The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-05-08
OIIa-Podrida.

Stock IN B8fseiIi atFI paScAHS 'oIu-
alton in money upon our mental aud
physical properties, and We are aston
ishe1 a, the estimate Of our value
The idea occurred TO us in this way.
We were riding down Sutter street on
the dummy-tare FIVE cents-and right
here we throw in an iaterjectional
thought. Sutter street, California
street aud Clay street cable railroads
are our individual property. They are
built TO enable US TO come and 90 from
our residence 10 or business office;
they cost a million Of dollars, and all
We have to do is to hand the collector
who comes to US and asks US for it
five cents; ten cents day thirty
dollars a year No care, no anxiety.
no responsibility; a3rivilege to grum-
bic. and all for thirty dollars, and they
never cost US cent. So with the
Pacific Railroads We 90 70 the East,
to Arizona, north toward Oregon,
across to Oakland. have spl ndid
sleeping cars, smoking apartments.
could not use them more freely nor
more frequently if we owned them, and
all we have to ds is 10 pay our fare,
and the accommodation is at our COM
mani. Governor Stanford is not half
50 much st his ease about his business
as We are. II the car runs over a cow
or the company politician, it causes
no anxiety. We are not worried about
eminent domain-are not compelled to
elect legislators, and then purchase
them. We do not have to keep lobby.
We do not have any anxiety ABOUT Tom
Scott; we have no parasites TO cling to
us; no tlatterers to iawn around and
worry us; no band of mercenaries TO
hire. We are not vexed lest the Su-
prcme Court shall determine the value
OF a years subscription to the Argo-
Haut, nor do we anticipate any immedi-
ate regulation Of the tate at which the
news boys shall sell the paper. The
railroad cost 800, 200, 900, and We re-
gard 1t as our private estate, and look
upon Governor Stanford as our trustee
for its management. But we were rid
ing down Sutter street on the dummy,
and at the window of his elegant house
stood William 5. O'Brien, prisoner
within his gilded bars to ill-health,
and as he saw us enjoying our five cent
ride upon one OF Casebolt's joltiDg
we know he would have will
lingly exchanged his millions for our
health, and we at once mentally credit
cd ourselfin the book of life-we mean
in the ledger entry of life's book keep
ing with what we think O'Brien is
worth, say $4,000. 900. And then we
thought Of our friend Latham aud we
sal he is worth $4,000, 900; but he, too,
is sick, and we would not swap with
him. So we made another entry--S3.-
poo 900. Then there is John Parrott,
say worth about $1,000. 900, and he is
hot less than ID years older than ws
are, and as we would not sell 15 year,
If our life for all that John PARROT is
worth, we just carry to eur credit
another $5,00O,000. We thought of
Michael Reese and Nicholas Luning and
how they sweat their coin, and how
the multiplication table runs through
their heads OF a night, and of how they
cannot sleep, thinking of the sl0,000,-
that we loved books and
they do not; that we are fond of travel
ing in Europe and duck shooting, and
they have no time; that we enjoy
pictures. and sculptured marble. and
poetry. and literature, and we said:
Here's another Sl0.000.000 to your
credit. Mr.. Olla-Podrida And then
we called upon an acquaintance with
So 900, COO and Bright's disease of the
and another wealthy friend
with bad digestion, another with the
gravel, and as we would not exchange
Dur healthy kidneys for diseased ones,
and our digestion for a rebellious one,
we added several millions to the inven-
.ory of our wealth Then we called to
mind n friend with hereditary gout,
md another at whose hearthstone there
hts in shiveriug horror the dreadful
spectral fear ot insanity-an Inherited
disease that may make its appearance
It any moment; another with consump-
i've tendencies, ana we thought OF our
IGNORED parent. eighty nine years of
.ge, hale, hearty, virtuous old man,
Who has passed ali honorable, honest, !
emperate life, and now stands con-
ronting death and looking him square
Y in the face. welcoming him, not AS n |
hing Of horror. but as friend who
ball lift from his shoulders the burden
# well-spent, useful aud laborious
ife. From him We have inherited the
hances of q stout and healthy old age.
Ne would not sell our chances for ever
10 many millions. At night. when We
cached home and turned on the gas.
ND commenced to swear at the quality,
nd the memory of past bills. we added
N Hasgin's money 10 Peter Donabue's
i've or six millions between them, and
We Rugged ourselves IN the virtuous
!lusion that for all their wealth we
would not sell rs mean gas at such an
xhorbitant price As they 10. We made
ourselves brandy cold out of General
Saglee's best vintage. and mentally
cored his vinyards, his vaults, his tuns
+ splendid cognac, and said TO our
elves. All these things for which he /.
5 toiliug are ours at - gallon. We
ddei little Spring Valley water /
only little). and aftei We had drank /
,ur tipple We would not have been
,harles Webb Howard, with his water I
iexations. nor Senator Sharon, with |
lis money, his honors and his troubles. /
nd we carried their millions 10 our !
,ils. took another refreShar and went |
o bed-a good cne-snd dreamed that
III the money of the bonanza and the /.
ailroad kings, all the coin OF usurers /
md all the wealth of corporations We're
rot TO be compared with good health,
rood digestion, clear conscience and
be hope of glorious Immortality that /
Lrisns from, The consciousness OF a well |.