, and
went about with Supplied air. AT length
he began to feel his feet under him and to !
hold his head more erect. For time he was
firm on the question of giving up his shop
iiHt, although he tried sometimes, he could