The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1831-11-30
MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS

Who would have thought that an effort
to keep neighbor out Of difficulty would
have met such rude refusal? But so it
was. was going to my wood lot, one
morning late in May, on foot, and met
Capt. Pcase, a very clever, honest, thriving
man, but more easily ;rritated than soothed.
He broke out as soon as he saw me, into q
violent complaint against our mutual neigh
Dor Jones, for neglecting his .fences, and
said he had just come from fine field of
grain, which had been all but ruined by
Jones's cattle and he had told him over
and over again, that the fence was down,
and had threatened more than once to re.
sort law for redress, if the neglect was
continued ; and now he was determined 10
try what jury would do to help him.
The next time | saw Mr.. Jones, intimated
to him, with the kindest feeling imarina
BILE, that I feared he would pc. into law
suit with Capt. Pease, if he did not keep
his fences up better; but so far from re-
ceiving it kindly, he replied, "WeIl, what
if do, 1t won't cost you any thing. Why
not mind your own business, and I'll mind
mine" q se9- e.; .ma
Within asweek after this interview a suit
was commenced, which was holly contest
ed for three years and eleven months. 1t was
trIed before five different tribunals; enlist-
ed the services of seven lawyers involved
an expense on both sides of thirteen hum
dred dollars; and resulted in verdict Of
thirty thousand dollars damages in favor of
r. captain Pcase. But all this was none of
my business, grant. The institution and
progress Of this lawsuit was accompanied
with the following circumstances:
L. 1t brought a second lawyer into the
md tkn~A lxzf r
a good thing 30
2. took all the town to court, either as
witnesses or spectators.
o. IL completely changed the habits Of
our whole village. Every man. woman.
and child began to know Something about
law. Trespasses. assaults, ISLANDERS. horse
warrantles, &c. &C., became the order of
the day; and the Justices court, or the coun-
ty court or any other court, whether in
summer or winter, seed time or harvest,
was sure to draw off our once industrious
and prudent citizens Our taxes were near
~ doubled, and our tavern licenses quite.
So fatal was the influence of this single
lawsuit, that there was actually more liti-
CATION in that town in the seven wears ID &C.,
lowing, than in the whole enc hundred and
thlleen years, that preceded. In the nro.
gress OF that degeneracy, our town was ,li.
Viaeo INTO three parishes, by lav. The con
nection of two of our ministers was dc
solved By tGtc. The location of three ont of
nVe new school houses were decreed bu
tau, and four if not five Respectable farn;l;os
reduced to poverty, broken I'D and disner..
ed oy fG'o; and such was the effect on tho
general happiness and prosperity of the
town, that | improved the first o3portsnitv
70 dispose OF my estate, at a loss of nearly
thirty per cent. on its intrinsic value. and
removed to the more quiet spot now occu-
Ply.
II l should see fire kindling in a hand
ful OF shavings, would it be nv business 10
put it out or should wait till It had spread
from house to house, and from church to
church, and from street to street. burying
the possessions and hopes of the inbabii,
ants In common grave? Would the suf.
ierers excuse me, and caress me, and de-
light to honor me, if they should be told
that stood by that raging element when
1t could have been covered and extinguisb-
ed with my foot, but | thought il none
OF my business! Surely not. Then wby
was it not my business to speak to NV
friend Jones, to prevent, if possible, an evil
lncomparably more dreadful than tempest,
Hood, or hre-A SPIRIT OF LITIGATION!
Sabbath School Journal.