The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-03-25
From the Troy Budget
"IF I WERE A RICH MAN"
BY KATE.


clamation.
"Why, I'd give to the poor, and reap IL
pleasures of charity"
"You would, would you ?"
"Ycs sir, most certainly"
"And wouldn't wish to keep triAe fo
this purpose and for that, and ride in you
carriage, when you might as well 60 aloot
mo, sir-not |, Mr. Brown"
And would prove an honorable exception
among rich men, would you"
g should try, think"
But what makes you think you would b.
so much better than the rich in general ?"
"Oh, can't say exactly;-I suppose it il
because so frequently experience the in
conyeniences of poverty"
"You poor Mr. Harris. Why, 1 Away.
considered you a wealthy man."
"NIe wealthy Why, sir, / couldn't mus
ter five hundred dollars, if l should sell ev-
crything possess, Rich! BY George :
I'd like to own my dinner before | eat it;
am sure l should grow fat at the bare
thought"
But Mr. Harris, what would you really do
ifyou were as rich as John Jacob Astor?"
"Well, | don't know exactly what would
do with SO much money as he has; but one
thing is certain, I'd give all the poor in my
neghborhood one good dinner"
g Is that all Z"
"Oh no! l would repeat the dose so Of
ten that the leanest should cry, enongh~
We'll, Mr. Harris, | have heard great
many people talk in just this manner; but,
when providence had blessed them, they have
almost invariably forgotten their good resolu-
tons"
"Some may have done so; but just give
me chance, and I'll show you the differ
ence"
"Ahl l fear, neighbor"-said Mr. Brown,
as he walked away" but few are able to
withstand temptation"
"And | am willing to be tempted; the
sooner the BETTER" said Mr. Harris as he pass
ed on.
But one year from the date of the above
conversation. Mr. Harris was what the world
calls-a rich man. An Uncle had died in
the Indies-(or somewhere else)-at just the
lucky moment, leaving him sole heir Mr.
Harris's first intelligence was draft for fifty
thousand dollars payable at sight. The poor
man could hardly contain himself for joy; a
thousand brilliant visions danced through his
brain. His wife should not labor; his chill
dren should be finely dressed, and delicately |
fed-and-his neighbors should have
yes, he would give-something to some
of his ncighbors.
The news of his good fortune spread like |
wildfre. Friends gathered round to con-
graduate One and another volunteered this
service and that--offers they would never
have made but for the ringing of that same ff-
ty thousand dollars.
Mr. Harris moved from his humble cottage
to q splendid house in town. Mrs Harris no
longer performed the drudgery for her family.
Jane and Ellen left off knitting mittens for
their brothers, and Henry and Edward split
no more wood for the kitchen fire,
With wealth came wants unnumbered.-
Labor once performed from necessity, was re-
nounced entirely, and with it, the pleasure
that labor brings.
Mr. Harris soon found himself unable to
walk. Horses must do the drudgery his
limbs had hitherto been able to perform,
while pampercd appetite rejected the whole
some food, which not hong ago crowned his ia
BILE. ,
Mr. Brown, who had anticipated such revo-
lutions, should his neighbours wish be granted
looked on in silence True, the good man
breathed sigh now and then for the tickle
ness of his fellows, but he chose that time and
opportunity should convince Mr. Harris that
after all his boastings, he was only human
The wholesome resolves " to do something for
neighbors' were undoubtedly forgotten in the
of cares which now encompasSed
our rich friend, unless we reckon the feastings
he gave those who were able to feast in re- !
turn, as worthy of the title. ;;
Not that Mr. Harris possessed less kindly
impulses than in former times. Not So He
was ever a neighborly man, and ready to as
sist others according to his ability. Once his
g. NUnrn fnIu bnnauSn hic ipr o,,n ,uoS |
limited now his new position furnished a v
necessity for larger expenditures, and he re- o
ally had nothing left to give. At least so he +
himself and endeayored to con- c
vince others. S
Nor is this an exception to the general Il
Of suddenly acquired wealth. t
If man is omnivorous in any passion, it +
must be love of gold, not for its own sake 1
alone, so much as for the qualification it en- +
sureS. Wealth can purchase honor, fame, lux !
ury, might and right; everything but,-and a
many poor rich man groans as he hears the n
/" but, Happiness. Fl
That, thank God ! is the poor mans birth b
right, if he will but lawfully claim the boon a
Honor may come at the beck of II silver wand. il
Fame may wreathc her laurels to bind the fl
brow already decked with purchased brilliants a
and luxury may pamper until manliness is n
lost; but peace, contentment, without which C
gold is vain, is won " without money and with C
out price. o
In process of tine Mr. Harris fell i'll. Mr.
Brown, who had never lost sight of his old S
friend, now renewed his former friendly in il
tercourse. Dim recollections of conversa- n
ton once held with this same Mr. Brown, ]
haunted the sick mans mind. He was willing o
to be tempted; his wish had been granted, e
and like many others he had proved hmselfa
frail mar. Daring a protracted illness, re- v
collections of neglected opportunities, and f
wasteful extravaganza troubled him Resolu- C
tons for the future were frequently avowed, V
but through the arrangements of providence, e