Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1874-09-16
Miscellany.
BPgglrS.

In tale of history your beggar Is ever
the Just antipOde to voUr king. The
poets and romancicil writer's (as dear
Margaret Newcastle would call them,
when they would most sharply and
feelingly paint reverse of fortune,
never stop till they have brought down
their hero in good earnest 10 rags and
the wallet. The depth of .he descent
illustrates the height he falls from
There Is no medium which can be pre-
scented to the ina ginatiOn without Of
fence. There is no breaking the fall.
Lear, thrown from his palace, must di
vest him of his garments, till he
answer "mere nature; and Cresseid,
fallen from a princes love, must extend
her pale arms, pale with other white
ness than of beauty, supplicating lazar
aims with bell aud clap dish.
The Lucian wits knew this very well;
and, with a converse policy. when they
would express scorn of greatness with
out the pity, they show us an Alexan-
der in the shades cobbiiBg shoes, or a
Semiramis getting mp foul linen.
How would il sound IN song, that
great monarch had declined his aff-c-
tiuns upon the daughter of a baker
vet do we feel the Imagination at all
violated when We read the ''true bal
lad" where King Cophetua woos the
beggar maid
Pauperism, pauper, poor man, are
expressions of pity, bat Pity alloyed
with contempt. M one properly con-
tennis beggar. Poverty is compar-
ative thing, and each degree of 1t Is
Knocked by its ''neighbor grice. Its
poor rents and comings III are soon
summed up and told. Its pretences to
property are almost ludicrous. Its
pitiful attempts to save excite smile.
Every scornful companion can weigh
its trifie bigger purse against 1t. Poor
man reproaches poor man in the streets
with impolite mention of his condition,
his own being a shade better, while the
rich pass by and jeer at both. No ras
cally comparative insults beggar, or
thinks of weighing purses with him.
He is not In tue scale OF comparison.
He is not under the measure OF prop
erty. He confessedly hath none, any
more than a dog or sheep. No one
twitteth him with ostentatiOn above ms
means. No one accuses him of pride,
or upbraideLh him with mock humll-
ity. None josile with him for the wall
or pick quarrels for precedency. No
wealthy neighbor seek-th to eject BIN
from his tenement No man sues him
No man goes to law with him. III ]
were not the independent geutlemab
that am. rather than | wouid be a re
tainer to the great, a led captain, or
poor relation, [ would choose. out OF
the delicacy an tau, greatness ot my
mind, to be beggar.
Rags, which are the reproach OF pow
erty. are the beggars robes and grace
full insignia of his profession, his ten
ure, his full ii. 80, the suit III which ne
is expected to show himself in public.
1e is never out of the fashion or limp
eth awkwardly behind 1t. He Is moi
required to put on court mourning
He weareth all colors, fearing none.
His costume hath undergone less
change than the @ Iakers. He is the
ONLY man in the universe who Is not
obliged to study appearances. Ihe
ups and downs of the world concern
him no longer. He alone continueth
in one stay. The price OF stock or land
affecteth him not. The fluctuations OF
agricultural or commercial prosperity
touch him not. or. at worst, but change
his customers. He Is not expected 10
become bail or surety for any one. No
man troubleth him with questioning
his religion or politics de Is the ohI.
free man in the universe.