The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-09-29
Mn.IroNArREs.

What constitutes fortune! With us.
man who possesses a capital OF $lo0,OOo is
honored with the brevet title of million
aire." In England there are hundreds up
ON hundreds of private gentlemen. each with
400 900 per annum, who are rather looked
Down upon, as only indifferently well OH,
NV maenates, with half a county as their
tsrritory, and q revenue of principally
for their income. We do not allude to such
men as the Marquis of Westminster, with
$4,000, 900 year, or the Dukes of Buce-'
lenpb. Portland, Devonshire, of Sutherland,
each of whom is nearly as wealthy.
The curious thing is, how little the
wealth of the British middle classes is made
matter of ostentation. The other day Mr..
Muntz. who had been Member of Parlia-
ment, went to his long home. He had been
patentee of an improved method of making
copper-sheathing for ships; and was believ-
ed to be wealthy. His manner of living,
plain with all comforts, never indicated vast
wealth. His will was proved fortnight
ago, and the mere personality, which is
wholly irrespective of his landed estates,
amounted to $3,0O0,OOO. He left $5OO,OOO
and use of his furnished house to his widow;
$l25,OOO to each of four sons; $lO,OOO to
son in New Zealand; 100000 to his
daughter; $4,000 to his brother (the exc
cutor;) and all the rest, according to the
law and fashion of English primogeniture,
to his Oldest son. Had so wealthy a man
passed away from US, he would have been
duly advertised. In England, few lines,
without any glorifcation, simply announce
how his property was disposed of. There
is no surprise whatever at tradesman's
having realized, in addition to his other
wealth, the sum of $3,000,0OG of personal
property.
In England the least ostentation is dis
played by the wealthiest. Some years
ago. friend of ours dined at a private house
in Manchester, the cotton-opolis of England,
and among the half dozen of whom the COM
pany were composed-our friend, man
of letters, and therefore poor, being the best
dressed of the Iot-one owned FIVE millions
sterling; two had three millions each; a
fourth had two millions; and the host, COM
paratively poor among such millionaires,
was worth about one million. Here were
914.O0O,OOO, or $40, 1000, 900, owned by five
men, plain spoken, plain hammered, and
plainly attired.-Phita. Press.
----->>>-~ 800
SINGULAR RESULT OF A KIss.-An Eng
lish paper informs US that girl of seven
teen, residing at Bridgegate, Glasgow,
named Catherine Burt, was brought to The
Central police office of that city, having had
her neck fractured in struggle from a
young man having attempted to kiss her.
No extra violence, it was said, had been us
ed. DR.. M'Gill was in attendance, and re-
ported that the injury sustained appeared
to be partial dislocation of one of the verte-
bra of the neck, causing great difficulty in
respiration and swallowing-he presumed
from pressure on the respiratory nerve
She was ordered to the infermary, but her
friends preferred taking her home. where
she now lies in dangerous state Steps
are being taken to have the young man ap-
pretended.
We publish this as warning to young
ladies not to resist such attempts. If SO
serious result followed resistance which,
from the nature of the attack was very
slight, the consequences of a more forcible
repulse might have been fatal.
ADVICE TO YOUNG MEN.-In his inau-
gural address as Lord Rector of Glasgow
University, Sir E. Bulwer Lytton offered a
few maxims to the students. Never affect
the said) to be other than you are-either
richer or wiser. Never be ashamed to say,
II do not know" Men will then believe
you when you say, II do know" Never
be ashamed to say, whether as applied to
time or money, II cannot afford it." Il
cannot afford to waste an hour in the idleness
to which you invite mel cannot afford
the guinea you ask me to throw away
Once establish yourself and your mode of
life as what they really are, and your foot
is on solid ground, whether for the gradual
step onward, or for the sudden spring over
a precipice. From these maxims let me
deduce another-learn to say .'No," with
decision, EYES," with caution. mo" with
decision whenever it meets temptation :;
"Yes" with caution whenever it implies a
promise. A promise once given is bond
inyiolable. A man is already of conse-
quence in the world when it is known that
we can implicitly rely on him. I have fire.
quently seen in life such person preferred
to long list of applicants for some impor-
tant charge; he has been lifted at once into
station and fortune merely because he has
this reputation, that when he says he knows
a thing, he knows it; and when he SAYS he
will do thing, he viii do it.
fh6l0n Nd