Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-09-25
Poverty and Riches.

BRAVE YOUNG HEARTS THAT PERISH WITH THE LIGHT
OF HOPE STILL BURNING.
From the New Orleans Picayune.
Solon's dictum that no man should be accounted
happy until after his death may be recalled by a
pensive philosopher now and then While inwardIy
coming the long list OF the old citizens OF New
Orleans who have survived their wealth. How
often does one meet upon the streets OF this city
gray-headed men who once were princely mer-
chants or lordly planters and now are Compelled
to struggle hard Tor scanty support?
AT q spectacle like that one may query whether
such man is more to be pltied than he VINO has
never tasted the sweets OF good fortune but All
his life long has tOiled hard the Oar against an
adverse tide. "Use," said Shakespeare, .'doth
breed habit In man" and 1t might be argued
that he VINO has never known prosperity, having
become hardened to poverty, cannot suffer as he
does who has fallen from high estate. But to
argue thus would be TO ignore the numerous dis
appointments that enter into every poor manis
life. In this country it is especially dif1icut 10
settle down 70 "hard commons" There seems to
lie before US so much opportunity for enterprise
and we are surrounded by SO many examples Of
brilliant success, that even the poorest and mosI
and fame This Is particularly true or the Young.
II is said that every American boy expects 10 be
President OF the United States, and when one
| thinks OF Andrew jackson, Andy johnson and
Abraham Lincoln that expectation is in some
measure justified. But, as TennysOn puts it. "The
one succeeds, the many fail" And IL is sad to
think OF the many thousands and tens of thou
sands OF young hearts that have broken In silence
while the light or hope faded before their eyes and
The great doctrine OF compensation holds GOOD
| all along the line. The balance may NOT he n
actly even, but there Is always some onset FOR
either good or evil fortune. The other day we
read that Mr.. VIM. Vanderbilt felt constant sense
| OF pressure from the magnitude OF his wealth NE
was a slave TO his own property. He was mar.
rassed by continual demands for money being in
that respect almost as badly of as an lmpecun1ons
wretch Deset by throng or relentless cretIifors
The condition OF his stomach would moi hermit
hun to enjoy champagne or rich viauds He com.
| patned that his grand mansion was only o board.
ing house for servants, and as for his wealth he
had never been able to see 1t. After all physical
enjoyment is limited not so much by fortune as by
| bodily strength, and the highest intellectual
/ pleasures are within reach OF the DOOR few
| good books, seeing eye, and q hearing ear viii
| equip man for empyrean flights
On the other hand, It would be easy to push this
view too far. 1t Is not true that the rich man mas
no real and serious disadvantages over the noor
man. In this commercial age money always COM
mands consideration and cOnfers Distinction The
poor man does not easily secure an audience The
nrst inclination Is TO set rundown as a hero
there are too many or this sort already. He can,
not return your hospitality, introduce you 10 in.
nuential people or provide an eligible bride 10,
your son. The TACT Is, the man has not yet won
| MS spurs. Why Is he poor, unless IL be that he
lacks the elements OF powerful character? The
rich man who has made his own fortune feels thai
| he has at the same time demonstrated his NAM
hood. He fOrgets how often he has succeeded nv
reason OF Unforeseen circumstances-sheer luck.