The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1871-09-29
WHAT Is THE DIFFERENCE
The Beggar and the Banker.


"Stand out of my wayg' said 6
rough, surly voice, under my win.
dow, one day, as I sat musing over
the bustling scenes before me, at my
lodging in Chestnut street.
"Your honor will please to recol-
lect," replied sharp and somewhat
indignant voice-"your honor will
please to recollect that I am a beg
gar, and have as much right to the
road as yourself"
"And I'm a banker" was retorted
still more grufly and angrily.
Amused at this strange dialogue,
/ leaned over the case, and beheld a
couple Of citizens in the position
which pugilist would probably de-
nominate squared, their counte-
nances somewhat menacing, and
their persons presenting a contrast
at once ludicrous and instructive.
The one was a purse-prouDd, lordly-
hammered man-appareled in silk,
and protecting a carcass of nearly
the circumference of a hOgshead /;
and the other ragged and dirty, but
equally impudent and self-important
parsonage; and from a comparison of
their cOuntenance, 1t would have
puzzled the most profound II. D. to
determine which of their rotundities
was best stored habitually with good
victuals and drink.
Upon a close observation, how
ever, of the countenance of the
banker, I discovered almost as soon
as my eye fell upon it, a line be-
speaking humor and awakening a
curiosity, as he stood fixed and eye
ing his antagonist; and this became
more clear and conspicuous when he
lowered his tone and asked "HoW
will you make that "right appear2'
"HowP" said the beggar; "why
listen a moment, and I'll teach you
In the first place, do you take no
tice that God has given me a SON
and body just as good for all pur
poses Of thinking, eating, drinking
and taking my pleasures, as He hai
you-and then you may remember
Dives and Lazarus just as we pass
Then, again, it is a free country, anC
here too we are on an equality-fol
you must know, that here, even s
beggar's dog may look a gentleman
in the face with as much indifference
as he would a brother. I and you
have the same common Master, arC
equally free, live equally easy anC
are both travelling the same journey
bound to the same place, and both
have to die and be buried in tht
end"
"But," interrupted the banker, "dc
you pretend there is no differ ence be
tween beggar and a bankerY'
"Not in the least" rejoined tn
other, with the utmost readiness
not in the least as to essentials. Yol
swagger and drink wine, in compsnl
of your own choosing-I swagge
and drink beer, which I like bette
than your company. You max
thousands day, perhaps; I make
shilling, perhaps; ifyou are content
ed, 1 am; we are equally happy q
might! You dress in new clothes;
am just as comfortable in old ones
and have no trouble in keeping then
from soiling; if 1 have less propert,
than you, 1 have less to take car
about; if fewer friends, I have les
friendship to loose; and if 1 do no
make as great a figure in the world
1 make as great a shadow on tn
pavement; 1 am as great as you
Besides, my word for it, 1 have few
er enemies; meet with fewer losses
carry as light a heart, and sing a
many songs as the best ofyou."
"And then," said the banker, witt
had all along tried to slip word il
edgeways, sis the contempt of tn
world nothing?"
"The envy of the world is as bat
as its contempt; you have, perhaps
the one, and 1 a share of the other
We are matched there, too. And be
sides. the world deals in this matte
equally unjust with us both. Yol
ard 1 live by our wits, instead o
living by our industry; and the OF
lily difference between us in that PAL
ticular worth naming is that it cost
society more to maintain you tina
it does mel am content with a lii
tie; you want a great deal. Neithe
of US raise grain or potatoes, c
weave cloth, or manufacture any
thing useful; we therefore add notI
ing to the common stock; we al
, only customers; and if the worl
Judged with strict impartiality, ,ther
fore, it seems to me / would be pr,
nounced the cleverest fellow"
Some passer-by here interrupte
the conversation. The disputan
separated, apparently good friends
and drew in my head, ejaculatin
somewhat in the manner of Alel
, ander in the play-is there no di
ference between a beggar and
banker?
But several years have passe
away, and now both Of these indiviC
uals have paid the last debt of natur
/, I examined both their graves, whe
i next visited the city. They wei
of similar length and breadth, tt
grass grew equally green above eacl
and the sun looked down as pleasa1
Iy on one as on the other. No hol
ors, pleasures, or delights clustere
around the grave of the rich ma
, No finger of scorn was pointed
i that of the poor man. They We
both equally deserted, lonely, an
, forgotten! 1 thought, too, of tt
destinies to which they have passet
and of that state in which temper
I distinctions existed not; where pri,
j and all the circumstances which su
, round this life never find admittanC
Then the distinctions of time appea
/, ed indeed as an atom in the su
> beam compared with those whiC
are made in that changeless state 4
+ which they both had passed.
= True Flirts and False.
When a clown follows the will-o
the-wisp to his discontinue, '
blame the foolish man, and not I'll
e misguiding light. And so, if mt
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