Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1828-12-09


goods and chattels were going off under
execution. Every one was plying the
debtor, whose property was thus under
sacrifice, but not man sympathized with
the creditors, (some of whom had been
almost starving for years) for the want of
their dues, withheld by this unjust and
unfeeling man. felt indignant, and only
regretted that the laws delay had been
so great. Why pity him /! He had put
it off as long as possible. The law,
though slow, had at length overtaken him,
and was wrenching from his firm grasp
property unjustly in his possession, to
give it to the right owners-and l felt
glad of it, although it broke up man of
some figure.
have no kind of objection to coaches,
hounds, and horses, where they are sup
ported by proper means but | have no
patience with man who INDUCES in
such luxuries while his creditor has to
walk (perhaps barefoot) and go supper
less to bed, merely because he, or his
wife, has taste for them, or that their
neighbour, who can afford it, keeps such
things. 1t is not honest.
But "let US return to our mutton. %
The punctual man is lord of his neigh
bour's purse" l know man who estab-
lished character for punctuality by
borrowing small sums, and without using
them, returning them punctually at the
time appointed. The character thus ac-
CURED, enabled him afterwards to gain a
fortune. But a man of experience has
only to cast his eyes around to see how
important it is-how universally the
punctual, fair dealer has succeeded in
life; and how the tricky, cunning man
has failed. There are some exceptions.
as we sometimes hear of robberies never
detected.
Ii man borrow money he should paw
it on the day fixed-using no excuse-as.
+" that it rained and he could not come
out; that he had been disappointed in his
collections, or that wheat was too low.
and he could not sell at sacrifice or.
that he did not suppose a few days would
make much Odds" He who makes such
excuses knows nothing of the nature or
Importance of my subject. | often think
OF the conduct of worthy man, whom 1
once knew to walk four miles to paw his
more opulent neighbour as MANY pence
due, in change, on a late settlement.
Such an act may appear to some of
your young readers as one of great SIM
picity and folly-mean spirited-and
that such trif1e should have been forgot
ten" 1t certainly evinced simplicity of
virtue-and doubt not it was the best
days work he ever did-for it went far
towards establishing character for hon.
esty and punctuafity.
l have known several young lawyers
succeed in practice with little else to
recommend them, while their cotempo-
raries, of ten times their talents, failed of
success for the want of this virtue. They
were not only punctual in paying over the
sums collected; but in their attendance
at their offices-at the courts, and where
ever business and duty required them to
be.
| once took great pleasure in dining at
particular tavern-my host was entirely
to my taste. The first dish was invariably
placed on the table by his own hand
while the clock was striking the hour of
two. He would not have waited for Gen.
Washington himself who, by the bye,
would not have expected him to do so !;
for, he himself, was of this family
punctilously punctual. But, while 1 re-
commend punctuality, / am far from ad-
vising running in debt in any way-it is
rock on which many young men are
wrecked. borrowing dulls the edge of
husbandry," and any one addicted to it
is troublesome neighbour. Candour
and fair dealing are virtues of the same
stamp. " Honesty as the best policy"
whatever the spectators and horse Jock
les may think to the contrarv.-Am Ear