The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1855-05-16
Oasay Some Laborer's Child

err OrgnH.
Oaony Some Laborer's Child
Diogeres sought, with q lantern in
his hand, in open daylight, for an
honest man. We are no Diogeacs
and carry no lantern-ncither do VIC
make it, point to hunt up embodied
honesty. But we do look after items.
and, sometimes find them where and
wncn we least expect SO 10 do.
Passing down certain street. a
few Moons since, we overlook q lady
evidently one who claimed to belong
to the aristocracy- accompanied by
what we took to be her nurs or in
fashionable parlancc, her "companion," !"
hey had just reached an unprctend.
ing cottage, in front Of which sweet
little lump of girl was drawing her
doll i'll q toy sleigh. Her chubby
face was as bright as new star, and
her eye danced as mcrr!y as the brook
that, while it dances, sings. AS the
Iadies-bcg pardon of the one that has
the more money for the conjunction -
PASSED by, the girl stopped her play
10 gaze at them for molnent-prob.
ably attracted by the rich habiliments
OF the mIstress-a gaze that was mod.
est and clildlikc, and yet big with
meaning. The "lady" would have
passed without noticing the fair face
that looked so curiously upon her: but
the nurse, true to her instincts, caught
the expression, and, turning TO her
m'stres, said. "Oh ! what a pretty
little girl" The other suffered her
naughty eyes to rest for moment
Upon the youngling, and sneeringly
answered. Only some laborer's
child" At the next corner our ways
separated
"OnIy some laborer>s child" What
then? Is labor, is poverty crime?
Is it any more honorable to be the
offspring Of d banker, prof,ssor, n
poet, or peer, than the child of in.
dustrious toll? Pslnw! These in.
dIvIdual distinctions, barriers, demar.
cations, which SO infest the present
time, are among the greatest pests of
society. There would be no such
things as upper and lower classes, il
men and women were not poisoned by
tile mrtful venom of Fashion and
Aristocracy. We owe our condition
to ourselves, and stand alone in our
opinions of men. He who made us
Is no respecter ofpcrsons.
"Only some laborer's child" A
pretty speech for the lips ofa woman
to utter. She must forget the o:iyin
OF Jesus-she cannot have read the
story of Bethlehem. Perhaps she has
forgotten her own birth history. We
wonder how her children are-wheth.
or they are more beautiful, and prom.
isiny and brilliant than the children Of
her poorer neighbor. We have known
many rich man to father deformi.
ty. Perhaps this very lady is the
mother Of u wretch, who smokes ci.
gars and wears standing collars, and
drinks Otard in his fourteenth wear.
Only some laborer's child" Oh!
how We hate such nonscence. And
yet the term contains a compliment.
God knows We had rather have that
little girls mother for ours than to
DC the son Of the exquisite feminine
who uttered this sentence. Labor is
honorable, glorious! we have vet to
ind any such characteristics pertaining
TO the soit'headcd aristocracy. We
have yet to learn that money and sta.
tion enlarge the heart, expand the
soul, and multiply the moral princi.
Piles of one being. If Justice was
done the crown would be placed upon
the brow Of the peasant, and kings
would do the grubLing."
We hope the lady who made the
remark which forms the subject of
this article, will ponder over what we
have writtcn-and see il the sneer
looks we'll in print. We lay q reason.
able wager that she herself, was nursed
by poor mother and that her station
is due to chance rather than desert.
This may be plain talk, but it is hon.
est.
"Only some laborer's child" A
ruby to a rose that this very child
does more good, gains more affection,
and lies down in more tranquil grave
than the. very "lady" whose silly
sneers We have thus recordei.