The Brookhaven leader., 1883-06-28
Reverses.

In this country it often happens that
the millionaire of to-day is the beggar
of tomorrow, and the beggar of to-day
Is tomorrow millionaire. The young
ladv whose cheek has never been visited
by any rough wind is suddC My cast
adrift on the world unprotected, and
compelled to sink or swim as she may
be able. The young lady who has
known only the hard side of life is sud-
denly removed into an atmosphere of
ease and luxury. These turnings of For
tune wheel afford very decisive tests of
the stuff one is made of. They show
that it is not what we have, but what
we are, that is the important thing. A
boor in palace is boor still, and
manifests his nature unmistakably. A
gentleman, a gentlewoman, in heart, is
such everywhere, and can not deny or
disguise himself or herself. Perhaps if
all the secret chagrin and pain and an
noyance suffered by those who are sud-
denly overtaken by wealth, on account
of their own shortcomings and of their
ignorance concerning the appropriate
and elegant uses of wealth, were placed
side and side with the pain suffered by
those suddenly reduced from wealth to
poverty, the sum total would not be
very far apart. There are rich people
who need pity as much as poor people,
and the exercise of charity and forbear-
ance. Money does not heal all 1.-The ills
that flesh is heir to-" Poverty is not
the worst thing that can befall man.
These mutations in the social world are
of 10 IN HxyinH
storms are to the atmosphere.
They purify it and help to keep it
fresh and healthful. When the
daughter of wealth descends = or
should we not more justly say, as
cends?-to the ranks of the laborer,
she carries with her all her refinement
of mind and person and manner, all
her acquisitions of elegant accomplish
ment, all the culture she has gained in
the walk of life in which she was born.
And these she can not but communicate
in a greater or less degree to her fell
low-workers, and so far be help and
a blessing to them. She has opportun-
ity to display whatever talent may have
descended to her from the founder of
the estate she has lost, and we often see
in women of this class remarkable de-
velopment of talent entirely latent till
adverse (?) circumstances called it forth.
If we regard the varied experiences
of life as disciplinary and so designed
to be, then we can accept reverses OF
whatever sort thankfully and allow
them full sway in developing within us
all the noble fruit they are capable OF
developing courage, patience, forti-
tude, resignation. We are told to
"count it all joy when we fall into
divers temptations" or tests, because
we thus have chance to prove the gold
il there is any in our characters, and
know if it is pure or not. When we
learn to take Fortunes buffets or re-
wards with equal thanks" we can then
enjoy almost equally poverty or wealth.
1t is good for man to struggle with
poverty, to wrestle with the hard
problems of life, to taste its bitter cups,
If all the time he holds himself true to
Truth and Virtue, to those lofty ideals
of excellence which have in every age
stimulated men and women to the pur-
suit and attainment of the highest
prizes awarded to heroism and nobility.
Those who have passed from the
tropical regions of wealth to the arctic
regions of poverty often imagine that
they are not appreciated and their
struggles are not observed. In fact
they have lost only the regard of those
who courted them for their wealth, and
they have again come within the reach
of the blessing, not the curse, pro-
nounced upon Adam" In the sweat of
thy brow shalt thou eat bread" Itwas
the ground that was cursed for Adam S
sake that it might bring forth thorns
and thistles, and that from his labor in
subduing it might come to him all the
blessings and satisfactiOns and rewards
OF life. There is a serene satisfaction
the poor may enjoy in knowing that such
friends as they do have prize them for
intrinsic qualities. The lives of quiet
patience and heroism lived by some of
this class are known only to few and
to God, but their chief reward is in the
proud consciousness they have of op-
posing to disaster an undaunted front
and steadily converting it into the nutri-
ment of virtue.
AS we know not what may befall our
children, il is wise to bring them up in
such habits of life as will enable them
to adorn wealth if it should be theirs,
or to dignity and illuminate poverty
with all the nobler virtues as well as
those of less degree. 1t is far easier to
bring up child in poverty in habits of
industry and self-reliance than one in
wealth, but the far-sighted parent, how
ever great may be his material resources,
will not neglect to lay such foundations
in his child of principle and habit as
will, in the hour of reverse that may
come to him, enable him to keep from
sinking beneath the waves of adversity.
N. Y. Tribune
A C0lOred PhilolOgist.