The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1895-09-12
GOLDSMITH AND AMERICA.
He Paid His Passage to This Country, Al
though He Did Not Come.

He Paid His Passage to This Country. Al
though He Did Not Come.
Oliver Goldsmith had but lately
completed a rather wild and irregu-
lar course of study in college, and
his kinsfolk had insisted that he
should become country parson, as
his poor father had been before him.
He felt his unfitness for such a call
ing, but he cared less for that than
for some of the irksome restraints
that it would impose. For instance,
he could not bear the thought of be-
ing obliged to wear long wig when
he preferred short one or of being
always dressed in a black coat when
one of bright colors suited his fancy
so much better. He had frankly told
his relatives that he preferred pref
ty clothes to the hard lot of a poor
parson, and yet, as neither he nor
they could think of any other bust
ness for which he was better fitted,
hea last consented to apply for holy
orders. But when the time came for
him to go to the bishop of Elphin to
be ordained he could not resist the
temptation to wear a pair of beauti-
full scarlet breaches with long hose
and the brightest buckles. For would
he not become parson tomorrow
and be forever afterward condemned
to sober black? The good bishop was
mortified at such levity and refused
70 ordain him. Perhaps upon exami-
nation he found that the young man
was entirely ignorant of the cate
chism.
This failure of divers had been
much less of disappointment to
him than to his friends. But as he
was now 90 years old and his moth
er was very poor it was highly nee
essary that he should find something
to do. And SO he had found employ
ment as a private tutor in a wealthy
family near Lissoy. From his pupils
point of view he was no doubt an
accomplished and successful teacher.
He was only great boy himself,
and life would have been one long
holiday to everybody if he could
have had his own way. But his way
did not please his employer, and
finally after a quarrel, for which Oil
yer was doubtless to blame, he was
dismissed. The money which he had
earned at tutoring, however, was
sufficient to equip him as a knight
Grant, for it enabled him to buy
the horse and the splendid new suit
of clothes with which, as 1 have said,
he rode ONE fine morning into the
city of Cork.
To his great satisfaction he found
a ship already in port waiting only
for favorable winds to sail for Amer.
lea He lost no time, therefore, in
selling his horse and in making q
bargain with the captain for his
passage to the new world. Then he
sailed out to see the town. He haG
no difficulty in making friends, fol
he had money in his pocket, and he
proceeded to share it with all the
beggars and street loafers that he
met. He was ready to relieve every
case of distress that came to his no.
tice, and many were the boon fel
lows whom he helped to entertain at
the tavern.
Several days were passed in this
way, and the $50 in his pocket
had dwindled to but little more than
80 shillings, and still the ship upon
one pretexb or another delayed its
sailing. One fine night, however,
while Oliver was in the country en-
joying himself with some newly
made acquaintance, a favorable
wind sprang up, and the captain,
entirely neglectful of his passenger,
ordered the vessel to be cast loose
from her moorings and the sails to
be set for the voyage. And in the
morning, when Oliver sauntered
leisurely down to the wharf, he
found that he had been left behind.
james Baldwin in st. Nicholas.