San Andreas independent., 1856-12-27
From the Boston Traveller
Five Hundred Thousand Dollars.
BY BOB LIVELY.
BY BOB LIVELY

tive lluuuIcu IuOuSduQ DOlIdTS is
there not music in the very words, sort
of metallic chink as the final S rolls off
ones tongue in pronouncing this sum
which gives such power to the possessor.
Did you never, reader, dream or fancy
what you would do if you were the pro-
prietor of this sum- Would mt you "throw
down the shovel and the hoe" for while,
would'n you travel and see the world
bit, would Mt you like to have the position
for while at least, to be even with some
folks you know of, would mt you show those
vulgar Jenkinses how to enjoy wealth in
proper manner, would you let the Close
fists see that if you had money you would
enjoy it and not be eternally at work scra-
ping together more. If you are student
or lover of the arts, what glorious pic
lures, beautiful books, and graceful statues
you would surround yourself with, what
sights of sunny Spain, joyous France, and
classic Italy, you would enjoy, what a name
you would earn, what fame you would
gain, all, all, fay, #, if these castles in
the air were not mere baseless fabrics reared
by fancy and the Imagination, suggested
by, Five Hundred Thousand Dollars
Who will deny that to be rich is to be
powerful, and that the glittering ore blinds
the worlds eye to all deformities and too
often weighs down even the scales of JUS
tice. Now, there's old Premium, thank
heaven his portrait which I am about to
sketch Is not representative of all whose
names are coupled by the world with the
sum that heads this article, but it is one
which will be readily recognized as the
/ type of quite class often met with in
society
Premium is rough, rude, unpublished
fellow did | say unpolished-yes,
that was the word, but then | should have
added he is gi7ded; yes, gilded with at
tractive metal; he's worth Five Hundred
Thousand Dollars. Premium is still a
bachelor, but he must be a happy fellow; /;
isn't he invited to all the parties, don t
the ladies, young and old, put on their
prettiest smiles for him, invite him to call
and see them, laugh at his ancient Joe
Miller Jokes as though they had not heard
them an hundred times before, call all his
rudenesses eccentricities, and shut their
eyes to his ignorant blunders? Isn't he
worth Five Hundred Thousand Dollars p
How fond mamas parade their unmarried
daughters before him, how cordially the
his company and affect to admire him, and
how gentlemen are disguised with and
despise him. How he receives introduc-
tions somewhat in this way:
Brora-Mr Smith, allow me to intro
duce you to my friend, Mr.. Premium,
President of the Grand Bubble Copper
Stock Mining Association, aside to SMITH
rich as Jew, my BOY, worth Five Humid
red Thousand Dollars" How tradesmen
avoid dunning him for little bills which
they persecute poor widows and honest
craftsmen for. Premium can afford to
wear soiled linen and an old fashioned coat.
for every body knows he's worth five
hundred thousand dollars. Does not his
name head subscription lists with sum
containing at least three figures, and are
you not as sure that some wealthy institu-
ton that does not need his legacy will
figure in his will, as you are that he will
refuse to bestow on mendicant the aims
he asks of him, or charge you less than
three per cent. month formoney? Does
not he figure at public meetines-isn' he
"talked Of" for representative on the
score of availability, (the Five Hundred
Thousand Dollars, isn't he director in
the bank and the railroad company, do not
NO., Lo,,- lo,,, 10 b;,,, -; III c4ror4 = l .a,
take great pleasure in being seen arm in
arm with old Premium, playing off con-
idential conversation for the benefit of OBJ
servers and their own creditors
Does not the world tip its hat to him,
or rather to his five hundred thousand dol
lars? Isn't it thought five hundred times
more impossible for him to do a censura-
bic act than the poor fellow that saws your
load of frewood or the mechanic whose
coat is little ragged at the elbows? In
fact, does not the world elbow the poor
man of genius off the sidewalk to make
room for the rich man, even though the
latter be deficient in intellect and morals
and does not money in the eyes of the
world make man wise, sagacious and
great, and the want of it vicious, foolish
and neglected? What matters it hoao he
got his money, is not the worlds first ques
ton has he got it?
Such is life, suchis the world, and when
Premium dies, what is it that attracts such
crowd to his stately mansion, what is it
brings out such row of carriages, what
is it that makes so many bow their heads
in afectation of grief and display of fine
linen handkerchiefs,-wh is it that eau
ses the sculptured marble to rise bearing a
lying epitaph and emblazonment of vir-
tues he never possessed, and the newspa-
pers all to say that distinguished citizen
has passed away? What is it causes all
| this. and for what was he DISTINGUISHED