The freeman. (Fremont [Ohio]) 1849-1850, 1850-04-13
FREMONT. SANDUSKY COUNTY, APRIL 10, 1850.

But what is the purpose without the act q
st is all that is required, where no ability to
act is given. William! God does not demand
of any one impossibities.'
Though man often does said the tailor Bit
terly.
There was pause, broken at length by the
wife, who said
And have you really determined to put
John and Henry out to trades? They are so
young
know they are, Alice, too young to leave
home. But
The tailor's voice became unsteady He
, broke off in the middle of the sentence.
Necessity requires it 10 be done,' he said,
recovering himself And it. is of no avail to
give way to unmanly weakness. But for this
old debt we might have been comfortable
enough, and able to keep our children around
us until they were of more fitting age to go
debt
'There is more yet to pay"
yes. Seven hundreds of dollars, but if l
fail as have for year past, will break down
before I get-througb.'
Let us think of our family, William. They
have the first claims upon u.s. Those to whom
They stand in no need of it,
But is it not justly due, Alice enquiredthe
tailor, in rebuking voice
No more Justly due than is food and raiment
and home to our children' replied the tai
lor's wife, with more than her usual decision
of tone. God has given us these children, and
he will require an account of the souls COM
mitted to our charge Is not human soul of
Al. \ II A 6,
and it will be out of our power to do our chill
dren good. They will grow up and bear for
ever the marks of neglect and wrong
sAlice Alice For heavens sake do not talk
in this wayp exclaimed the tailor much dis
! turbed.
'William!' said his wife, 4 am mother, and
mothers heart can feel right; nature tells
me that it is wrong for US to thrust out our
children before they are old enough to 60 into
the world. Let US keep them home longer
we cannot pay off this debt
Then let the debt go unpaid for the pres
ent. Those to whom it is owed can receive no
harm from waiting; but cur children will
just then man brought in a letter, and
handing it to the tailor, withdrew. On break
ing the SEAL Mr.. Moale found that it contained
fifty dollars and read as follows
Sir:-Upon reflection, / feel that ought not
to receive from you the money that was due
to me when you became unfortunate some
years ago. understand that you have large
family, that your health is not very good, and
that you are depriying the one of comforts, and
iniuring the other in endeavoring to pay off
your old debts To cancel these obligations
would be all right-nay, your duty-if you
could do SO without negIecting higher and
palmer duties. But you cannot do this, and
cannot receive the money you paid me this
morning. Take it back, and let it be expend-
ed in making your family more comfortable.
l have enough and more than enough for all
my wants, and will not deprive you of sum
that must be important to you, while 10 me it
will be of little consequence either as gained
or loss. EDWARD PETRoN.
The letter dropped from the tailor's hand,
He was overcome with emotion. His wife,
when she understood its purport, burst into
tears.
The merchants's sleep was sweeter that
night than it had been for some time, and so
was the sleep of the poor debtor.
And the next day Mr. Moale called to see
Mr.. Petron, to whom at the instance of the lat
/ ter he gave full detail of his actual circum-
stances. The merchant was touched by his
story, and prompted by true benevolence to
aid him in his struggles. Hesaw most of the
tailor's old creditors, and induced those who
had not been paid in full, to voluntarily relin-
quish their claims, and some of those who had
received money since the poor mans misfor-
tunes, to restore it as belonging to right to his
family. There was not one of those creditors
who did not feel happier by their act of gen
or tu ND 1nh I,at hOf ba
tailor and his family were happier. John and
Henry were not compelled to leave their home
until they were older and better prepared to
endure the privations that usually attend the
boys first entrance into the world; and help
for the mother i'll her arduous duties could now
be afforded.
No one doubts that the creditor, whose
money is not paid to him has rights. But too
few think of the rights of the poor debtor, who
sinks into sbscurity, and often privations, while
bis heart is oppressed with a sense of obliga-
tions utterly beyond his power to cancel.