Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-07-23
: THE LIVES OF, FIVE RICH MEN.

JT is a common notion among the poor
and struggling that II Is q fine thing to be
rich and if wealth Is not happiness, it Is
a very near approach to 1t. Doubtless it
is a good thing to be rich, If the rich per-
son knows the value of riches, and turns
them to a proper account, for his own ad-
vantage, and that of his family, his friends,
and his fellow creatures. Doubtless it is a
very sad thing to be poor, TO endure cold,
hunger, and nakedness or to owe debts
which one cannot pay. But when the
mass of people come TO the conclusion
that, rs rule, the rich are much HAPPIER
tnan the poor, and that the poor have no
compensation for the hardship of their
lot, and the rich no drawbacks on the
luxury of theirs-an error of serious con-
sequences 10 their own well being takes
possession of their minds, and leads 10 the
worst kind of idolatary, mOney-worship,
and that worst kind of heresy, that it Is
everybody's duty to get rich.
In the course of not very long life,
have known the histories OF many persons
who had, to use tho common phrase, lots
of money money that they either ac-
quired by speculation, by industry, or sue
cessful commerce, or that they had in
herited from their ancestors Out of
seven such people, whose histories knew,
five were either very miserable in their
minds, disappointed in their hopes, or
would gladly have exchanged all their
money for something that poor people
had, but which unkind fate had not be-
sto wed upon them.
The first of these little histories is that
of a gentleman wh0had acquired mil
lion of money, al leaet, by successful COM
merce and was able to retire in the prime
Of life and strength, and marry for love Il
young iady well born, accom- plished and
beautiful The world WIS fair before
them. They had q town house and a
country house, and q shooting box in the
highlands. --,g,.,,.g1 .4
They had large library, and a picture
gallery, carriages and horses, and a yacht.
They had troops of friends, and the respect
of everybody who knewthem. They were
hOspitable aud charitable, and adorned
every society into which they entered,
But they were not altogether happy after
the first two OF three years of their
welded life. Not that their love dimin-
isbed, but Fortune, which had given
them so much, did not give them every
thing. The gentleman desired an heir to
his estates, aud the lady, With large ma
ternal heart, desired a child tor the sake
6f "a child and the desired boon, for
which she would have been SO grateful
E,and Happy, was denied her. Beggars
came to her gate with twins in their arms,
and she sometimes thought such beggars
were happier than she / II last the sight
of ah Infant would 30 exotic her envy,
and SO deeply impress her with the sense
of loneliness, and ofupdeserved misery,
as to produce parOxysms OF passionate
hysteria. ass ll7 1ab-I 1AFF' q
Another little story Is that Of a success.
f(ll manufactures, but rude, unlettered
and without much mental resource 20
help him pass away his time, who retired
from business at the age oflsixty' and
built himself a .splendid manslon-he
called it castle-on the shore OF lovely
lake, in the highlands OF Scotland, far
away from the highways of travel, in or