Smyrna times., 1873-01-29
The Neglect of the Rich.

If any of the millionaires of the city Of New "
York have felt grieved because we have not q
called upon them, or because we do not even >
know their faces when we happen to meet :,
them, we beg their pardon We have had no
intention to slight them, or to count them out C
of the circle Of humanity by reason Of their S
comparative independence OF it. We do not l
blame them for being rich, unless they )
have procured their wealth by oppression OF
the pOo: Some of them have become rich S
because they were brighter and more indus
triOus thrn the rest Of US, and recognized !
quicker than we the elusive faces of golden
opportunities We can find no fault with
them for this, but rather with ourselves.
Some Of them inherited wealth. and have had
no responsibilities concerning it save those
connected with the spending Of it. Some OF
! them acquired it by accident-by the rise OF
real estate that they had held, perhaps,
unwlllingly, or by an unlocked tor appreciation
of the value of stocks However their wealth
may have been acquired always excepting that
which has been won by immoral practices-we
wish to have them understand that we think none
the worse of them for their pleasant fortune.
We regard them still as men and brothers, who |
delight in the sympathy of their fellows, and !
whose hearts are warmed by the popular conf !.
dence and good will.
We confess that we have never been quite
able to understand why it is that those who
|
PEELED, in consequence, to sacrifice their early
: friendships and their old friends. Two boys
begin life together. They may, or may not,
be relatives; but they are bosom friends
+ They conhde to one another their plans and
} ambitions, and start out on the race tor
fortune neck-and neck. One outstrips the
other and reaches his goal gladly and gratefully.
He has thrown no hindrances in the path of
/, his friend He has, on the contrary, encour
}. aged him; and, so tar as it was proper for him
d to do So given him assistance. Finding at
a last that he is hopelesSly tloundering i'll the
IL way, or that he has tripped and fallen, he goes
Il back to him to exchange a friendly word, but
e he is met by cold looks and averted eyes. The
II successful man has committed no sin except
y that of becoming successful. lie has lost none
CT OF his affection for his friend, but he has lost
lg his friend. Thcncetorward there is between
W the two great gulf fixed, and that gulf is
IN fixed by the unsuccessful man He has taken
ct to himself the fancy that the successful man
'e must hold the unsuccessful man in dishOnOr
he and that he cannot possibly meet him again OF
as the even terms which existed when their live:
is were untrled plans.
to There are few successful men, we imagine
Is, who have not been vexed and wounded by th'
he persistent mi>apprehensiOns and distrust o
nd those whom they loved when they were young
= and whom they would still gladly love if the
could be permitted to do SO. There is not al
hour, on any day, i'll this city, IN whic
gh thriving men do not cross the street to NEE
bly, old friends who because they are not thriving
nd strive to avoid them-not all hour in whic
te they do not try b5 acts OF courtesy and heart
lir, good will to hold the friendship of those whOl
eel they have left behind in the strife for fortune
son Excepting a few churlS and coXcombs, they a
is do this until they get thoroughly tired Of /
dy and finally give it up as bad job. The
me know that they have done their duty. The
Il hon lfrt
her or performed an act of wrong toward tho
no who shun them. Their consciences are q "a
ell and at last half in sorrow, hall in anger, the
hly consent that the knot that once united tV
he'd harmonious lives shall be severed forever.
and There are many men who cannot bear prOspe
met ity when it comes to them, but their number
and small compared to those who cannot bear Il
put prosperity OF others. There Is no nner test
tain true nobility of character than that furnish
,ual by the effect OF the good fortune of frienc
tect The poor man who rejOices in the prosperity
, or his neighbor, and meets him always wlthO
e. distrust and with uushaken selt-respe
betrays unconSciOuSly a nature and charact
which king might envy 10 such man eve
n of rich man bows with cordial recognition, VIII
With he cannot fail to regard with contempt t
lhlic insoent churl who meets him with bravado a
ges. the offensive assertion of an equality which
Gle does not feel, az we'll as the cOWIrd!y sne
arge who avoids and diStrusts him.
30. A great deal is said about the insOlence
the riches aud the neglect or disregard of the pC
SSes, on the part OF those VINO possess Cneih' ou
500 sober truth, there is neglect OF the rich
the the part of the poor that squite as unjust a
I'd in quite as hard to bear Ifthere is gulf betwt
dia the rich man and the poor man, the latter d
arls, quite as much to dig it and keep it open az
sses former There are multitudeS of rich n
mali whose wealth has the tendency to enlarge tn
IS in sympqthies, and to fill them with good "
earls particularly toward all those whom they HI
ones known in their less prosperous years
lere. these men of generous nature the loss
sympathy and friendship is grievous deprl
ton.
A.. Money does not make the man. The p'
I;sI 1ia' man will tell us this as if he believed it,
WIN IN either he does not believe it, or he belle
, uo that the rich man does not believe it; certain
IetpI i in his intercourse with the rich man, he d
u % .'io not manifest his faith in this universe
run run accepted maxim. He merely accepts the 7
s man Scourtesies as condecenson and patrOna
&c M =, and is offended hy them. No; let no poor 4
l. 'ts talk of the pride and supercousness OF ric
Nc NC !. until his selirespectful poverty is ready
AZ ~ meet those riches half way, and to have tu
in the good will and common human sympa
s.;d of those who bear them. q. H0ltdI
fort Scri6ner for February.
hand A citizen of Germantown writes us that
, free is glad his mother in.aw lives in the sa