Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1852-11-18
NUMBER 81.
0bc DaiIp l)iroiniol,.
.IOc Miller


tighten them a little on the subject. Joe was
copyist by profession. and worked for the
lawS ers IN the English Inns Of Courts and
Ilonrisbed in the reign of Queen Annc-ifa n
bare subsistence earned by his horse like la
bors may be termed hourishing, for he had to
work never less than sixteen out of twenty
four hours. just to supply the wants of nature,
nnd the "herewiihal To pay for lodging in
mean house, which he had to share With three
other young men. Joe was kind hearted
and simple minded man, who had never been
suspected. even by his hest friends. of having
hui secord idea in his head; and from his
extreme good nature had become butt, at
winch one and all were constantly throwing
their shafts of successful ridicale But. as we
have already said, his perception ofthe ridicu-
lous was OF too obtuse nature for him To have
imagined for single moment that he himself
was the object Of their ridcule.
Many we're the practical jokes played off
upon poor Joe. He was in the habit of taking
his daily meal, which invariably consisted Of u
TWO penny loaf slice of single Glosier cheese
sometimes garnished with an onion, and half
pint of porter, at house in Shire Lane. lear
Temple Bar This house was, and had been
from time immernorial, the resort Of the wits
ol the day in the early part Of the last century.
These roysterers had long madeit their practice
10 bcsct poor Miller, bui such was his imper-
tnrbahe mmobiliiy, that he bore all and every
lmpefIln"nce with perfect good hnmor This
singular forbcarance elected their admiration;
aud inquiries We're set on foot TO ascertain who
and what his employment was. His routine
oi life had not varied for several years. His
person was meogre, his dress always thread
bare hung loosely upon his atcnuatcd frame;
yet Joe was never known to borrow
shilling bu, 10 have often lent one. The result
of the inquiries sci ON foot concerning Joe
~ere every way quite satisfactory. They as
cctlainel that he had together with his parents
who were from the northern counties come to
London when Joe was about seven years of
age. Things had taken an ad. ersc turn: they
came to poverty and sickness, and at last died
leaving poor Joe entirely destitute. But the
kind hearted neighbors looked TO The poor boy
and as far as in their power lay. fed and cloth
ed him in return for which he was willing at
nll times To do their errands, and thousand
little services for which he was cminently fit
ted, being kind as love itsclf:n his nature.
In this shiiless kind nf manner the poor
fellow lived until he was near sIxteen-sIm as
hurdle and tall as a Maypoe. He found
that he must do something else. for livelihood,
for that his friends began to slack off in their
willingness 10 serve him, now that nature had
transformed him into man. Joe had con-
trivcd among his associates 10 pick up small
kno "edee Of writing and rcadngm irh snat-
tering Of arithmetic. An old aundrcss, who
had been one Of Joes best friends. got him IN
to a lawyers Office to try to do some copy
ng. He soon became expert, and for a long
time worked early and late, but so mean was
the remuneration that he could hardly make
salt for his porridge. Having thus assured
themselves by the result Of their inquiries OF
Joes worth, they determined To assist him by
raising an annuity for him, and the means en-
ployed were as follows: They formed them
selves into sort Of literary club, each mem
ber binding himself to Contribute, period
icalIy lauehabe tale or jest, Of which Joe was
10 be reputeJ father. They soon succeeded in
producing good sized volume: it was entitled
: Rich and Racy Jesis, by Joseph Miller. ESQ.,
of the Inner Temple, London" 1t run
through three editions the first year, and the
profits " ere amply sufficient to enable his pat
rons 10 allow him the very comfortable sum
OF a guinea per week. Joe, on It's being pre-
scented 10 him the first week and told what
had been done for hm, as grateful as hls
nature permitted him 10 be; but he, on becom-
ing thus independent, made little or no chonee
in his mode Of life. He was certainly trihe
more respectable in the way Of apparel and
occasionally INDUCED in a meat dinner, and
this was The only apparent innovation oil ms
economical expenditure. He soon saved
enough to start a book store, and altera time
becane publisher; and, singular to tell he ul-
tinately as the publisher of the "Rich and
Racy tests Of Joseph Miller. ESQ.,
Thus did those mad wags in those days in.
duge in spirit of mischief, that redounded, in
the end, to their honor and personal benefit, as
many OF them afterwards experienced, and
raised friend in Joe for their own day of need
for the grateful Joe's house and purse (after he
became wealthy was always at the service OF
those Of his early patrons who had performed I'd
the part of the good Samaritan to himself
And, as the sequal shows, Joe actually proved
himself Wit OF the first water, for he secured
to himself a fortune. while many OF his brlghe
/ ID II1n