Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-04-01
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE RICH AND POOR.
BY LYDIA JANE PIERsoN.

ooh mother, wish could be as happy as
Ellen is. She is always cheerful, always has a
smile on her face, while am as miserable as q
wicked spirit. Ana yet have everything
want, while Ellen earns all she has by eewing.
wish lad been bern poor mans daughter.
know that the poor are happier than the veal
thy" ~, 49,, -
Their wants are SO few, and their houses SO
small and need 60 little attention-and they are
not worried with servants, and company with
children to grease the carpets, & soil the embroi-
dered chairs g. ottomans. And they are not oblig-
ed to keep up their position by always having
the most costly and fashionable furniture, &c.
&c.,-They merely want clothes to keep them
warm, and something to satisfy hunger, and
that, all who will work and keep sober, can
easily obtain. But Geraldine, hardly think
you really wish to be poor. to give up all refn-
ed and intellectual pleasures, and think merely
of how you will get victuals and clothes"
The poor sewing girls cheek grew red and
pale, alternately while this conversation was
progressing in her presence, and during the
latter clauses burned leddez and redder until
her very brow seemed burning with indignation
and distress She said nothing, however, until
Mrs. Mum left the apartment, and then in
low calm voice, she inquired :
''Do you really imagine, Miss Geraldine, that
poor people think of nothing but how they may
get victuals and clothes?
"They seem to be always laborng for that
end" replied the thoughtless girl, "and it is only
reasonable TO suppose, that their thoughts are
with their employment"
$50 you really suppose that poor people have
no intellectual joys or sorrows; no aspirations
after the lofty and the pure; no exalted hopes,
and yearning affection =? In short, you suppose
them kind of human cattle, created and fitted
for lives of toll and suffering"
my expression, from what have seen of the
poor, but you are not such an one Ellen, for
YOU speak like an educated woman"
' "You will find very few such amongst the
very poorest Miss Geraldine; and permit me to
ask, are there not some amongst the wealthy
not merely intellectual, but who, deprived Of
their inherited wealth, would be utterly incapa-
bic of making living. Trust me, there are as
many imbeciles born amongst the rich, as the
poor. The children of the rich are blest with
every advantage Of education; and if they are
apable of solid requirement, they are gar
nished with an outside show of genteel accom-
plishments and SO pass through the world, ad-
mired and they are gentle, respected and be-
loved when had their parents been more poor,
they would have been half-witted, implovident,
despised creatures. But, Geraldine, if the
poor were really the inferior race, that
your mother just represented them to be, how
is it that so many rise from their ranks, to the
highest grades of science honor station and rich
es? Why is it that some, whose giant genius
oraved their names, in eternal adamant above
the reach Of the pillows of time, to shed lustre
on mankind through all time, were born, lived
and died poor 2"
"All this may be, Ellen, but then you know
the poor are so apt to be dishonest SO addicted
to vice."
''That is altogether an unjust aspersion, Miss
Num-" Ellen said, and the color on her cheek
deepened again. 'Permit me to assure you,
that the poor are by far the most honest portion
of society Every year there are defaults, as
they are termed, amongst the rich, and honora-
BILE, to thousand times the amount of all the
poor steal
off rich mans wife or daughter be convict
ed of shop lifting, Phrenology declares that she
has the organ of acquisitiveness unduly develop
ed and the unfortunate lady is put under medi-
cal treatment and the very circumstances that
ought to render her crime inexcusable, namely,
that she was under no necessity, is pleaded in
her favor But if a poor woman steals half
worn garment or loaf of bread she is vile
thief, and must be proceeded with according to
law And then the poor are so terribly tempt
ed For instance, you have everything that you
can desire, why should you covet other peoples
goods? have only what can earn, and that ]
must divide with others; if there were sum of
money exposed, which Of US Nuld be most