Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-03-10

We knew another case in point, also con-
nected with the late king of the French
Nj. de c. was, on the downfall of that
monarch, in possession of very handsome
pension for past services. The revolution
came, and his pension was suspended. His
wife was woman fenergy; she saw that
the pension might be recovered by making
proper representations in the right quarters;
but she also saw that ruinous embarrass-
ment and debt might accrue in the interim.
Her house was handsomely furnished-she
had been brought up in the lap of wealth
and luxury. She did not hesitate; she turn.
ed her house into lodging-house, sank the
pride of rank, attended to all the duties of
such station, and-what was the result :
When at the end of three years, M. de
c. recovered his pension, he owed
nobody farthing. and the arrears suficed
to dover one of his daughters about to mar
| ry gentleman of large fortune, who had
become acquainted with her by lodging in
their house. Er1e. de G.-'s fashion,
able friends thought her conduct very shock
ing. But what might have become of the
family in the three years of petitioning?
Again: one of our most intimate acquaint-
ances was an English gentleman, who, hay
ing left the army at the instance of rich
! lfather-in-law, had the misfortune to offend
the irascible old gentleman so utterly, that the
latter suddenly withdrew his allowance Of
$1,000 per annum, and left our friend to
shift for himself. His own means, never
very great, we've entirely exhausted. He
knew too well the impracticable temper of
his father-in-law to waste time in attempt
ing to soften him. He also knew that by
his wife's settlement he should be rich at
the death the old man, who had already
passed his seyentieth year. He could not
borrow money fol he had been severely
wounded in Syria, and the insurance-offi-
GERS refused him; but he felt a spring oflife
s youth within him that mocked their caicu-
lations He took things cheerfully,& & resolv-
ed to work for his living. He answered
unnumbered advertisements, & made inces-
SAINT applications for all sorts of situations.
At length matters came to crisis; his
money was nearly gone time pressed ;
his wife and child must be supported. A
seat--not in parliament but on the box
of an omnibus was offered him. Ho accept
cd it. The pay was equivalent to three
guneas a week. 1t was hard work, but
he stuck to it manfully Not unfrequently
it was his lot to drive gentlemen who had
dincd at his taLle and drunk his wine in
former days. He never blushed at their
recognition; he thought working easier than
begging. For nearly ten years he endured
1 all the ups and downs of omnibus life. AT
last the tough old father-in-law, who du-
ring the whole interval, had never relented,
died; and our hero came into the possession
of some $500 year, which he enjoys at
this present moment Suppose he had bor-
rowed and drawn bills instead of working
during those ten years, as many have done
who had expectancies before them, where
would he have been on his exit from the
Queens Bench at the expiration of the pc
Rod? In the hands Of the Phllistines, or OF
the Jews?
The misfortune of our next case was, not
that he abandoned the law, but that the law
abandoned him. He was solicitor in a
country town, where the people were eth
er so little inclined to litigation, or so hap
pv in not finding cause for it, that he failed
from sheer want Of clients, and, as natu-
raj consequence, betook himself to the me-
tropolis-that Mecca cum Medina of all des-
perate pilgrims in search Of tickle fortune.
There his only available friend was past
rycook in large way of business. 1t SO
happened that the man of tarts and jellies
was precisely at that epoch in want OF a
foreman and book-keeper, his last prime
minister having emigrated to America with
ex-lawyer, feeling the consumption OF tarts
to be more Immediately certain that the de-
mand for writs, proposed, to his friends
amazement, for the vacant post and SO
we'll did he fill it, that in few years he had
saved enough Of money TO start again in his
old profession. The pastrycook and his
friends became clients, and he is at present
a thriving attorney in Lincons Inn, none
the worse lawyer for practical knowledge
Of the paies filled by those oysters whose
shells are the proverbial heritage Of his pat
rons.
A still more singular resource was that OF
a Young gentleman, Of no particular profess
sion, who, having disposed somehow or 9TH
er in Improbable specuiaIions OF very
moderate Inheritance, found himself what
is termed ''on his beam !" so much so,
indeed, that his condition gradually came
to verge on positive destitution and he sat
disconsolately in little garret one morning,
quite at his wits end for the means OF con-
irving what Goethe facetiously called 1.-The
delightful habit of existing" Turning
over his scanty remains Of clothes and 9TH
er possessions, in the vain hope OF lighting
upon something Of a marketable character,
he suddenly took up sheet Of cardboard
which in happier days he had destined for
the sketches at which he was an indifferent
adept. He had evidently formed plan,
however absurd that was plain from the
odd smile which irradiated his features. lie
descended the stairs to borrow of his land
ladyAwhat: A shilling By no means.
A needle and thread, and PAIR of scissors.
Then he took out has box O. water-colors &
set to work. 10 design picture Mot
bit of it; to,make dancing-dolS Yes, the
man without profession had found trade.
By the time it was dusk he had made sever
al figures with movable legs and arms one
bore rude resemblance to Napoleon a.
mother, with scarcely excusable license, rep
resented the pope; third held the very
devil up to ridicule; aud fourth bore
hidious resemblance to the grim king of ter
rors himselfi They were but rude produc-
tions as works of art but there was spirit
and expression about them that toyshops
rarely exhibit The ingenious manulactu-
rer then sailed forth with his merchandise.
Within an hour afterwards he might have
! hna Al nj