Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1839-11-28

In the days of old-when all men
we're honest, and wise, and unsophlsti-
cated, aud plain-dealing, and generous
all human affairs went on smoothly.--
No mig egardly thrift, no mercenary sell
fishness, no sordid love Of lucre, 10 mi
serly cold -heartedness existed 10 throw
chill upon the warm and genial kind
Illness Of social intercourse. Ii q debtor
could no; pay, doubtless the creditor
crossed out the account aud let hun 20.
III any man wanted to borrow money
which might happen, Of course, in the
best Of times-he found q hundred friends
ready to lend him any sum. Bless me !!
how the dollars trotted from hand to
hand Lending money is certainly the
best, noblest, and greatest invention that
the genius OF man has ever achieved
Oh ys powers of prosperity what har-
mony, joy, abundance, content, felicity,
and glorious joIlity must have filled the
land For, cash being plenty in every
mans pocket, all the shops overhowed
with custom all handicrafls were in
. full activity, and every body drove u
rousiDg trade. People paid their taxes
without gru,nbIing. Every thing was
cheap, besides being in great demand !;
the jails were empty, aud the lawyers
starved
But these times were too good to last.
By-and-by, little cloud began 10 gath
er over the sunshine Of this golden age.
The great and irresistible proclvity Of
all human institutions towards evil began
TO manifest itself. Men became less
liberal and generous. Doubtless some
miserly old hunks or other FIST set the
example, Ly refusing to lend his money;
this instigated others and the example
was soon followed by universal imitation.
Such is the perverse fate Of the world !!
All good customs get speedily out Of
fashion. Now, when those who had
money would no longer lend it, those
who wanted money could no longer spend
Iit-for how could they spend without
borrowing So money became scarce;
people could not pay their debts trade
declined, and lawsuits increased. No
body would be generous, or charitable,
or public-spirited any longer; but all
mankind suddenly grew selfish, merce-
nary, and Gale ulaiing. Each man look
ed out for the main chance, and took
care Of nothing but number one /; ana
tho result Of all this pestient contagion
was the breeding Of that horrible, dire
iul, wasting, ravaging, lethiferous epi-
demic which is now stalking over the
eorth at MONDAY in the frightiul shape
Of HARD TINES
Such appears to me the true phi|o-
sophical explanation Of this phenomen non; ;
but whether this or any different account
of its origin be the nearest the truth, the
melancholy fact is indisputable that hard
times really exist and the question
most interesting TO all philanthropisis,
politicians, fnanciers, philosophers, pO-
cts, and poor devils, is, how TO get rid Of
them. Dare we hope that some species
Of legislative, metaphysical, or monetary
voc cination will be discovered in the
course Of time, that shall eXtrpate this
dire disease, and restore the felicity Of
the good old golden age!
Such were my reflections az ] rose in
the morning, knowing that my note al
the bank must be paid that day but
knowing no more than the man in the
moon where the money to pay it was to
come from. ! dreamed through the
night Of all sorts Of vain aud tantalizing
attempts to find something in my pocket.
| awoke and found it was no dream -
II was a prodig iously gloomy morning
at least it appeared so to me. Every
thing seemed to 60 wrong in my cndea-
vors to dress my pantaloons were wrong
side before ; buttons were in the wrong
places vest inside out, and stock bot
tom upw ards. Where shall ] get the
money !" said TO myself, in grea, per-
pleXity, and at that moment stuck par,
iicularly sharp pin into my windpipe.-
Pshaw
AT breakfast nothing went better
The coffee was sculding hot, the steak
tough, and my appetite languid. Every
thing had trick Of slipping from my
fingers. ] broke a cup and saucer, and
dropped humping slice Of toast in my
lap pantaloons bran new "Shall !
ever have another pair" thought L.
1.-TWO O'Clock, and the note must be
paid !"
l looked over my pocket-book again,
as il ] expected 10 find what was look
ing after. What a fool knew as
we'll as | knew that I was alive how
much was in it-or rather how much
was not in il. Six hundred dollars to
make up the sum "Can't collect
some Of my debts this fore enoon?" thought
|. What fool again for who ever
could collect debt when he wanted il !?
/" Two O'clock" said | again, "and it
must be paid :"
sat down and fell into a profound
cogitation. j thought of the mines Of
Potosi-of the mint Of Mexico-of the
VI assac chusetts Bank of John Lack land
of Jobs cat, and Of my own empty
pockets.
] never thought so hard in my life be-
fore. But thinking will never pay q
mans notes. At last a bright thought
struck INC. "l'll borroic The money ~
said J. Eureka!
Beforc The resolution had time TO cool,
] ran TO my neighbor, Mr.. A. "Neish-
Dor A." said | "you are an excellant
man (; just lend me six hundred dollars" J"
90 Sir bund,od doIlare ~ acclaimed