Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1847-06-17
TREASURE ON EARTH, AND TREASURE
In HEAVEN.

Mr. Benedict Percival, one Of tho wealthiest men
in the city. sat reading newspaper, when three
gentlemen entered his counting room in the formal
manner in which committee men usually present
themselvcs-es especially committee men appointed
to raise subscription for some public charity
When Mr. Perciyal opened his newspaper that morn
ing, the first paragraph that met his eye was the
following
Al the city meeting held yesterday, a committee
OF three from each ward was appointed to wait up
on our citizens TO receive their subscriptions in aid
Of the sufferers by The late destructive fire in our
sister city This duty will be entered upon at
We trust thai the gentlemen who have the matter
in charge, will meet with hearty reception from
our liberal minded and benevolent townsmen. We
may lead the van in this noble work, il we will
Let Us do it,
Over this Mr. Percival pondered for some time,
with his fore6uger upon his lip and his eyes upon
the ceiling. At length as il his action in the mat.
ter were definitely settled, he resumed the reading
Of his newspaper and was engaged in that agreea.
Bile occupation when the committee Of gentlemen
alluded to above, called in at his counting room
Good morning, Nj Percival,' said the spokes-
man.
Good morning, gentlemen responded Mr Perci-
val. rising
we need hardly state our business said the
spokesman. You presided at the meeting yesier.
day, and having assisted in The appointment Of the
committees for the several wards, are aware that
duty in this one is to wait upon our fellow cit-
zens for their subscriptions. We have called upon
you to get your name at the head OF the list Hay-
ing that to lead off with, our task will be an easy
one, and the result equal TO our best hopes. Your
subscription we Of course know will be liberal, and
that will induce other men Of ample means, upon
whom we shall wait, in succession, to put down
large sums BY this plan we hope TO make our
| wa had Inv thor
ward in the city,
we can easily do that returned Mr. Percival.--
We have wealth enough. But | must decline
heading the list. Let Mr. R lead oil. He will
do il handsomely, without doubt. Or, Mr. s.
will star; your subscription literally
The committee men urged Mr. Percival to COM
ply with their first request. but he was firm in de-
clining and ultimately told them tina, he had made
up his mind to place his name las, upon the sub
scrpion paper.
| A week after this interview, the rich merchant
was again waited upon. The list needed only his
name to complete il.
/ How much have you got, he asked.
We have not done as well as we expected, was
replied If you had led of, we should no doubt
have done much better
Who headed the list 2
'Mr R.
With how muchT
One hundred dollars
'Humph Let me see that paper
It was handed to the merchant. He ran his eye
over il saying, half aloud, as be did So
One hundred-one hundred-one hundred-no
thing above hundred What does il all amount to 7
Five thousand dollars
The merchant took up pen and wrote his name
with flourish. Opposite TO il he placed numera
and three cyphers, with dollar mark before them
thus-S5,OO Then, with bow, and glow o.
satisfaction upon his face, lie handed the paper
back to the gentlemen who waited on him.
'Nobly done, Mr. Percival,' said the spokesman
You have saved the credit Of the ward. | have
strong hopes, now, that we shall lead any two o
them put together
Two three days after this, the newspapers an
nounced the result Of the subscription raised in The
various wards Of the city. The particular instan
ces Of liberality. were named, conspicuous amonl
which stood the fact that Benedict Perciya, Esq
who ever foremost in acts Of benevolence.
subscribed the handsome sum OF FIVE thousand dol
lars; had, in fact, Just doubled the subscription
the ward in which he resided
There lived in the city where this occurred
poor widow. in feeble health, who had three chill
dren. Her only means of subsistence lay in he
ability to do plain sewing,-Early and late she sa
over her work often in pain and oppressive weak
ness but the result Of her labor was ever suficen
for the many wants of her little family.
Ia' :" ."s '.'us. - 'o"s cnu "a'u "',.e'
! snu 'ne willow greater expense ioI warm S'o,n,n
10. ne' onnu'e. anu ea'Ia loe,, oonsu'nsu al ne
shs occ,'ned ,,vo small ,eoms IL rs,;rsd CON-,
nr ,h;cb she Maid = yyesLlv ran, Of one doIlsr
3 She was The under.,epant al = man who rented 4
he houses On one side n The cour, and hv Latin
5 them on, again 10 moor FAMILIES At weekly J
. aen,,Is ,aa, no, III. s..ad ~. 90, J ~
made from two to three hundred dollars wear bt