The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-05-23
A PORTRAIT Of Vanderbilt.
By the Author Of euy Livingstone.

| One day driving back through Cen.
| trail Park-we were trying a famous
team, and had gone out early, so as to
| EF Fspeed y them, when the lane was COM
paratively clear-we met a wagon
drawn by pair of raking browns, go
ing at the lazy, Looping gait noticeable
in many trottfng celebrities, when not
extended. In the shadow of the hood
sat tall, spare, erect old man severe
and somewhat stately in his aspect
with the touch of the precision in the
trim of his beard, the fashion of his
sombre apparel, and the turn of his
broad brimmed beaver. Neither in fig
ure nor feature was there the faintest
resemblance, yet something in his pose
and method of handling the reins, re-
minded me at once of a deceased digni-
tary, better known in the Row than in
ConvocatiOn though austere dignity was
assuredlv not leading characteristic of
the Dean of st. Bunyan's. In acknowl-
edgement of my companions CHEEKY
hail, this solemn elder vouchsaved
short, surly nod, but scarcely a side
glance out of his hard, steady eye and
yet the two had been intimate for years,
and not seldom made venture in the
same argosy. Temperate and frugal
for tobacco is his sole excess, and a
trotting steed his sole extravaganza
not a fond husband or father, but just
in his hard way toward the children
scarcely protesting Christian, yet
rendering to the Church her dues, and
not slow to contribute to public chari-
ties both physically and morally abso-
lutely fearless prudent, patient, perse-
vering and sagacious; scenting either
danger or profit from afafwith keen
ness allied to instinct-such civic
crowns Vanderbilt may assuredly
claim. Now, turn another page: A
despot in council bully on the tav-
ern stoop everywhere, whether in Jest
or earnest, foul-mouthed, blasphe-
nous railer; grossly illiterate and boor-
ish, and boastful of both defects; ever
morose and saturnine, save when
moved to surly laughter by some bru-
tai Jest liberal in bribes, and some
the veriest miser of private aims; a
man who would rather, any day, hire a
sycophant than secure friend; always
utterly renlorseless, pitiless and unre-
lenting; and, in his arrogant intoler-
ance, of rivalry, often wantonly perfdi-
Gus and cruel. In the early part of this
century fourished, like mighty bay
tree, certain Marquis, one of the Re
gents chief worthless. He had practiced
the Seven Sins so sedulously and extern
sively that small sins had began to pail !
on his taste and, even in gambling, he
craved for some adventitious excite |
ment. 1" 1t is poor sport playing with
rich folks, he was wont to aver; "but |
l like winning of poor men--they feel it !
so. Truly, it would seem as if some !
Of the peculiarities of this amiable no. |
BILE had been reproduced in the Com !
modore. That man of his reticence
and reserve should keep his secrets
locked up is natural enough but that
he should not seldom mislead his fell
lows to their hurt, is somewhat unac-
He has, ere this, given
valuable clue to barkeeper, prize fight
er, or trotting jockey, when his own
kin and familiars were cropping help /
lessly in the dark. Indeed, it is credi- |
bly, affirmed that his sOn-in-law, after |
being trapped in divers commercial pit |
falls, only escaped ruin by at last going !
counter to the Commodore's sugges-
lions and, ever since, he has stood |
nuc.l1zEi8I1ier In the old rllln Iarr7r,
one who, having paid his prentice fees, |
S entitled to the honor of an independ- |
mt trader. Assuredly, their are very
many mansions in New York that would |
still remain closed against this Roi
CaroHe, were his wealth and power
5rebled. Nevertheless, he is beyond .
question, rather a popular favorite.
When, while ago, not month after the
Heath of his first wife, the mother of
Ill his children, and his faithful help
meet for forty years, he sold her favor
te horse to the highest bidder, people
,nly laughed, saying, ''It was the
Commodore all over" and others of
lis social ofenses have in like manner
oeen CLOSED over and condond Well,
t little becomes us, who have gathered
Up reyerently the scattered aspirates OF
'ailway monarchs, and been edited by
fraudulent Gamaliels, to sit in iudg-
nent on our neighbors I; but think we
lave never vet bowed down before such
-, dol nc tbic