The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-04-06
From the Southern Patriot.
The Rich poor Man, aud tho poor
Rich Man"

the head and text of an editorial. In
this admirable little book were drawn
tho characters of two persons, the ono
ricis, hut living beyond his means, and
the other poor, bat living within his
means. The rich man was always en-
barrasscd by his debts, and in want of
money; whilst tho m,or man never felt
this embarrassment, but always had
plenty of money to supply his wants.
The rich man was so worried and frettcd
by the opportunities of his creditors
that hc never had any to give in charity
or lend friend in distress. But the
poor man always kept little money
on hand, to meet these contingencies
and emergencies.
In passing through life how often do
VIC meet in reality these imaginary
characters Of this little book? The
poor rich man is All every day char
actcr. He may be seen every where
in the United States, from the Louis
lana sugar planter, with an immense
estate and thousands Of negroes mort
gagged and pledged for debts unneces-
'sarily contracted, to the rich merchant
and millionaire with his paper and
notes and bonds in bank, protested
and sued on, and worrying him out
of all peace. and happiness. The rich
| poor man is n common character, too,
in every community. He. is always
+ prudent and Industrious, sometimes
"a small hrpler, tnh. honest mechanic, or
an industrious laborcr. Tic supplies
all his wants, aud has money to lend
He learns to live within his means, and
never goes beyond; them. lie never
! ,sReeulates, or goes i'll debt, or pur:
ftthases what he does not need.
The vice Of -prodigality is very
eommon ono in thisworld, and origi,
uascs too often in selfish, vain.
glcripus feeling and propensity. The
pda,tdy wishes to be; observed and
RHnired, sand: hence, in. addition to
long beard md mustacllcs, he must
wear fine clothes, and have rings on
his6.fngGrs! IIaais M idler, of fcourse,
and thinks himself toa ":good to
J,.YsSattkE:Ss9p hassbucfs, rather his
'fictdfifers ilissa BOOT makers shonld work
tor him aud never be paid for their
labor. The beard and mustaches cost
him nothing, and he has a right to
wear them. 1t. is vain, selfish
4 feeling, too, which prompts man to
build n fine house, purchase u pair OF
! fine horses'1r a fine carriage, when
he has: not the means Of making pay.
!. mcRt. He, is willing, however, to be
harrassed and worried by his creditors
to mako a: show ilr the world. Dearly
too, does hetsonetimes pay for his
; selfishncss.' His fine horse and equip
I age are sold by the sheriff, and his
,,F>WifH' and children reduced to- want. lie
.Hel Ceases tt, ,be the poor rich man
land does not Become the rich poo,
man, ~ ...:;::c.I r.. :.t.,
4 1T is,, seldom, very seldom, We
eyer see O.. vain man who. is not
a aselfsh man, and it is still more rare
tq,findx a.aselfish man with a good
i'heart-, Vanity very .often puts on til,
appearaace' otAgencrosity, through sci
fisiniess.; The vain ministers to his
! intense selfshness by :, show of gen
ferositY and liberality." 1Iis; oIjcc,
1 .{and his vanity prompts him to it) is tc
d.be esteemed for those virtues which lie
knows he does not possess. This is
u feeling too common to human nature
Hence the coward is always Wanting
of his bravery. Lord Chesterfield
understood .ths &principlc of human
nature whefihe. advised his son ALWAYS
to compThnentsn 4 beautiful woman for
her talents, and a talented one for hcr
beauty. ...,,
There is another class Of poor rich
men, which is just the opposite of the
one we hive hech describing. They
have great riches, but do not enjoy
thcm,' and live all their lives ms ifthcy
were poor. Their selfishness is Just as
inta,sc, and perhaps as mean, as that
of the yain-glorious man. The sci
ilshness Of the miser and niggard
prompts him tS safe his money and
live in wants OF the comforts
and neeessaries of life: He'is willing
to- endure pain, mental and bodily
pain, to acquire vast possessions;
whilst the vain prctendcr is willing to
experience the same agony to make
A. show in tho world!
1t is a strange thing, when we
think seriously of it to see a man
Spending his whole life in toll and
labor, denying himself the comforts
end tenjoylnents $of life, merely to
hoard up riches. He knows that, in
few years, he must separate from
them; and he feels, too, very often, that
there is no one whom he cares for.
And" yct''he goes on, toiling and
struggling, gs if there was some dear
object for whom he would sacrifice
life itself :, Whilst'liying, he would
n"t part with one dollar to relieve
the distress of him who is, perhaps, to
inherit his whole fortune! There is
no accounting, on philanthropical
principles, for the passion of the miscr,
or that of the prodigaI, except by
nttributing them both to want of
good sense and good heart
/ There is happy medium in
81 fhtn,r, ,,,b,nh ,,ll