The Billings herald. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1882-1885, 1884-10-25
A Plea for One IN Adversity.

BILL Nye.J
l learn with much sadness that Mr..
William Fl. Vanderbilt's once princely
fortune has shriveled down to $3.50, 600, ;
600. This piece of information comes
to me like clap of thunder from a clear
sky. Once petted, fondled and caressed,
William H. Vanderbilt, shorn of his
wealth. and resting upon no foundation
but his sterling integrity, must struggle
along with the rest Of us.
1t would be but truth to say that Mr..
Vanderbilt will receive very little SYM
pathy from the world now in the days
of his adversely and penury, when the
wolf is at his door. There are many OF
his former friends who will say that
William could economize and struggle
along on $50, ,0OO, 600, but let them try
it once and see how they like it them
selves; $3.50, 0,OOO, 900. with no salary out
side of that amount, will not last for
ever.
A poor man might pinch along in such
a case till he could get something to do,
but we must remember that Mr.. Van
derbilt has always lived in comparative
lv comfortable circumstances. His
hands. therefore, are tender, and his
stomach juts out into the autumn air.
He will, therefore. find it hard at first
to husk corn and dig potatoes. When
he stoops over a sawbuck around New
York this winter his stomach will be in
the way and his vest will no doubt split
open on the back. All these things will
annoy the spoiled child of luxury, and
his broad features will be covered with
sadness. They will, at least, if there is
sadness enough in the country to do it.
The fall Of William H. Vanderbilt and
his headlong plunge from the proud
eminence to which his means had ele-
waited him, downward to the crlnginR
poverty of $3.50, 100000 should be a sad
warning to us all. This fate may fall to
any of us. Oh, let us be prepared when
the summons comes. For one, believe
1 am ready. Should the dread news
come to me tomorrow that such a fate
had befallen me I would nerve myself
up to it and meet it like q man. With
the ruin of my former fortune would
buy me crust of bread and some pie,
and then l would take the balance, 60
over into Canada, and there 1 would es-
tablish home for friendless bank CASH
iers who are now there, several hundred
of them, and with no one to love them.
All kinds of charitable institutions,
costing many thousands of dollars, are
built in America from year to year for
the comfort of homeless and friendless
women and children, but man is left out
in the cold. Why is this thus? Lots OF
people in Canada. of course, are doing
their best to make it cheerful and sunny
for our lovely cashiers there, but still it
is not home. As a gentleman once said
in my hearing, "There. is no place like
home" And he was right.
In conclusion, l do not know what to
say, unless it be to appeal to the news.
paper men of the country in Mr.. Van.
derbilt's behalf. While he was wealthy
he was proud and arrogant. He said,
"Let the newspapers be blankety
blanked to blank" or words to that
effect, but we do not care for that. Let
US forget all that and remember that his
sad fate may some day be onr own. In
our affiuence let us not lose sight of the
fact that Van is suffering. Let us pro-
cure a place for him on some good
paper. His grammar and spelling are a
little bit rickety, but he could begin as
janitor and gradually work his way up.
Parties having clothing or funds which
they feel like giving may forward the
same to me at Hudson, Wis, postpaid,
and if the clothes do not fit Van they
may possibly fit me.