The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1859-04-12
SOCIAL H1GHNEss AND LowNEss.


81 tell you, he isn't anythingy,
"Why not? Ee certainly is comely and civil
and successful in business and in every respect
appears like gentleman" -.
'sThat may be; but his father wasn't anybody
and his mother was of low family" ~e-s ~ 4
"What constituted the peculiar lowness of her
family"
"Why, her father was shoemaker-a tcordwain-
er,' it used to read on his sign; and he used to
mend rips in boots, and put taps upon shoes,
for living" -...s. - !.
"Wasn't he honest?" .., s..s.rr 81 :
81 dare. say" A.s8s
"Wasn't he Industrious"
"He must have been, to have left his children
the sum which he is reputed to have DONE" f
'.Wasn't he an amiable and agreeable MANI"
"That he was well remember with how much
pleasure l used to wait in his little box Of shop,
while he stitched the gaps in my feathers. listen
to his amusing and instructive stories. But why
do you take such an interest in the old man."
Il am trying to find out his 'lowness' Itseems
that he was honest and industrious and 'amiable
and aereeable'-qualities which usually give man
some rank among his fellows; and you say he was
a low person Was he vulgar?"
"No, he wasn't vulgar; he quite refined, for
man Of his opportunities; but he was shoemaker
Don't you understand how his ignoble calling
should fix his position in society in spite of his
blacksmith and shoemaker and such men cannot
be gentlemen, merchants and lawyers, &C., are"
81 think Mr. Longfellow wrote a poem once
about blacksmith who gentleman; and
think good many people have considered themselves
houored by the acquaintance of a certain other
blacksmith who once hammered iron (and Hebrew
too) in Worcester; and 1 don't quite perceive,
either, how the making or selling of tape and
deaines, or wholesale groceries, or stock as "a
In
should make gentleman, while the making
and selling Of shoes, for horse or man should make
low' And even if such trades makes one
'low,' I don't quite perceive how they therefore
make ones children low You object to Mr. A.,
because his father WASH anybody, and his mother
was of low family They were, both of them
upright and honorable individuals, who had made
the most of their advantages, and who brought up
their children with honor to themselves, and
usefully to the world. And yet you vote them
'low,' and their children ditto, while here Mr. x,
whose pompous bow you returned SO defcrentially,
moment ago. had no father at all, in the eye of
the law, and has no character at all, in the eye Of
the gospel; but has accumulated great wealth by.
buying cheap whskey, and drugging it in his
cellars, and selling it the best old port cognac,
&C. He is a gentleman. There is no lowness'
about him.
''You refer to Colonel p, suppose. He certainly
is gentleman. He keeps fine horses, and gives
fine dinners, and spends money freely, and has a
lovely place; and it surely isn't his fault that he
wasn't better born. Everybody considers him
gentleman" s4r .-......ra - HT
II consider him scoundrel and cheat; and
you would, if you knew the secret history of his
vats and casks and bottles. ! would sooner marry
daughters of mine to the poorest shoemaker, or the
sootest blacksmith that swings a sledge-so he is
honest and industrious, and inteigent-than to
such bloated humbug as heis and the like of him.
Low you had better wait till all these peop'e
are eternally sorted, and you will find that some
of the highest shall be lowest well that some
of the first shall be last" f.ss 81
We lost the rest; for the metropolitan car in
which were seated, had reached our stopping
place, and rang the bell and alighted mcditating
upon highness and lowness, they had been
outlined in this brief discussion. We own that
sympathy strongly drawn out towards tho
defender of that geutility which consists in clear
head and good heart as against the sham gentiity
conferred upon dolts by the possession of dollars.
Street Thoughts. a7s