The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1850-09-26
'We want sheets and pill

\
'We won't have to pay for it now. Ed
| wards will send the bill at the end of six
months, and it will be easy enough TO pay
! it them
'Oh yes, easy enough responded the
| wife confidently.
| So piece of muslin was procured on
the credit account. But, things did not
! stop there. A credit account is too often
| like a breach in canal; the stream is
small at first, but soon increases to ruin
Gus current. Now that want had found a
supply-source, want became more clam
orous than before. Scarcely a day passed
that Mr.. or Mrs. Jacobs did not order
something, simple souls! that an alarming
ly heavy debt was accumulating against
them.
AS to the income of Mr.. Jacobs, il was
not large. He was, as has been intimated,
clerk in a wholesale store, and received
a salary of seven hundred dollars year.
His family consisted of a wife and three
children, and he had found it necessary
to be prudent In all his expenditures, in
order TO ''make both ends meet" Some
what Independent in his feelings, he had
never asked credit of any one with whom
he dealt, and, no one offering it, previous
to the tempting inducement held out by
Edwards, nd had regulated his outgoes by
his actual income. By this means he had
managed to keep even with the world
though not to gain any advantage on the,
side of fortune. Let us see how it was
with him at the end of six months, under
the new system. Let us see if his "good
credit has been of any real benefit TO
him.
1t was SO very pleasant TO have things
comfortable or for little display, without
| feeling that the indulgence drained the
the part of Jacobs, was gratifed by the
fattering opinion of his honesty enter
tanned by Edwards, the storekeeper. His
credit was good and be was proud of
the fact. But the day of reckoning was
approaching, and al last it came.
notwithstanding the credit at the dry
goods store, there was no more money in
the young clerks purse al the end of six
months than at the beginning. The cash
that would have gone for clothing, when
necessity called for additions TO the family
wardrobe, had been spent for things, the
purchase of which would have been omit
ted, but for the fact that the dollars were
in the purse instead OF in the storekeeper's s
hands, and tempted needless expenditure.
As the end of the six months credit
period approached, the mind of Jacobs
began to rest upon the dry goods dealer S
bill, and to be disturbed by feeling of
anxiety. AS to the amount Of this bill,
he was in some uncertainty; but he thought
that il could not be less than forty dollars.
That was large some for him to owe,
particularly as he had nothing ahead, and
his current expenses were fully up to his
income. 1t was now, for the first time in
his life, that Jacobs felt the nightmare
pressure of debt, and it seemed, at times,
as if it would suf1ocate him.
One evening he came home, feeling
more sober than usual. He had thought
of but little else all day besides his bill al
the store. On meeting his wife, he saw
that something was wrong.
What ails you, Jane?' said he kindly
Are you sick!'
NO. was the simple reply. But hel
eyes dropped as she made it, and her hus
band saw that her lips slightly quiyered.
Something is wrong, jane said the
husband.
Tears stole to the wife's cheeks from
OSutdtu uST ldll-CiOScu luS-tiC DOSoi1
labored with the weight of some pressure
Tell me, jane urged JACOBS, 'if any
thing is wrong. Your manner alarms me
Are any of the children sick!'
'Oh, no, no. Nothing of that was
quickly answered. 'But-but-Mr. Ed
wards has sent in his BILL
'Tha. was to be expected, of course,
said Jacobs, with forced calmness. 'The
credit was for only six months. But, how
; much is the bill!'
His voice was unsteady as he asked the
question.
"A hundred and twenty dollars And
poor Mrs. Jacobs burst into tears.
Impossible exclaimed the startled
husband. Impossible There Is some
mistake. A hundred and twenty dollars!
! Never'
There is the bill And Mrs. Jacobs
drew it from her bosom.
Jacobs glanced eagerly at the footing
up of the long column of figures, where
were numerals TO the value of one hundred
and twenty.
1T can't be- he said IN troubled voice.
| Edwards has made mistake.
SO thought, when | first looked al
the bill,' replied Mrs. Jacobs, recovering
herself. yet speaking in sad voice. But,
am sorry to say, that 1t is all right,