The Democratic pioneer. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1845-1853, 1847-10-08

standard by which men always estimate
| each other in the end. We may coutem.
plate the dlstant shadow Of pigmy, as il
] lensthens over the PLAIN, with admiration
for moment, but the instant we compare
1t with the substance, the Illusion vanish>
es. In like manner, the rank, the spien,
dour, and the power Of kings, which over
whe I'm the Imagination, with a feeling of
awe and reverence, dwindle into objects
of contempt and derison, when we fnd,
from the evidence Of the senses, that they
are 10 the possession of fool or a mad.
nan.
| The way TO estimate the real dignity of
men, is 10 bring them into contact with
each other, and set them in action. il is
then that the great talker often turns out
coward; the rich man incapable of pro.
,ecring his own wealth; and that the king
becomes dependant Oh the basket maker.
Catch often learned this lesson; though it
made him never the wiser, il detracted
much from that portion Of his happiness
which was derived from the ignoble pride
Of superior wealth. He was perpelually
reminded, not by the i'll ha,nred sneers
of others, but by his own selfconscious-
ness, that the men he fec ed 10 look down
upon, were incnmparably above him in
knowledge, ia intellect, and IN all the
qualities that give one man a natural
claim to superiority over another. His
great wealth, by investing him with the
power to confer benefits and Lfct in.
Ijurles, necessarily gave him station and
influence in society; but though Others
might think him great, he always felt him
self little; and the latter years of his life
had been one incessant struggle to dis.
gnse from himself what he often managed
to conceal from the world. Hence, he
was jealous in cnltiva,ing the acqnaint
ance OF strangers, or rather inviting hem
TO great entertainments, whete lie scugAt
to dazz,e them by cutward show, while
his inward Jelic.cucies escaped deiection
in the l.bl iinlh of ascrowd, or behlnl an
immense silver tureen.
Caleb Plant bad come to The city poor
country boy, and by series of well d.
tected ministry, 3oIuca ~ s4--a aalisi e "a
habit. OF econnmy, aided by constant Frn-
deuce. and that occasional good fIrtnne
hy which it is ever rewarded, about the
a.e Of f,ru five had amasssd great
estate.
The prudent mothers uf grown ur
daughters had l,Dg Lad their ewes upon
him; hut lie was too busy, too constantly
in action to be hit by the shaft Of Cupid
who seldom shoots lying, 1t is Impossible
fora man to fall in love while he is run
n,nq nll tilt after Lady Fortune: and
CALEB never contemplated the desperate
throw Of the matrimonial die, until one
bitter, stormy evening, when the WIND
whis,led, and the snow beat against the
windows. and the spirit of the storm, so
often conured up by modern bards, roar
ed aud yelled, and knocked furIous'y a.
the doors and windows for admittance
Ca leb sat alone at lis frcslde. lie hac
cad the newspaper aud attempted story
ia SO u mammoth sheet, and got along
pretty smoothly, until il became necesaa-
rs to turn over new leaf; when he los,
the track, wandered from one vast region
to another, until he became perfectly be
wildered, and, at length. so inpatient,
that he cast il into tie flames, and there
BY incontinently set fire TO the chimney.
After the hubub had subsided, he threw
sum up what he was worth; but not being
able to settle the point altogether TO Lis
satisfaction. he had resort to his tin boxes,
and cIearl, made himself out millionaire
lie pondered on this agreeable circum'
stance until he fairly got tired-for even
the contemplation Of wealth is pleasure
that wears thread bare at last-and could
hardly keep his open, though II was only
eight o'clock. All at once, however, he
started up with great alacrity, and, ring
ing tie bell. ordered glass of whiskey'
l
gloriously. But, after all, drlnkin with
oneself thought Caleb, is poor business
lie had great mind TO call in his fac
to,um, Absalom, and have setto with
him, until bis dignity came and rescued
him from such grovelling alternative.
f! Then he suddenly rose again from his
chair, paced the room from right to LETT,
and from one corner TO another. with his
head declining little forward, as II 10
deep thought, and his hands clasped be-
hind him. Thus lie continued for some
lime. when suddenly he seemed to become
iaspired-he rubbed his hands together,
cooked his Nose and chm, and exclaimed
a I intervals, in disjointed sentences,
'Yes-yes-I wonder | never thought Of
il before. III it, by Jupiter-l'illo look