The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1894-02-09

oil the civilized ages OF the world that an &,
ception to II 10 always interesting.
When the PHILOSOPHERS" OF CambridQ
visited the Adirondack In camping excu
sion several years ago, the curiosity of tt
people living In the vicinity centred itself 4
Agassiz. Everybody wanted to look upo
the man who had "no time 10 make money.
aud who had recently refused tn accept an Of
fee with very high salary, rendered to bin
bv Napoleon III. Accordingly, on the arrl
val of the distinguished party at the entranc
to the wilderness the selectmen of the town
armed with q copy of q newspaper containin
Agassiz's portrait, met them at the tavern
Emerson, Lowell and others we're scrutinize,
one by one without any special demonstrate,
but when the modest savant was reached TIL,
chairman CT the board. pointing bis trium
plant finger alternately at the newspaper ant
at the object Of their search, exclaimed
"That's him That's him." Jay Gould cou,e
not have excited more lively interest.
Indeed, extremes always meet. To possesl
millions and to desptse millions, to carry the
burden of great fortune successfully and t.
put great fortune under foot. are speotacle'
of power equally impressive. Addison tell,
US, in one of the most charming of his con
tributions to the Spectator, that Pleasure ant
Pain undertook at first to divide the W rid be-
tween them, but finding emo person so viciou'
who had not some good In him, nor any per.
son 80 virtuous who had not IN him some
evIl' they concluded to marry and make their
visit among men as companions. Dante rep.
resents Count Ugolino ami bis victim as froz.
en- in block Of Ice amid the fires of hell.
How bewildered would have been the OH
ciaIs referred to II they had been further In
formed that the wonderful person whom they
scanned SO curiously was still indebted to
Humboldt for some financial aid given to him
In hts early days' and that he had written to
his creditor begging the prlvi eye, out Of
mere sentiment, of remaining 10 the debt as
long as he livedl They would have sooner
expected to see water running up hill than a
man who could reverse all the laws OF human
nature on the subject OF money.
Webster's Indifference to everything of the
sort Is well known. One day, having pur-
chased cord OF wood for his law-ofii e In
Boston, he employed man to saw 1t into
suitable lengths and bring 1t in. A short
time afterwards the man, not having beer
paid, called at the office and gaining access 10
the great lawyer, said: "Mr. Webster. n
you pay me today for saving that woodr
itp" "Six dollars" That sum Of money
changed pockets Immediately. Waiting two
weeks the man called again. 'Mr. Webster.
would 1t be convenient for you to pay me
VOW for saving that woodp' "Oertainly.
How much is i,?' "Six dollars" Again the
money! was paid. But the lawyer was not
satisfied even with this system OF double
entry. After further delay, shrewdy cal.
culated as he thought, he presented himself a
third time with his little BIZ, and third time
received the money, just as he was disap-
pearing In high glee through the DOORWAY,
however, Webster called him back. INV
good man." said he, "it's all right; but don't
come again
The following ancedote, illustrating the
same trait of character, was given to me by
friend who In the early days OF the civil war
ode with Fletcher Webster, his college class
nate, from Washington to Harper's Ferry,
md received IL then from the Colonel's own
ips:
On the occasion of one of Fetcher's visits
o bis father, shortly before the latter's death
d Washington, 1t became known to the
aniy ttat the government OF the United
'tates had long been indebted to Mr.. Webster
n account of salary undrawn In the eum OF
bout $4,000. The old gentleman had never
AIKEN the trouble to go after the money
Fletcher determined to make the cole ction. |
nd after two or three days Of hard work in
recurring the necessary vouchers he finally |
ncceeded. Placing the gold I'm Il canvas bag |
nd carryi Ing It home In triumph he proceed |
d at once 10 the study In an upper room In |
he house. Without word of comment he |
uddenly poured the shining contents of the |
ho tab. osr,tno
,g. Mr.. Webster, looking up IN great a.
'nishment. inquired where all that money
ad come from On being Informed he drew
Ia hand through the pile OF coin and, push
,g generous share towards Fletcher. said
There, my son, that yours. And now"
reaching under the table fer black bottle)
let's take drink"
Another singular instance OF uncorcern for
'onev, even as an in.trument for paying
ONT st debts. Is found in the life Of William
lit, Prime Minister of England and one of
le greatest men that ever ruled nation. He
as bachelor; he lived alone with his SER
ants; he had no needy relatives or expensive
sblts. Absorbed In public affairs, be paid no
teDton to the manner in which bis domestic
was conducted. His servants
IN 1t, and ran it Nth q vengeance. Mscau-
? shy 8 that the waste was almost fabulous.
he quantity Of butchers meat charged IN
e bills was 1000 pounds week. The con-
lmption of poultry, OF fish, OF tea, WIS In
-oportion. The first lord Of the treasury
ould not give minute, even at the soicita-
On Of friends, TO consideration OF his own
lances The only pisce in thu world which
did not seek TO CO: quer was his Kitchen.
be cons querce was that at his death all
rites In the House of Commons united IN
ting 5000 90 to satisfy the creditors OF the {
tste.
The most illu.trious and perhaps also the Z
sst unfortunate caee of the kind on record. {
wever, is Lord Bacon's. Bacon was, even
)re than PITT, q victim to bis domestic sur
findings. His mother va!nly off red to came
protect him. At one OF bis household es- :,
,lishments he kept hundred servants, n
me of whom had cosches, some race bor.es, !,
all an unconc, ivHble thirst for tfelr MAJ g
IS money. Spt dding tells story that re. b
ats the strange manner Ia which the Phil .
,rher, statesman ard judge (no! to say
Pt) lived 10 his home:
In the year 1855 a booksellers hoy heard q,
ne gentleman talking In his mss'er's shop; Il
2 of them, gray -hstred man. was dPscrib- d
scene which he himstf had witnessed "
He had gone 10 see the Lord N
ancellor on business. who received him IN Il
study and, having occasion to go out, left ft
q there for q while alone. Whilst His $,
rdship was gore, said be, there oJmes In. 81
he study ore Of His Lordship's gentlemen ht
opens My Lords chest OF drawerstxher al
bic money was takes 1t out IN handfuls. fills OF
pcche.s and goss away without saying q h,
I'd TO me. He was no scorer gone tut In a,
nes another &c mt 'emar, opens the same "
wers, fills both his pockets with money su
goes awsv as the former did, without W
sking q word. Bacon, being told when be ki
,e back what had passed IN bis absenrs. eh
relv shook his head, and all be said was, on
:. cannot bele myself."" en-
IontaPu relates another incident to the In
'e .u ct. voe oay, immeo,aieiy aIter pO