Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-08-20
nz111a1A GAZETTE AI2vE2TIsE1E
The Poor ssBI0ated BOndhOlder."

The Poor ssBI0ated BOndhOlder.'
Upon one of the os! crowded thoroughfarcs
of great an lca1tless city stood man hold
ing out his hat to the passers by. He had evil
denl} seen letter days. There was faded ele.
gapce about the debris of his clothing, and bis
rudy nose had lost its original brightness. The
mute appeal Of the empty hat touched the SEN
sibilies Of the popuace. The striker and the
graogcr, the aboriDg man and the man who
lives by making speeches to the laboriDg man,
I'll looked at him with those eyes of pity that
are 50 soothldg 10 the empty stomach, and said
sadly as they passed on. "Alas poor bloated
tondholler u The heart Of the philanthropist
bled for tho poor bondbolder; and he said to
himself, us is his habit, Somebody else ought
to minister to the wants Of yon Borrowing capt.
talist After all, he is our fellow creature.
Reprcssng, therefore, the temporary weakness
that urged him to drop cent into the appealing
void Of the mute yet eloquent hat, he approach
ed the bloated bondholder. and said 10 those
rich tones that are so satisfying to the pangs OF
hunger, "Prythce, friend, tell me thy sad his
Tory" Touched by tho kindly voice ct phllan'
thropy, the bcated bondholder turned upon
him the starlikc sorrows Of immortal eyes, and
sang slowly from his place
Sad is my late. said the hcartbrckeu stranger
The hummer and beat TO the refuge may flee;
But have no shelter FROM striker or granger
No interest nor dividend comes unto me.
Then su5sidiog into prose, in broken voice
bulky with emotion, he spakc TO this effect ;:
| Sir have seen better days. was born OF
rich but dishonest parents, and while yet
| youth | sat at the feet of capital and learned
all the occult lore of political economy. During
my eiddy youth [ loved the rapture of the
chase, and bunted The wild bull and bear to
their secret lair with tra-la la-la through the
breezy copses of Wall street. But as older
grow. joiniDg:a corsair crew, learned the Wis
dom of investing my capital 10 legitimate en-.
tcrp!ises. took stock 10 rich railroads, mag
uiGcent coal lands, in ocean steamships, in IN
suranua companies, 10 air lines 10 trust COM
panics, in real estate. 10 banks 10 short, 10
every legitimate way in which capital Can link
its destines with labor [ invested and took
stock. took mortgages-Grst, second. and
third, | took preferred stock. bonds, scrip-all
these securities [ now hold. am bloated
bondhollcr.'
Here emotion choked bis voice; his tea-
lures worked eonvulsvely, aud small! pei
lucid drop, holding 10 solution phosphate
of lime and chloride Ct sodium, trlckied
dogr his onco ruddy nose. The sympa-
tbies OF the phlantropist were 80 deeply
stirred that he inadvertently put his hand
10 his pocket and caught up cent; but
the touch of that small metallic disc re
stored him to practical life. lie dropped the
coin back into bis pocket, and again wheeled
his car. flap towards the detected capitalist -
II have little more to add. Business, as per.
haps you arc are aware, collapsed from Hated
ard fictitious prosperity. Was that my fault
The great lines of railway 10 which | held TO-
terrsts suffered for lack of business and began
to collapse People lost interest 10 coa, and
coal sank in price. Real estate sank to hall Its
value lnsuranc, companies busted--axcuse
the vulgar expression. The public yearnog for
air linca subsidized, and bank off GERS ran away
with the cntrc proceeds Of banks. Were all
these my faul! ? Wasn't it ] that lost most by
them Yet |. the innocent B. b, was held
up to scorn and execratlop. But this !, not
the worst | was made The object Of the en-
yenonel hatred of tho granger. | had never
hurt tic granger lie came to me and begged
rle TO lend him my money to build railroads.
lie gave INC his bonds 1t was through him
that became 'bloated, and it was my mon
cy that built his railroads. Well, sir, as soon
as his roads were built, was called Shy
lock, and made the victim Of his political, judi
cial, legislative, and executive revenge. The
more he refused to pay my bond the more be
rcpudiated, the moro he called me Shylock
and bioated bondholder. lie passed laws tc
run my railroad in his Interest instead Of mino
and then derded the financial sounduess Of the
institutions. Then came the strikes. Tho
graDgers had cut down the ireights uulil tho
roads couldn't pay; now the strikers insist tina
freights shall be put up so that they can pay
the hands. The coal hands strike because the
don't get enough. can't pay more berc. aus
tho railroad hands say that frcights mus",. 20 IN
aud consumers won't have coal at present prices
All the workingmen want mo 10 do difFeren
things, but as none Of my investments pay
can't do any, | can on,y bear their abuse il
silent misery. Ad SO camo on the street.
have seen better days. And now, sir, can yol
help 4 poor old bloated bondheder ?" Tht
philanthropist looked at the detected capitals
with moistcned eyes. lie put his hand to BIZ
pocket, buttoned it up, and walked slowly ant
sadly away.-BuN. Gazette