Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1851-03-01
A TALE OF FORTUNE.
MIR. Grub: Or the Breach of Promise.

gar, now high, in that market, are variable
things; not the frugaity and perseverance which
marked the early of Dir. Grub-these were in
variable A plain woman who had ceased to be young
served him for cook, housemaid, and housekeeper
whilst strong lad, of miscellaneous activity, gave as
sstance in the shop current out of doors, at
the call of occasion. The first floor occupied by
an old gentleman-a retired annuitant whose tacitur
nitv and punctuaty of payments represented to the
mind of Mr. Grub every virtue that odger
should be expected to possess.
Thus posted in the world, and with the habits a
bove denoted, Mr.. Grub had trudged from year to
year, until Time, the universal marker, had scored or
ty on his brow. most successful deliver IN Nam
mons mine was Mr.. Grub. The dirt which men call
ready money adhered to him in considerable quantl-
ties; and for credit-he stuff that bills are made OF
lit ioated about him like the air he breathed, await
ing his use and convenience at every moment. On
his character be requisite further to dwell As
man, he monied-let interrogation rest on that,
and be dumb His neighbors never questioned his re-
spectability. One dissatisfied individual there was,
indeed who would sometimes venture to say, that Mr.
but earthworm of 5larger growth but the
individual had unfortunate in business, had was
ted his substance poor relatians and lent money
without interest friendr,-and in short, was not
respectable person.
In his ordinary mood, Mr.. Grub was a pattern of
cheerfulness. Prosperity agreed well with him
that smile commonly sat on his snug and oily lea
lures. The consciousness of worth supported him :
real, Independent worth not less than five
been adverted to. Suddenly, however, the even flow
of his pacdity disturbed; the comfortable little
smile disappeared; he became grave and thoughtful
little, fat. pumpkin-headed man, with small, SWIM
sh eyes, and cheeks of sreaky red looks worse
than when he is grave and thoughtful. The elderly
female domestic, and the internal and external Doy
both inquired if Mr.. Grub ILL., The fact was, ne
had that morning received letter conveying news OF
the death of distant relative at the Lands END, In
Cornwall, Who having children that he cared much
for had left the bulk his strangeacheved gold to the
exemplary grocer in Eastcheap,as to one who from his
deep of the value of money, would not fail to
take the proper of it. His attendance at the fu-
neral was expressly dispensed wth-the dying tesla
tor having deprecated that measure on principle, that
is to saw in order that waste of precious metal
should take place. The amount OF the bequest was
such would have the effect of doubling the actual
income of the legatee, and making him thereby man
of thousand a-year. Small and gradual acquisitions
beget, they accumulate sweet and gentle emotlons
large and sudden ncrements, the contrary bewlld-
er and astonish the faculties. Is strange that Mr..
Grub should look odd
The following day public holiday on splen-
did but serious occasion. The Duke of York, and
Bishop of Osnaburg, about to be consigned with
much circumstance to his last earthly resting place.
Mr. Grub improved the OCCASION far at least to
it to the behalf of his private medtaons on
his own personal affairs Enclosed within the narrow
limits of his dark back paror-ensconsed in his
easy chair-enveloped in his black and yellow striped
dressing gown-nvolyed furthermore in the complexi-
ty of his thoughts, aud foregoing for while all
bodily nutriment Mr. Grub in the chrgG!lS or in
termediate state-entranced and intrdnSitU. great
change in the mode of his existence was impending.
The man of one idea the money-maniac Gas Levity
might have styled him. was about to multiply in no
lions, to divide his energies to expand and utter into
avid liberty to pursue and variety of objects
Beneath the topper that aprsoned his frame, chaos
of heavng fancies and embryotic schemes al
work. The mental transactions of the night which
succeeded, of the disorders those of the
ln nff1n OF he
was a purple emperor most superbly seated on
throne cOmpacted of ivory and gold, and mother-of
pearl, and surrounded by full-grown satellites, whC
breathed out batteries and by little boy pages of hon
er, who flung about incense, and sucked barleysugar
In the morning Mr. Grub shook off his corpora
lethargy, and seemed more than himself again. Tit
smile had back to its place, but with acces
son-beng of broader cast, and more ike com
mon gain The renewed inquiries as to how he was
he replied that he felt better and considerably lighter
at which the female domestic shook her head, think
ing that all not quite it should be; and that thu
Gghtness in particular, might proceed from the wan
of recent food rather than from any satisfying
That Mr. Grub was at all events an altered
man, became soon evident. He warned away his ledg
er, disposed of his business paid of his housekeeping
domestic and, by bold transaction, shifted his where
abOuts from Eastcheap to Golden Square. ''Whel
pleasure" says honey-pot Moore
when pleasure begins to grow dull in East
Well order wings, and be off to the Vest"
The ex-grocer acted in the spirit of the advice thu
given by the poet OF all sweets although IN so doing
he did but follow his own impulse unconscious 0
Moore. Behold him, then, sharer in the fashion ant
consequence of Golden Square, sounded so rich =
and then there the advantage of Air Street, clos
by. He in exstacy OF spirits; in his forme
life he had never been prodgal of words, but h
talkative a mute after a funeral. He start
ed snowy cabriolet; and his establishment com
prised footman cook, and housemaid, with the add
ton of the active lad from the city, whose really Pro
team properties called forth in the alternate
forms of page and tiger. With society, for whom h
had SO long had the honor of mixing teas, Mr.. CRU
had himself never mingled; had the manual calle
"Hints on Etiquette as yet appeared for the iumina
ton of novices but from fashionable novels (of whic
he skinned through seyeral) his eager mind soon de
rived those ideas of real life that improving
the Imagination, exciting to the heart and inu
entail upon the conduct Introductions he sought fol-
TO the ght and to the let and in of difficulty
he would sometimes introduce himself. To improv
his taste he drank light wines, and purchased fanc
pictures. The gay, airy, hortolan character of Wa
teaus hodayife pieces especially caught attention
dealer supplied him with several of these, on whic
he plumed himself greatly, and of which indeed twa
certain, that if they not Watteaus nobody coul
tell whose else they were Music, as a of fas
-, BE was not TO be neglected. MI
Grub had thought of music; but he too
up the German fiuue End, by dint of confidence and
very few instructions, got along with it pretty quickl
the more so, as he aimed rather at spirited en-
bouhue than at any particular nicely of time tune
Nor did he not essay 'the light guitar, which, BIZ
fore long, he did several little things that surprised
who heard him, throwing in his voice at the same tim
as an accompaniment more than anything else Flusl
ed with the ambition of shining, he drove about til
parks, gave champagne luncheons entered into picn
parties, flew from amusement to another, an
learned the French language in six lessons, of pr
essor. He embibed laughinggas one day. and the ne,
made an ascent in an air-balloon--in company with