Jasper Banner, Volume 2, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 January 1856 — Anecdote of Mr. Marcy. [ARTICLE]

Anecdote of Mr. Marcy.

“To be rich,” said Mr. Marcy, our . worthy Secretary, of State, ‘‘require I only a satisfactory condition of the [ mind. One man maybe rich with a ' hundred dollars, while an or her, in Jthe possession of millions may think , himself poor; and as the necessities .of life are enjoyed by each, it is evident the man who is the satitlied with Lm is the richI est. To illustrate this idea, Mr. Marcy related the following anecdote', “While I was Governor of the State of New York,” said he, ‘*l was called upon one morning at my office by a ’ rough specimen of a backwoodstnafi, who stalked in and commenced conversation by inquiring, ‘if this was Mr. Marcy?' “I replied that that was my name “ Bill Marcy?’ said he. 1 no.lcd assent. “ Used to live in Southport, didrt'*: iye?’ I “1 answered.in the ' began to feel a little curious to know 1 who my visitor Was arid whpl he driving at. « back-woodsman, bringing hand down on his thigh with a tremendous l force; *1 told ’em you was the same old BiUy Uf®Uft,liyft.hi Southport, but they woufdrrt believe it and I promised the next time t c-ameto Albany to come and sea you and find out for sartin. Why, you know me, don’t you Bill?’ “I did n,t exactly like to ignore his • acquaintance altogether, but for the life of me 1 could n’t recollect ever haveing seen him before; and so I replied that he had a familiar countenance, but that I was not able to call “ ‘My name is Jack Smith,' ana verd the back-woosdman, ‘and we used to go to school together'thirty years ago, in the- little red school-house in old Southport. Well,times has changed since then, and you have become a great man, and got rich 1 suppose?’ “1 shook myihead, and was going to contradict that iiwression, when he proke out with: I “ ‘0! yes you are: I know you are ‘rich! no use denying it. You was ’ Comptroller for—for a long time; and the next I heard of you, your were i governor. You must have made a • heep of money, and I am glad of it, I glad to see you getting along so smart. You was always a smart lad at school, and 1 knew you would come to something.’ ‘‘l thanked him for his good opinions,but told him that political life ; did not pay so well as be imagined. J suppose, ‘said 1, 'fortune has smiled upon you since you left Southport? | “ ‘0! yes/ said he, ‘I hain’t got nothing to complain of. 1 must say I’ve got along right smart. You see, shortly after you left Southpart oqr whole family moved up into Vermont and put right into the "woods, and 1 reckon our family cut down I more trees and cleared more land than any othes in the whole State.’ ’ “ * And so you have made a good i thing of it. How much do you coni eider yourself worth?’—l asked, feel- ■ ling a little curious to know what Ke* I considered a fortune, as he seemed to be so well satisfied with his: “ ‘Well,’ he replied, ‘I don’tknoWexactly how much 1 am worth, but I think, (straightening himself up) if all my debts were paid J would ba worth three hundred dollars olenn jcasbi!’ And he was rich for lie. wae satisfied. I j? Nickerbocker. whose credit fir gofie j with washerwomen have adopted the* economical phm- of- -having their shirts white-wanked. This method is said by those who have tried it te work excellently. ■,