The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-08-20
A PATCH ON BOTH KNEES AND GLOVES
ON

ON!
The following from the Boston Courier, is
one of the clcyerest essays we have met with
for many a day. Similar in style, it is not in
ferior in point to Franklin's best
when l was boy it was my fortune to
breathe, for long time, what some writers
term the bracing air of poverty. My mother
light lie the turf upon the form which once
enclosed her gentle spirits--was what is com
monty called an ambitious woman, for that
quality which commonly overturns thrones
and supplaHts dynasties, finds a legitimate
sphere in the humblest abode that the shadow
OF poverty ever darkened. The struggles be-
tween the wish to keep up appearances and the
plnChlng grippe OF necessity, produce endless
shifts and COntrivanCes, at which we are told,
some would smile, and some, to whom they
would teach their own experience, would sigh.
But let me not disturb the veil Of oblivion,
which shrouds from profane eyes the hallowed
mysteries of poverty.
"On one occasion, it was necessary to send
me on an errand to a neighbor in better cir
cumstances than ourselves; and therefore it
was necessary that | should be presented in
the best pOssibleaspeCt. Great pains were ac-
cordmgly taken to give smart appearance to
my patched and dilapidated wardrobe, and to
conceal the rents and Chasms which the envi-
Gus tooth Of time had made in them; and by
way Of throwing over my equipment certain
SAVIOR and sprinkling Of gentility, my red and
toll hardened hands were enclosed in the un-
familiar casting Of pair of gloves which had
belonged TOT my mother in days when hel
years were fewer and her heart lighter.
81 sailed forth on my errand, and on my
way encountered much older and bigger boy
who evidently belonged to family which had
all our own dragging poverty, and none of our
uprising spirit of wealth. His rags fairly
fluttcrcd in the breeze; his hat was construc-
ted on the most approved principle OF vcntila-
ton, and his Shoes from their venerable an
tiquity, might have been deemed pair OF fOs-
sill shoes, the very ones on which Shem shut
fled into the ark He was an impudent varlet,
with dare devil swagger in his gait, of i IN
as good as you, lCcr in his eye-thc very
whclp to throw stone at well dressed horse
man, because he was we'll l-dressed, to tear
boys rufiles because he was clean. As soon
rs he saw me, his eve detected the practical
Inconsistencies which characterized my cos
tune, and taking me by the shoulders, turn
ing me around with no gentle hand, and sur
ycyng me from head to foot, exclaimed, with
a scOrnful laugh, OF dGTlslOn, "a patch on 6Oth
Lures Qad giOUeS OnF'
| still recall the sting of wounded feeling
which shot through me at these words. To
parody celebrated line Of the immortal TuS-
can
s.Tbot dov 7 vo,o NV ,lovos M ,,orou
WV '"' 7'',', ~
But the lesson thus rudcly enforced, sank
deep INTO my mind; and IN after life, have
had, frequently, occasion to make practical
Application OF the words OF my ragged friend
When nave observed the PraCtlcal lnGohsls.
tencies which SO often mark the conduct Of
m2lg.kSInd', rr
when, Tor instance, ! see parents carefully
providing Tor the ornamental education Of
lneIf children furnishing them with teachers
IN music, dancing ana dTa"inS' Dut give no
Ihou4ht 10 inc moral ana feliSl9us framing
from "hlch Ine JFue dignity ana permanent
happiness OF ne aiohG can come never teaGh-
'HE tucln IaolI9 oI sen llce, ana sen
clPIIhe ana coAGIoI, Dut father Oy example IN
iirUcIu's mem IN cYn sPeaNtnS' IA unTAatlI%- "a
Dlt4e''' ana III ej'! ana III laI5eI9oG, MINK,
WIN sign oI ~s P"''" U" '0'" ""seS "t"
g'yW,!g5@ W!5, on 49,. all .o,s;.l ..1;
nou sc iaLllii! III Golu IelilSI sui
cIt44ae' hot ha9lIualIS warming tneir mousse
WIN gloIw1 o. naPPy LaGcss oas laVsnlng ISM una
lea, VIZ Vn1 Io1b t,,noS joa o
IulUh VI titt pttLit O|t OOtIt o'tS' teLhs O