Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1827-03-22

- 0tidlU0p dtt, WHO DtNtf SUIT ttfc
door, never put up the bars, soon be
came prey to the degourlDg specula
tors; Tor though he was without vice,
and tolerably good sort of man yet
when TIE time OF the ingatbering OF the
fruits OF the earth came, he had 1oihing
to gather; for The iDve;eraIe habit OF
leaving the gates open, had let the
cattle IN, and his crops were destroyed,
and he had to sell portion Of his land
for the support ofhis iamilJ The same
course in few years made him what
you now behold---an example 10 all
others TO remember to shut the door
Shortly after a sleek looking little
man, in plain, bu; rich dress entered
apparently on tip toe, who carefully shCt
the door, and before he left il fell that
it was secure. His age appeared to be
about thirty, though my familiar infer
med me that he had lived near half a
century. ole was" said my famI
lar, "a poor boy, and was early taught
the value of money by the want OF it;
and when he got sIxpence iog run.
nlng OF errands, he was sure to exam
Inc his pockets, and be sure there
was no hole 10 the Bottom. He al
ways shut the door, and in after life,
in all his business, carefully pots up
the bars. His crops are never des-
troyed--he is a useful member of SO
ciety, and to his descendants early in
culcates the Useful habit to put up the
bars-to shutsthe door"
Another who entered and forget 10
shut the door, was Miss Polly Primrose
who thirty years ago, led the van in
all the parties Of pleasure Sheswas,
in fact the belle OF the village in which
she resided-she was admired by all
but ali unfortunate habit of not shut
ting the door, became confirmed and
inveterate, and now, alas! the dear
creature laments the circumstance
which has been the means of retaining
her votary to single blessedness thus
far, and mall probability fer the rest of
her fife
Anotherlady entered, and gentle
man left his seatto shut the door-Here
my familiar recited tale calculated
to draw the tear of sympathy from
the most obdurate. 1t is sufficient
however, TO know that she was the
daughter OF respectable farmer; that
in consequence of losing her mother
early, The care ofthe family devolved
on her a passion for dress and fine
ry, for balls and parties, unrestrained
caused a neglect of home concerns
The doors were not shut; the dairy
Suffered; the hogs upset The milk pans
the cats, rats and. mice, destroyed tht
cheese; and finally, while the male,
where ont at work On the farm, Their,
being sufficient time, as she thought
and certainly there could be no harm
to run ever TO Miss Gadabout's, to heal
something about what was going on
| and it was hard, too, to be obliged Il
stay in the house all day and--a thou
sand other equally important reasons
might be offered; she forgot to shut h
door. A gus, of wind blew the coal,
ever The floor, and before the first sto
ry was half told, the house was env,
Hoped in flames. The father was re
duced TO poverty, and all in conse
quence Of not shutting the door. Ate
a series ofyears she married, and now
has family. Still the doors are DO
shut; tie gates are left open; rent IL
the children's clothes grows larger; al
all remains open--the doors are no
shut. The ease, labour, frugality an,
industry OF an INDECENT husband, ar,
not sufficient TO prevent the prison
doors shutting On HIM. All in conse
Guence OF an unfortunate, cruel, des
plcable, and, I had almost said accur
sed habit OF not shutting the door.
Many other individuals, as we'll a
those who did, as those who did no
shat the door, were scrutinised by m,
Familiar. But these cases are suf1i
clent to nducc us to be careful 10 shu
| the door.
And nov my young friends-yot
young gentlemen just entering on lht
theatre of life will it not he of service
TO you to forma resolution at this time
on the spot. and never break it, to sbn
the door! Do you feel temptation Il
depart from, or break through an,
moral principles? Are you tempted t.
, Al