Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1848-06-22
The Beggar and Banker.


lodgings in Cheshu, srest - =.
"Your honor will pie seso recollec,, replied
sharp aud somewhat indignant voice-"Your
honor wilIplease ,o-recoflect that am beg
ger. and haSea as much right 10 the road as your
SELF" ~ -
"And am banker was retorted sill more
gruffly and angrily. =
Amused a, ,hls slIange dialogue leaned
over the case and beheld couple of citizens
in the position which pugilis. would probably
denomina,e squared, their coun,enances some
what menacing, and their persons presenting
contrast al once ludcrus and instructive. The
one was purse proud, lordly hammered man
apparelled in silk, and protecting carcass of
nearly the circumference of hogshead; the
other ragged and dirty, but equally impudem
and self-lmpor,an, parsonage and from COM
psfison of their countenances, 1t would have
puzzled the mos. profound NJ D. TO determine
which of their rotundi,Ies was best stored hab-
i,ually with good vic,uals and good drink q.
Upon close observation, however, Of the
counenance of the banker, discovered almost
as soon as my eye fell upon it,a line bespeaking
something of hunor and awakened curiosity, as
he stood fixed and cycling his antagonist; aud
this become more clear and conspicuous when
he lowered his tone and asked, "How will you
make tha, appear Z"
"How :" said the beggar-"Why listen a
moment, and I'll learn you. In the first place,
do you not notice that God has given me soul
and body just as good for all the purposes of
thinking, eating. drinking and taking my pleas
ure, as he has you, and then you may remem-
Der Dives and Lazarus as we pass. Then
again. it is'a free country, and here. too, we
are on an equality for you must know that
even beggar's boy may look gentleman in
the face with as much Indifference as he would
a brother. and you have the same common
master, are equally free, live equally easy, and
are both travelling the same journey bound TO
the same place, and both nave to die and be
buried in the end" ts
"Bul," interrupted the banker, "do you pre-
tend there is no difference between beggar and
banker"
"Not in The least, rejoined the beggar with
essentials. You swaeger and drink wine in
company Of your own choosing Iswagger and
drink beer, which like better than your COM
paay. You make thousands day perhaps; |
make shilling perhaps If you are contened
am; we are equally happy at-night.- You
dress in new clothes, am just as comfortable
in old ones and have no trouble in keeping
them from soillng; if have less property than
you have, have less to care about if fewer
friends. less friendship to lose and if don't
make as large figure in the world, make as
great shadow on the pavement | am as great
as you. Besides. my word for it. | have fewer
enemies, meet with fewer losses carry as
light heart, and sing as many songs as the
best Of you
"And ,hen," said the banker. who had all
along tried TO slip in word edgeways, "is the
contempt of the world nothing z"
1.-The envy of the .woIld is as bad as its con-
tempt; you have perhaps the one and share
in the other. And besides. the world deals in
matter, equally unjos, with us both. You and
| live by our wits, instead Of living by our in
dustry; and the only difference is that i. costs
society more 10 maintain you than does me.
] am con.enled with. liltle-you want great.
deal. Neither of US raise grain or potatoes, or
weave cloth, or manufacture anything useful !;
we therefore add nothing 10 the common stock
we only consumers, and if the world judged
with strict imparlialIiy, therefore il seems TO
me would be pronounced the cleverest fel.
low"
Some passers-by. here interrupted the con-
versalion. The dispuan,s separated, appar-
emily good friends, and drew in my head,
calculating some what in the manner of Alex
ander in the .play-ls there then no more dif-
ference between a beggar and banker!
Bot several years have since passed away,
and now both Of these individuals have paid the
last debt of nature They diad as they lived,
the one banker. and tie other beggar.
examined both their graves when visited the
city. !. They Were Of slIniiar lenglhand breadth;
the grass grew equally green above each; and
The sun looked down as pleasantly on one as
as the other. No honors, pleasures or delights
clustered round The grave of The rich man.. No
finger of'scorn was pointed 10 that of The poor
man. They were both equally forgotten. |
thought 100, of The deslinies to which they bad
thai state in which temporal dis,inc-
lions exist not--where pride and all the honors
which regard this hfe never find admillance.
Then The distinctions OF time appeared indeed
as an item in lhe sunheam, compared with those
which are made in that changeess slaleto which
they had both. passed.