Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1819-09-18
MISS Renda. l shan't go = spinli

MSS henad. L Snant go - spinning,
! guess. ye"y soon. / shou~ well
nueeu at an cia spinning wheel, and
company coming in the dirty tow and
flax all over my face and clothes Be-
sides that, it is great deal cheaper to
buy cloth out and out, as Clara says, than
to make it at home.
Mr.. c. This is very different language
from that which farmers daughters used
forty years ago-your grandmothers and
their daughters were farmers wives and
farmers daughters. They were consid-
cred respectable in society-they were
Industrious, prudent, and economical
they thought it an honor to them to be
good spinners and weavers, and good dali
ry women-they took an honest pride in
showing their bundles of yarn, their
cloth, and their cheeses--they were con-
tented and happy without Turkey
carpets and gilt looking glasses. I'm
embarrassed in their circumstances, they
were strangers to mortgages, attach
ments, and eXecutions-the collector
called but once for his tax-thtir clothes
and furniture were substantially neat and
clean, and principally of Their own do
| mestic manufacture.
Mrs. c. Yes, yes, husband but don't
you know that those plain, old fashioned,
homespun goodies, knew nothing about
the taste and present style of living?
Mr.. c. Yes, | do; and happy for us
would it have been, if we had never
known it in our day. 1t cannot be sup
ported. Money does not grow on trees: :
and | verify believe, if the philosophers
stone which turns every thing into gold,
could be found in every field, it would
serve rather to increase the vices, follies,
and miseries of mankind. n.
Miss Renda. | declare, would run
the venture of that, if could find one
of them. | should have gold watch
and good parcel of beads, rings, and
jewels, pretty quick, l warrant yc.
Mrs. C. Come, Renda, don't talk such
nonsense. You know that that stone
don't grow about here; but if it did, your
father would be unwilling to let you have
such things-he could not afford it,
Say, husband, have you any objection to
buying the carpet and looking-glass p
You know we can't do without them ;
we really want them, to be decent.
Mr.. c. We have great many ina
ginary wants. Ifyou can point out any
way to raise money 10 pay for them
Mrs. c. Aye, there it comes again.
Ipoint out the way! How does Mr.. Til
ter find ways and means to buy all the
nice things he gets for his family? l
should be ashamed! You are worth as
much as he is; and your credit is as good
as his, any day in the year. True, he
made little money, they say, by specu-
lation and traAicking about; and he gets
money out of the bank, which we can do
as well as he.
Mr.. C. If my credit is good, ii is of
great importance to me and my family to
keep it so. Credit is a delicate thing
too free use of it spoils it. | know Mr..
Filters circumstances better than YOU
do. He is deeply in debt. All the show
and parade he and his family are now
making, are false apprenticeship owes
for it all. He has, it is true, borrowed
his money at the banks, to the sorrow and
ruin of himself, and, fear, to the injury
of his indorsers. His farm is mortgaged
to them already, and must go-Do you
wish to urge me into his situation? He
was doing well enough, while he attend
ed to his farming business. and lived
within bounds-the furniture in his house
was decent, and comfortable, and SO were
his and his family's clothing; but this
bewitching spirit of aping the rich and
afiluent, broke into his family, and turn
ed industry and economy out of doors.
Within twelve months from this time, he
and his family
At this moment, Miss Renda, vexed
at her fathers obstinacy, flounced into
the kitchen, and discovering me, gave
notice in the other room, and put an end
to the dispute. l was little vexed too,
as ! felt wish to know who would have
ultimately prevailed. did my errand,
and withdrew. su
On returning home, I reflected upon
the subject of the present hard times
What is the cause Is it the scarcity of
money? think not. Every body who
has yoke of oxen, or COW, or pig, or
bushcl of potatoes to sell, can take the
money for them, and a good price too
But the banks, some say, the banks make
all this mischief. Why not, then, let
them alone j? They have not got our mo-
ney. But they won't discount, it is said,
only when they please, and for whom