Smyrna times., 1874-10-14
A Man in a Mask.

A week or two ago a butcher died in a
neighborlng city-a common place fellow with
the most common OF names, not even mem
Der of any beneficial order Neither Red Men
nor Sons of Pythias could be summoned to
give dignity to the funeral of this their de-
parted brother" Neither the deaths nor
lives of butchers and their like, as we all know,
are apt to be much observed by the educated
and refined classes. Young men and women
Of aesthetic habits of thought, who have a
great deal to say of the nobility and immortal
tendencies Of Humanity in the distant mass,
find meager supplies for reflection in the hOd-
carrier at work outside, with pipe in his
mouth or their SNUG faced grocer measuring
out molasses. or the butcher that cuts off their
steak in a bloody apron, cracking his joke
meantime with other bloated looking fellows
in the market. Such people, in the psychOlo-
gical scales held by refned sensibiity, can
weigh but small weight in the world; when
we quote about them with sad acquiescence
in the evils Of Providence that such things
should be, "A life of nothings-notaing
worth, we feel that we have finally disposed
of their case, neatly and civlly. When one of
them happens to die, we know of course that
his family or children will miss him but out
side of that it will not much affect the sale OF
sugar or beeves-anl what more can it do?
| We order our morning chop from another stall
and there the matter is at an end.
| This man was u butcher OF butchers-cOarse,
| fat, with look and voice daily growing iu
likeness to those of his own beeves That
must have been a sanguine reader of human
nature who could have discovered in the big,
rough old man fourishing his ceaver behind
| his stall, or driving in his buggy from slaugh
ter pen to drove-yar1, any token of refinement
of thought or delicate feeling. Perhaps his
wife or children, any little children who knew
him, understood him better. For one day, 8
fortnight ago. the butcher died, having amassed
fortune. When his will was read it wa,
found he had set apart large share OF this
money to charitable purpOSeS-nOt, however
in the usual ways, by which tho dead arr
glorifed quite as much as pOsterity is benefited
He did not endOw chair in a college or builC
a church or library to be called by his name
he lett neither encouragement to art, literature
nor science. What did he know of art, tera
ture, or science? He gave. no aid to doctrina
religion, being. We suspect, nothing OF theO
Logan. What he did know was the poor an
sick about him, and their needs, and he lef
his money here and there, in the places wher
his sound common sense told hun Il would b.
Of direct and certain service to them. Th
pleasure of the old man s life had been,
seems, not, as his educated customer wOult
have judged, in guzzling beer, or dog fighting
|
hand over as their appropriate property to les
cultured men than ourselves, but in the happi
! ness of little children. He humOred this gen
tie whim of his even in death. he set apar
| a sum for the use OF public institution wher
) poor children are received and cared for tn
interest Of the money, he ordered, should b
devoted to giving them a good dinner ant
unlimited delights on the Fourth OF July
fireworks included, and to second gran
, holiday on Christmas, dinner, tree, an
presents for every child.
There is something human aud hearty enoug
in these last words Of the poor butcher to cove
the selfish greed and vanity OF a hundred othe
. Wills Notice the defiance of all tyrannica
Mayors and Councils who have prOhibite
4. crackers and rapturous Catharine wheels W
3 fancy the Jolly old fellow went out of life wit
knowing nod and wink to the boys no ha
made happy forever, and will chuckle in hi
S grave when the day comes, that these beggare
S little chaps can defy all authorities, and fill tn
d asylum with a glory of gunpowder and blu
+ lights beyond all others in the city. Whe
D Christmas day dawns, too, and gives to tn
G poor babies whom the world has used so hardly
y not only the shelter and food which are the
1 necessity, but the unnecessary miraculous b
e OF fun, the treat OF candy, the wonderful tret
@ the little gift, all that tender father woul
Y have planned t) remind them Of Him VIII
Q loved them best OF all, we like to believe tn,
t the old mans fatherly heart will feel their hal
J. piness and share it wherever he is, and thi
9 whatever may be his part in those lives beyon
n the grave, each Christmas will bring hi
: nearer to that Elder Brother who took Il
IS children in his arms and blessed them. II
e legacy TO US too would be worth more than
J, the children it it should help US to look thrOug
J, the coarse faces and gross bodies about US
Il find in each the wholesome, clean thought, Il
= honor, the friendly humor-the one featul
1 which at least is always left to tell who was Il
,, divine father Of US all.-N. Y. Tribune.