Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-07-03
What Is the Difference !


Stand out Of my way ~ said rough
surly voice under my window, one day a. I at
musing over the busting scene below me. at
my lodgings in Chestnut street.
Your honor will please TO recolect" =" re-
piled a sharp aud somewhat indignant voice.
" your honor will please to recolect that |
an beggar, and have as much right to the
road as yourself"
Aud am banker" was retorted still
more grualy and angriy.
Amused by h 5 strange dialogue, leaned
over the case, and beheld couple of citizens
IN position which pugilist would probably
denomlnate square, their countenances some
what menacing, aud their persons presenting a
contrast at once ludicrous and instructive The
one was purse-proud, lord y.mannered man
--apparaed in silk, protecting a carcass Of
nearly the circumference Of hogshead aud
the other a ragged and dirty, but equally i'm
pudent aud seli-important parsonage ; and
rom comparison Of their countenances, il
would have puzzled the most profound NJ. d.
to determine which of their rotuudities was
hest stored habitually with good yictuas and
drink.
Upon a close observation, however, of the
face Of the banker, | discovered almost as
soon as my eye fell upon it, line bespeaking
humor aud awakening curiosity. as he stood
fixed aud cycling his antagonist; aud this be-
came more clear and conspicuous when he low
cred his toue aud asked
" How will you mako that right appear ~
How p said the beggar, "why, listen
moment and I'll teach you. Ia the first place
DO you take notice that God has given me
soul aud body just as good for the purposes of
thinking, eating drinking aud taking my
pleasure as lie has you and then you may
remember Dives and Lazarus Just as we pass.
Then, again, it is free country, and here,
too, we are on an equality-ior you must
know that here even beggar's dog may look
any gentleman in the face with as much in
difference as he would a brother. | and you
have the same common master; are equally
| free; live equally as easy and are both
travelling the same journey, bound to the same
/ place, aud both have to die aud be buried in
the end"
But, interrupted the banker, do you
pretend there is no difference between
banker aud beggar?"
Not in the least rejoined the other, with
/ tut uAulhNt itAhluto1t uOl III Aut ltdols as W
essentials. You swagger aud drink wine in
company Of your own choosing; | swagger
Ind drink beer, which like better than your
vine, in company that like better than your
company. You make your thousands in
lay perhaps | make shilling, perhaps; if
you are contented, am we are equally
happy at night You dress in new clothes;
| am just as comfortable in old ones, and
have no trouble keeping them from soiling.
| If have less property than you, have less
to care about; If fewer friends | have less
friendship to lose and if | do not make as
great figure in the world, | make as great
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 and sing as many songs us the
best of you"
"And then" said the banker, who had all
along tried to slip word in edgeways, " is
the contempt of the world nothing
The envy of the world is as bad as its
contempt you have, perhaps, the one, and l
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 aud the only difference between us
in this particular worth naming is, that it
costs society more to maintain you than me-
am content with little you want a great
lea. Neither Of US raises grain or potatoes,
or weaves cloth, or manufactures anything
useful we, therefore add nothing to the COM
mon stock--wc are only consumers and if
the world judged with strict impartiality
therefore, it seems to me would be pro-
nouncel the cleyerest fellow"
Some passers-by here interrupted the con-
versation. The disputants separated, appar-
emily good friends aud | drew in my head,
calculating somewhat in the manner Of AL
rxandor in the PLAYS there, then, no diff.
ference between beggar aud banker?
But several years have since passed away.
aud now both of these individuals have paid
the last debt of nature. They died as they
had lived, the one banker aud the other
beggar. | examined both their graves when
next visited the city. They were of SINH
lar length and breadth the grass grew
equally green above each I; aud the sun looked
down as pleasantly on the one on the other
No honors, pleasures or delights clustered
round the grave Of the rich man. They
were both equally deserted, lonely and for
gotten. | thought too, Of the destinies to
which they have passed aud of that state in
which earthly titles exist not where pride
and all the circumstances which surround this
life never fnd admittance Then the dis
tinctions of time appeared indeed as an atom
in the sunbeam compared with those which
are made in that changeless state to which
they both had passed.