Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1863-10-13
The Poor Fellows Complaint.

est lodging houses and looking at the star
lights in the grand Above, was man
whose genius and attainmcnts fitted him
for the appreciation Of every refinement.
He thought and spoke, and his thoughts
and words gave us gricvous sadness.
Said he: 1.-The night is clear and all
the blue beautiful world above us is tran
quill and equal, and pure. There arc no
swaying opposites, no confusion, no en-
vious stars struggling with neighboring
lights: Up there 1 see nothing but sub
lime harmony and glorious fraternity. If
men were only thus, this dirty earth would
be as sweet as heaven, and we could not
wish to be yonder within the inviting
splendor of the stars! But I speak in
folly. Theworld here near to us is all the
world that we can realize, yet why have I
an aspiring fancy which eXalts me toward
an invisible universe of enjoyment when
all tangible evidences level me to the many
deep sufFcrings of 4 life always in the want
and hope, and effort of success: 1 COM
plain Of the inconsistency of nature in not
determining me for the carclesSnesS ofcon-
tented poverty. Il was designed to be
a continually poor creature, I should have
been made in due conformity to that sta
ton; should have known nothing, and
been incapable of knowing anything, ex-
ccpt to labor, to cat, to sleep and to die
no idea of fame, no idea of living prom
inencc. no idea of dying superiority no idea
of a tombstone, or an epitaph, or an unfa-
ding memorial in the hearts of those who
knew me.
That rough man who has just passed
has been digging place for the foundation
walls of a house. lie seeks no higher
work and with that he is more happy
than the rich man who is going to build
where the poor man has been digging
The one is digging to live and the other
is building to increase his sufficiency.
know them both; the difference between
them is success only. Let the poorest OF
the two become as wealthy as the one Is,
and the difference will disappear. They
will both use their money closely to make
more money and nothing else. The I'M
discriminating spirit Of LUCK will attend
them and ill and refill their hands with
richer production of no pleasure but their
selfish handling of the treasure, while such
As l am Stunned by fortune; l who could
put an intellectual value upon the use OF
dollars and enjoy them as they should be
enjoyed for the good they wouldpurchase
for myself and for Others, and through
their comfort to accomplish great works
in the irregular field of humanity"
Here the Poor Fellow ended his COM
plant, and as he sought his slowly lodging
back through the uncleanly front room'
We took our way whispering that there
were too many who were thinking as he
was thinking and suffering as he was suf-
frring; and then we wondered if they
would do as they think they would do if
they should get riches. We thought to
ask if they were not as capable as Others
to try and to succeed, but we could not
test them and their efforts, and their deS-
pondency, with cold philosophy; for,
we felt the warm impulse Of the wish that
they might suddenly acquire millions Of
money and gradually disburse them for
goodness and for greatness.