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Miscellany: The Beggar

Miscellany: The Beggar image
Parent Issue
Day
14
Month
August
Year
1843
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Many years sinco, whcn l was a young man about twenty years of age, I used very frequently to spend Sunday witli my mother, who resided at Versailles, this being the only day of the week on which I could leave Paris. I generally walked as far as the Barrier, and thenoe took a seat n one of the carriages to my raother's house. When I happened lo be too early for the diligence, I used to stop and converse with a beggar whose name was Anthony, and who regularly took hia station at the Barrier de Passy where in a loud voice, he 6olicited alms from every one who passed,with a degree of pereeverance that was ieally ostonÏ8hingf. I generaJly gave him a trifle, without inquiring whcther he descrvcd it ornot, partly beeause I had got into a lmbit o doing so, nnd partly to get rid of his importunities. One day n summer, as I waited fo the diligence, I found Anthony at his usua post,exercsing his accustomed form of petitior ♦For the love of heaven, bestow your alms on n. poor man- Messieurs, Mesdames, the small ett trifle will be gratefully received.' While Anthony was in this manner pouring his exclamation inlo the ears of every one who came withjn the reach of his voice, a middleaged man, of respectable appearance joined ub. He had a pleasant expression o countenance, was very well dressed, and it might be seen at a glance that he was a man in good circumstances. Here was a fit subject for a beggar, who quickly made his advances, proclaiming in a loud voice hispoverty, and soliciting relief. 'You need not be a beggar unless you please, replied the gentleman, 'when you have an incorne of ten thousand crotvns.' 'You are pleased to jest, sir,' said Anthony. 'By no mcans,' said the gentleman, 'Í was never more serious in my life. Listen to me my friend. You perceive that I am well dressed- and I will toll you, that I have every thing that a reasonable man need desire.' 'Ah, sir, you are a fortúnate man.' 'Well, my friend, I would not have been so if I had sat and begged as you are doing.' 'I have no other means of obtaining my living. 'Are you lame?' 'No sir.' 'You are not blind, nor deaf, and you certainly are not dumb, as ever passer enn tostify. Listen! I shall teil you my history in a few words. Some fifteen or twenty years ago I was a beggar like yourself: at length I began to see that it was very disgraceful to live on the bounty oí others, and I resolved to abandon this 6hameful way of life as soon as 1 possibly could I quitted Paris, went into the provinces and begged for oíd rags. The peopie were very kind to me, and in a short time I returned to Paris with a tolerable large bundie of rags of every description. I carriec them to a paper maker, who bought thern at a fair price. I went on collecting, until to my great joy my finalices enabled me to purchase rags, so that I was do longer forced to jeg for them. At length, by diligence and industry, I became rich enough to buy an as with two pannters, and Hjc-y vcd me botij ime and labor. My business increased; and aper makers found that I dealt honestly bytnem; j never palraed on bad rags for good ones; I prospered, and see the result. In place oF being a poor despised beggar, I have ten thousand crowns a year and two hoiises in one of the best. streets of Paris. If, tlien, my friend, you can do no better, begin as a rag raerchant. And here,' he contmued, 'is a crown to set you up in your new trade; it is more than I had; and in addition, please tnke noticc, that if I find yon here another Sunday, I shnll report you to the pólice.' On saying this, the old gentleman walleed ofij leaving Anthony and myself in a state of great surprise. Indeed, the beggar had been so much interested in the history he had heard, that he sfood with open mouth and eyeH, in mute astonishment, nor had he even power to solicit alms of two well dressed ladies who passed at that moment. I could not help being struck with the story, but I had no time to comment upon it, as the diligence had arrived, in which I seated myself, and pursued my way. From that perioc1 I lost sight of the beggar-, whether the fear of the pólice, or the liopes of gaining ten tliousand crowns a year, had wrought the change, I was not a ware; it is sufficient to say, that from thnt day forward he was never seeri at the Barrier. Many years afterwards, it happened that business called me to Tours. Jn strolling through the city, I stepped into a bookseller's shop to purchase a new work which had made 6ome noise. I found there four young men, all busily employed, while a stout, good lookinL man was giving them orders, as he wolked up and down with an air of importance. I thought I had seen thn face of the bookseiler before, but where, I could not for a moment teil, until he spoke, and tlien I discovered him to be my old friend Anthony. The recognition was mutual; he grasped my hand, and led me through his shop, into a well furnished parlor; he lavished every kindness on me; and finally, gave me his story from the time we parted at the Barrier. With the crovvn of the stranger he began, as he had advised him, to collect rags. He made money: became the partner of a paper manufaclurer; married his daughter; in short his hopes were fulfilled; his ambition gratified, and he coulil now count his income at ten thousand crowns. He prayed every day for blessings on his benefactor, who had been the means of raising him from the degraded condition of a common beggar. Anthony is so convinced of the evil and ein cf idleness, and of subsisting on the charity of others, that, while liberal and kind to those who are willing to work, no entreaties, no supplication ever prevailed on him to bestow a single sous on those whose who would not help tliemselves.

Article

Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News