Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1850-06-28

IT,.
The merchant, as the reader may infer from
his own acknowledgment, was enc of those
men whose tendency to regard only their own
interests has become SO confirmed habit that
they can see nothing beyond the narrow circle of
self. Upon debtors he never looked with par
ticle of sympathy; and had, in all cases exacted
his own as rigidly as if his debtor had not been
creature of human wants and feelings What
had just been said, however, awakened a new
thought in his mind; and, as he reflected upon
the subject he saw that there was some reason
in what had been said, and felt half ashamed of
his alluslon to the interest of the taior's fifty
dollar debt.
Not long after. person came into his store.
and from some cause mentioned the name OF
Moale.
He's an honest man-that am ready to say
for him." remarked Mr. Perton.
Honest but very poor" was replied
He's doing very well, beeve,o said the
merchant.
He's managing to keep soul and body to-
gether, and hardly that
He's paying off his old debts
81 know he is; but blame him for injuring
his health and wronging his family in order TO
pay few hundred dollars to men thousand
times better off in the world than he is He
brought me twenty dollars on an old debt
yesterday. but | wouldn't touch it. His msfor-
tunes had long ago cancelled the obligation in
my eyes. God forbid, that with enough to spare
should take the bread out of the mouths of
poor mans children"
els he so very poor ?" asked Mr. Perton, sur
priSad and rebuked at what he heard
He has family of six children to clothe,
feed and educate, and he has to do it with his
unassisted labor Since he was broken up in
business some years ago, he had had great diff
ficulties to contend with, and only by pinching
himself and family, and depriving both of nearly
every other comfort, has been able to reduce the
claims that have been standing against him. But
he shortened his life ten years thereby, and has
deprived his children the benefits of education
except in very limited degree-wrongs that
are irrepdrable. honor his stern integrity of
character, but think he has carried his ideas
of honesty too far. God gave him these chill
dren, and they have claims on him for earthly
comforts and blessings to the extent Of his abl-
ity to provide. His misfortunes he could not
prevent, and they were sent as much for the
chastisement of those who lost by him, as they
were for his own. If, subsequently,, his great
est efforts were not able to provide more than or
binary comforts for the family still dependent
upon him, his first duty was to see that they did
not want. Ifhe could not pay his debts without
injury to his health or wrong to his family, he
was under no obligation to pay them; for
lis clear that no claims are so imperative as to
require US to wrong others i'll order to satisfy
them.''
Here was another new doctrine for the ears of
the merchant-d ctrine strange as we'll as new.
He did not feel quite SO comfortably as before
about til, recovered debt of fifty dollars The
yctiI lou Il oI
tered it upon. Ais cash book, and he fel6now less
inclined to do it than ever. The claims Of hui
mainly, in the abstract, pressed themselves up
him for consideration, and he saw that they
moi liz,
In order to pay the fifty dollars so long due the
merchant, Mr. Moae had, as alleged, denied
himself and family at every point, and over-work-
ed himself to a degree seriously to injure his
health But his heart felt lighter after the sense
of obligation was removed.
There was little at home, however to make
him feel cheerful. His wife not feeling able to
hire domestic, was worn down by the care and
labor of her large family. The children were as
a necessary consequence neglected both in mind
and bodies. Alas there was no sunshine in
the poor mans dwelling.
"WelI, Alice said Mr.. Moale, as his wife
came and stood by the board on which he sat at
Work, noiuiiiS Hel oaoy III Hol dliho, Hdfe
paid another debt"
"Whose ~
"Perton's He believed me rogue and
treated me as such. l hope he thinks different
now''
~ wish all men were as honest in their in
tentions as you are"
$50 do |, Alice The world would DO much
better than it is, | am thinking
uApd uat William 7 Somatimes think that
we do wrong to sacrifice so much to get out of
debt Our children"
"Alce!" spoke up the tailor quickly, 81
would almost sell my body in slavery to get free
from debt When think of what | still owe,
feel as if would suffocate."
81 know how badly you feel aboutit, William;
but your heart is honest, and shall not that re-
Election bear you up"
"What is an honest heart without an honest
hand, Alice 3" replied the tailor bending over to
his work.
"The honest heart is the main thing, Will
liam, God looks at that. Man judges only by
the actions, God sees the heart andsits purposes.
But what is the purpose without the act p
1t is all that is required, where no ability to act
is given. William? God does not demand OF
any one, actual impossibilities.
although man often does, said the tailor Dit
terly.
There was pause broken, at length by the
wife, who said
"Have you really determined to put Charles
and Henry out to trades They are so young.
81 know they are, Alice, too young to leave
home-but-''
The taor's voice became unsteady. lie
broke off in the middle of the sentence.
"Necessity requires it to be done, ne SAID,
recovering himself. "And so it is of no avail to
nnmanly 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 from under their pa
rents roof Oh! what curse is debt
eyes. Several hundred of dollars, but II
fail as | have for year past, shall break down
long before get through
"Let us think of our family, they have the
first claims upon MS. Those to whom money is
owed are better off than we are. They stand In
no need of it..
But is it not justly due, Alice, enqulred the
tailor in rebuking voice.
" No more justly due than is food and ralment,
and home to our chidren" said she with her
usual decision of tone g God has given US
these children, and he will require an account
of the souls committed to our charge. Is not
the human soul o. more importance than dollars
A few years and it will ba out of our power to
do our children pood They will GROW I'M and