American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-01-25
A FLEETfNG FORTUNE.

: Covetousness is supposed to be the fn
vorite vice of age, which seems to m
| strange. am old, and no longer hunge
; after wealth. What good would it do m
) now? Ny habits are settled, my passion
are extinct: quiet, freedom from pain ant
care, and the presers alton of my eyesight
are the only blessings crave. | hav
enough for food and clothing; not enough
to tempt others to flatter. calOle, and de
ceive me. But early in life longed fol
riches with an unwhOlesOme yearning
money scented to me the greatest good
vet even money was not worth tOiling for
When INDUCED in airy castle building
which was very Often-I always pictured
myself as finding treasure; landing q
double event at tremendous odds; having
a fortune left M; or becoming suddenly
rich in some equally facile manner-nevel
slowly, by hard work. In many novels,
the hero, poor, determines to achieve
wealth and fame at the end of one chap
ter, and when the next opens; he has dcne
are jumped. 1 wanted to jtimE them too.
| was quite willing to be ten years Oidef
and ten thousand times richer, could such
a bargain have been made. But it could
not; and dawdled the ten years away, and
| was just as poor as at the commencement.
And yet was once for a few hours, act
ually and literally. rich man: and it hap
pened in way which my fancy had tlot
pictured.
| was fond Of travelling about, and my
small means caused me to seek ihetpen-
sive modes of conveyance. My legs were
the cheapest. and I walked all over Eng
land, Scotland and Wales; but the coast
stopped me, for could not swim the chal1-
mel. Pay for my passage ! must, but |
would pay as little as could help; so
chose a long sea FOuts from England to
g rfn 1 in hn ll..u
hours of the night, l passed the evening
in mild dissipation. Dined off chop and
cheese with pint of cooper" followed
by pipe and glass of rack punch. Sat
in the pit Of d theatef froin tuta.n=rise to
curtain-set, only leaving when the brown
singing tavern brought me to half-past
twelve, and it was time to go to lily itin in
llolborn for my luggage. This was not
extensive, consisting merely of a leathern
bag, which could be worn when liked
as knapsack;- and with this in my left
hand, and stout oak stick tipped with
a formidable ferrule In my right, sought
the Docks. This must seem SO very ec-
centric to the y6ung people Of the pres
ent day, that !, think it better to men,
ton that it was upwards of thirty years
ago cabs and habits OF luxury have con-
siderably increased since then. In
the neighbOrhoOd of the Tower, the
streets were quite deserted. and
it was curious experience to hear ones
footsteps reechOing in the very center of
the capital of hustle. The traffic, rolling
backwards by the main arteries of the
city, only reached the car as faint, muf-
fled murmur, like that of the distant sea.
Turning into small place-a triangle of
houses, with paved court In its center
however, came upon a group of three
men, who seemed to be engaged in
ell 70 11s, n t,,lr.
row, L was passing on without notice.
when one of them called out ''Murder! ~
What a fine old English word that is
how expressive! The sight of it in large
print gives the blood pleasant curdle,
and forces the psrchaee CT an evening pa
per upon the man whose cOppers would
never be charmed out of him BY any sim
pie ASSASSINATION But heard in the
stiffness of night, there is muttered hor-
rcr in the word which is appalling.
L am not a chivalrOus man: shrink in
stinctively from mourning danger or even
discomfort on behalf OF friend, let alone
a stranger but there was ain earnestness
about that cry Which arrested my steps.
Again in 4 more stifled tone: ''Murder
Help!"
advanced towards the group and saw,
by the light of a dim lamp, that two OF the
men were STOPPING over third, who lay
on the ground. One of these rose on hear
ing my footsteps, and warned me with an
oath to go my way and mind my own
business; and as did not heed him, he
raised his right arm and ran at me.
Knowing something of fencing, l lunged
as he came up, catching him low in the
chest with the ferrrle Of my stick. and he
rolled over into the road with gasp and
a groan, and lay there doubled up. Hi
mate stood up, hesitated a moment, irreso-
Lutte, and then turned to flee; l struck him
fhn ha huvf ln.1 fol
bring him down, and he got away. Glad
enough to be rid of him. l went to the as
sistance of his victim, who still lay on thu
pavement; but he was not seriously in
jured; and when | had loosened his neck
cloth, and poured some of the contents of
my travelling flask down his throat, he
was able to get UP. Fortunately for him,
garroting had not yet been cultivated as
Il science. and he was only quarter-throt-
tied.
His first care was to feel for pocket in
side his waistcOat, having done which, he
said in a tone of intense relief: "They
have not got it! Thanks to you, young
man, they have not got it. You won't
leave me? You will see me to the boat
| can walk. o yes, l am better nOw.'
"DOn't be afraid" said l 81 will not
leave you till you are safe. What boat do
you mean?
''The Rotterdam
"Why, L am going by that myself.
am glad you can walk, for we have not
got Overmuch time to lOose.''
We were not more than quarter of a |
mile from the wharf, and had half an hour
to do it in; but did not think it incum-
bent upon me to go to the assistance of
the man who had served me as a plastro,,, |
and who still lay in the road: so We went |
our way, and LETT him there and whether |
he came round presently, or received any
permanent injury to his constitution from |
that poke in the stomach, | know not.
The man had rescued was gray-haired,
with a wiZened face deeply scored by |
and frame which did not seem |
capable of making the stubborn resistance
which he must have done in defense of
his property. The cab in which he start
ed for the Docks had broken down, and |
afraid Of being late, he had taken short
cut through the by-streets on foot, and
had been set upon by the rascals with
account he gave me on our way to the
wharf, which we reached i'm time. As for
his luggage, that had been taken on board
in the morning, when his berth was chO-
sen. The latter precautiOn | had neglect
ed, but found no difficulty in securing
sleeping accommodations, for the vessel
was not crowded; indeed. there were but
three passengers beside myself and the
old man. Not being used to five hours of
followed by walk and an en-
with strcet-theves, was tired,
and turned in soon after we started.
When l awOke, there was no
ing paddles. Had | slept through the
passage, and We're we at our journeys
end? Hardly, for in that case we should
be i'm still water, not Swaying this side