Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-06-29
The Annoyances Of Poverty.

| 1t is either MT. Raymond niinseh, VI tns
New York Times, or some equally capable
hand, that throws off occasionally capita
thing the subjects, chosen at random, are
clothed in terse and familiar iahgtage, and
commend themselves to the readers atten'
ton, by an agreeable quaintness OF style
and an admirable moral tone. Here Is one
of them:
"ft is one of the worst annoyances oi
poverty that it debars a man from many
privileges which, at first glance, seem to
be exclusively his. A rich man can afford
to dress more shabbily than poor ONE
A wealthy merchant can wear shabby
coat, but his clerk, on three hundred a
wear, must wear one of the latest style and
having the exactest fit. A man owning a
block Of city buildings can afford to rent
the second story of one cheaper than any
of his own, for his family residence but
his penniless neighbor must take whole
house, have his name on the door plate and
nobody else's sign on the 'front.' or give up
his hopes of getting into business. A bank
er's wife can afford to receive calls IN
sixpenny calico dress but the lady OF our
friend, whose only earthly means are his
salary of thousand per annum, must nev'
er be seen in her parlor but in silk or some
thing equally costly. An heiress goes into
the country with a three shilling bonnet
and looks $50 neat and lovely without
grain of iewelry about her; while the Jour
newman milliner must wear her four dollar
bonnet and be loaded with golden orna-
ments, all to come out of her three dollars
wages per week. A rich man may amuse
himself of morning playing the Croton
upon his sidewalk and the plants in his
ward. If we, in our mediocrity, if not IN
our poverty, do it, we must rise with the
sun, and be through with the refreshing
exercise before our neighbor looks out OF
his. front door, or we are degraded to the
level of 'man servant Your millionaire
can refuse to subscribe to benevolent ef-
fort; we are mean if we decline. If he
gives of his income fraction whose nume-
rator is a unit and its denominator sum
larger than was ever entered in our account
books, he is applauded. When we give to
the amount Of the hundredth part OF our
salary, We are ashamed: s.
"A doctor of divinity can afford to wear
shocking bad hat;' the young licentIate
must always sport a new one, and not one
bought in the Bowery either. A wealthy
physician can afford to make his calls on
foot, as DR.. Jno. Mason Good always did,
when his practice amounted to more than
$4,000 per annum, or avail himself of an
omnibus when 1t Is on his route. The
Young and unknown physician, who feels
that he is as rich as Cresus in the remote
prospect OF 81, 400, must make his calls in
a gig, or cease to attend the patron out Of
whom he confidently expects to get one
quarter of that very respectable amount OF
money. A lawyer in good practice can af-
ford to walk leisurely across the Park. A
Younger and briefess limb of the law must
always carry package tied with red tape.
always look heated, perplexed, and over
run with business.
"And wealth of reputation is sometimes
no less serviceable than money. Gen.
Cass when he addressed the unterrified
at Tammany, could afford to throw off his
coat stock and vest. Your unknown ora
tor, who never was defeated candidate
for anything higher than inspector of elec-
tions, must buy new coat for such an oc-
casion, and spend an extra half hour at the
/ co,o ,an4,r;nn bIc cneocb ~