The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1846-07-07
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE BEGGhR ON HORSEBACK.
BY T. 8. ARTHUR.

n Eany they are lew.
Some years ago, in the neiShhOrlns city.
lived very good sorl of a man. naturally.
whose industry brought him IN moderate
support, with which he protested himself
content. His wife managed his domestic al
fairs prudenrIy. and gave to his humble home
an air Of comfort that few houses of persons
in his circumstances wore. lie was mas
ter mechanic in a small way, with an income
varying from FIVE to eight hundred dollars
per auuum. He kept very accurate ac
counts, and carefully calculated each month
the probable profits of bis business, with
view to knowing the limit beyond which he
must not go in his expenses. His rule was
10 live within his means. II five dollars
week had been his income, he would have
managed somehow or other 10 live on four
and half.
Acting on this principle. GARDENERS exter-
nal circumstances gradually improved.
Ills calling was one that frequently brought
10 his shop men in the higher stations Of
life, men of wealth and standing in the com
munty As Gardiner was a man of some in
telIigence, and disposed to he talkative, these
persons entered frequently into conversation
with him on various topics.
Time wore on, and Gardiner, from saving
a hundred or two dollars every year, accu-
INFLATED enough 10 purchase the house in
which he lived and carried on his business.
The purchase was not very heavy one, but
IL gave occasion TO some of bis customers 10
banter him about growing rich.
You will now ride in your carriage, Gardi-
ner,' said wealthy visitor at his shop 10
him one day. laughing.
III were as rich as CrrSus.' replied the
. mechanic 4 would never 50 far forget the
two good feet that have borne me thus far
in life. No. no, Mr.. Lyon; You will never
see me in a carriage while can walk. money
or no money. Would be less able TO walk
because was rich ?
No. | suppose not: bur You wonld be
more able to ride said his customer, laugh
ing.
Il " ould walk, Notwithstanding
Il do no; believe ii. The fact u.s. Card
ner, man never grows rich without thinking
himself Of more consequence than before
You think 50 2
Il know So
4 don't believe word fit. am sure
that if were worth million of dollars,
would not consider myself Il whit better
than am now. would not he, and why
should be the fool TO think differently
You don't know yourself Gardiner
i believe know myself well enough 10
determine beforehand how ! should act in
such an unlocked for contingency
Its not At all unlocked for hy me. Card
ner.' said Mr.. Lyon. affecting seri"ns air.
A INN who gets ahead ike you in the world
must accumulaie fortune, aud when he
has done that. he must lave in a style cor
responding with his means
AS YOU do, but not as ] would
why nntl'
Because don't believe in all rhIs cxrrav-
agance and show. What wonld ] want with
halfa dozen servants running after me? |
should feel every minute like kicking them
outS of nv way. Since was old enough 10
do it. nave helped myself. and al ask n
this word is The abililr to do 80 urIil die.
Then YOU blame me. md q hrs IN nF pc
sitiou ior giving emplos acu' To large nun-
her of persons who might Other wise fnd ii
difiicnlt TO get any thing to dol There's
my old coachman. for instance. who thinks
it quite privilege to be retained in my ser
vice. 1t gives him more pleasure 10 drive
me out, am sure, than it does me to ride
out. And the same might be said Of every
other domestic in my family. We have as
many as twelve employed, from The coach
man down to the cook
Twelve servants 10 take care of two per-
sons' exclaimed Gardiner, with sheer and
a tone of conlemptOus surprise. Il pray
Heaven may never come to that
The manner ofthe tradesmln 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
chafed temper-'If we play with edged tools
we must except to be cut
I -,e,t fha hND oT
Gardiner. The latter accounted for the fact
Of having 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 10 persons who
knew Mr.. Lyon, and who laughed at him
for having incurred the trades mans displeas-
ure.
From that time Gardiner took new pleas
ure in railing at what he called the follies of
the ,ich, and carried it to such an extent
that his words and manner drove other good
customers from his shop. The consequence
that, from progressing bealhily.his bust
ness became stationary for while, and then
showed the symptoms, Ofdecline. Wheih-
er this were the 'begInning Of the end with
him cannot be told. for most unlocked for
event occurred which induced him to give
up his business and turn gentleman
He was at work one day when the post
man came 10 and handed him package with
the London post mark upon 1t. On break
ing the seals he found, TO his utter astonish-
ment, information that a distant relative, from
whom he had expected nothing, had died
without a will, and that he was legal heir
TO a large estate. Accompanying this letter
was bill of exchange for twenty thousand
dollars.
ltwas some time before he could fully
comprehend the nature Of his new position.
he was bewildered in mind for some days.
ana went about with a supplied air. At
Ieng'h he began TO feel his feet under him and
TO hoid his head more erect. Fora time he
was hrm on the question of giving up his
eheP. but, although he tried sometimes. he
could not work as before, and had lost all his
interest IN his business At the end of a
month he sold out and took moderate size