The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1872-07-18

Stand out OF nay way said O rough
surly voice under my window, one day
us sat musiug over the bustlmg scene
below me, at my lodgings in Chestnut
street
Your honor will please to regalleot, re-
piled sharp aud somewhat indignant
voice, your honor will please to recoIIcet
that am a beggar and have as much
right to the road as yourself
And | am banker, was reloted still
more grufly and ongriIy.
Amused by this strange dialogue.
leaned over the case, aud behed a couple
Of citizens in position which pueilist
would probably denominate square, their
countenauccs somewhat menaeiug, and
their persons presenting contrast at
once ludicrous and instructive. The one
was purse-proud, lordly-mnnered man
--apparaled ia silk, protecting a carcass
OF nearly the circumference of hogshcad
and the other a ragged and dirty, but
equally impudent and sef-impoHant per-
sonage; aud from comparison Of their
oountenances,! Sit would have puzzled the
most profound NJ. y. to determine which
Of their rotundities was best stored habit
ually with good victuals and drink.
Upon close observation, however, Of
the face of the banker, discovered al
most as soon as my eye fell upon it a
line bespeaking humor and awakening
curiosity, as he stood fixed and cycling
his antagonist; and this became more
clear and conspicuous when he lowered
his tone and asks:
How will you make that right appear
HowI said the beggar, why, listen
moment and I'll teach you. In the first
place do you take notice that God has
given me soul and body just as good for
the purposes of thinking, eating and TAX
ing my pleasure as he has you-and then
you may remember Dives and Lazarus
just as we pass. Then, again, il is free
country, and here, too, we are on an
ees,oi;an res.s.D, ,,,uet know Tint here
even beggar's dog may look any gentle
man in the face with as much Indifference
as he would brother. | and you have
the same common master; arc equally
free; live equally as easy, and are both
travelling the same journey, bound to the
same place, and both have to die and be
buried in the end.
But, interrupted the banker, do you
pretend there is no difference between a
banker and beggar?
Not in the least, rejoined the other,
with the utmost readiness, not in the
least, as to essentials. You swaggcr and
drink wine in company Of your own
choosing; l swagger and drink beer,
which | like better than your wine, in
company that like better thau your COM
pany. You make your thousands in
day, perhaps; make a shilling, perhaps
if you are contented, am we are equal
ly happy at night. You dress in new
clothes; ! am just as comfortable IN old
ones, aud have no trouble keeping them
from soiling. If | have less propeit ty
than you, have less friendship to lose
and if do not make as great a figure in
the world, ! make as great q shadow on
the pavement; ! am as great as YOU
Besides, my word for it, | have fewer
enemies, meet with fewer losses, carry as
light heart aud sing as many songs as
the best Of YOU
And then, said the baker, nwho had al
along tried to slip a word in edgeways,
is the contempt Of the world nothing?
The envy Of tbe world is as bad as its
contempt; you have, perhaps, the one,
and ! a share Of the other We are
matched there too. And besides, the
world deals in this matter equally unjust
with US both You and live by our wits
instead Of living by our industry and the
only difference between Us in this par
ticular worth naming is that il costs soci-
ETY. more to maintain you than me--l am
content with little, you want great deal
Neither Of rs raises grain or potatoes, or
weavcs cloth, or manufacture anything
useful; we, therefore add nothing 10 the
common stock--we ARE only consumers;
and If the world judged with strict i'm
Partially, therefore, It seems 10 me
would be pronounced tho elcyercst fcl.
low.
Some passcrs-by here interrupted the
conversation. The di.putantg separ-
ated, apparently good friends. aud !
drew in my head, calculating somewhat
in the manner Of Alexander in the play
is there, then 10, difference between q
begger and a banker
Bat several years have since paa-ed
away, and now both Of iicsa individuals
have paid the last debt Of nature. They
died as they had lived, tiie one banker
aud the other beggar. examined both
their graves when next visited tbs eitg.
They were Of similar length and breadth
aud the grass grew equally green above
each; and the sun looked down a. pleas.
antly on the one o. oD the other. No bon.
ors, pleasures OF delights clustered round
the graye of tie rich mau. IhcY were
both equally deserted, lonely and forgot.
ten. thought too, 0f the desiiuiss
to which they have passed aud 81 that
state 10 which earthly iilles exist not