The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1853-08-30
"A Wl,acIs al NEIscrS.

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In Il chapter on life assurance, which
appears in Backwood's Magazine for
July: tho writer is some what severe
on wealthy men Of our day, who arc
too scroupuous i'll their observance Of
the maXims OF, ;:Poor Richard" lie
says:
Those who desire to be absolutely
rich may, if their lives arc spared long
enough, attain that object by sordid
aud perpetual pinching, and rigorous
abstinence from the cnjoymcnts, hos
p'talltics, and charities of existence.
1t Is not difficult to accumulate gold if
a man has courage T., be an Elves; in
deed, cases arc almost daily cited Of
apparent panpcrs, amongs, whose rags
and gallimcntrv i'll the corner of some
tctid cellar extraordinary hoards are
discovered. No one, however, but Il
mere caitill' would addict himself to
.hs kind Of metallic accumulation: and
it is noticeable that the practice is
chiefly confined to dried up bachelors,
who have either relatives to succeed
them or who hate their relatives cor
daily Poor wretchcs! II, ere they had
given up the ghost on their il-tcnded
couch, and been deposited in tha, pal
try shells which they have bcspokcn
from amotive of posthumous ccono.
my, they could obtain vision of the
serene or.livcly countcnancc nf those
who shall walk at their funeral and di
vide their gains; ifthcy could be pros
pccttively present at the banquet which
is TO follow the ceremony. and witness
the enormous consumption Of liquor
Quailed, not onor Of their memo
rics, but by way Of congrntulatiun to
the incbriated hcrs-if they ccul |
hear, by anticipation, the remarks Of
the locular guests: the retailcd ancc-
dotcs Of their mcanncss, and the com
mcntarcs Oh their cruel sclliShncss-
they might possibly, before the spirit
has left the clay, ask themselves scri-
ously for what end. and either in this
world or the next, they have consent
cd to lead the life of muckmorms. and
insure the contempt Of their race
For, of all creatures upon the earth,
none is SO dcspicablc rs the miscr. 1t
is not impossible that the proiligatc
may have Il friend, for here is usually
left about him some touch of humani-
ty-somc one unbrokcn chord Of the
finer feelings Of our naturc-but the
niscr meets with no sympathy. Ev-
eli the nurse who is hired to attend
him in his last hours, loalhes the cllast-
ly occupation, and longs for the mo-
lncnt OF hcr rclcasc-lor although the
death damp is already gathering on
his brow the thoughts oflhc departing
sincr are still upon his gold, and Mt The
mere jingle Of Il key he startlcs from
his torpor, i'll u paroNysm Of terror
lest surrcpiitious attempt is being
made upon the sanctity of his strong
box Deeds there are many in that
box; but where arc the deeds that
should have cemtnrtcd the dying man?
What blessings has lie purchased for
himself through his long useless life
There arc no prayers of the orphan or
widow for him, not a solitary voice
has ever breath d his name to heaven
ass bcnclactor. One poor penny, Civ
en- away in the spirit Of true charity,
would now be worth more to him than
all the gold that the world contains;
but, Notwithstanding that he was Il
Church going man, and familiar from
his infancy in those awful text in which
the worship Of mammon is denounced,
and the punishment Of Dives told, he
has never yet been able to divorce
himself from his solitary love of lust.
or to part with Que atom of his pclf.
And so, from miserable life. dctcst-
cd and dcspiscd, he passes into drcar
eternity; and those whom he has neg
lcctcd or misuscd, make merry with
the boards of the mscl."
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| A SINGULAR B,rD-Tbcrn * in Tho