Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-11-15

VOL. 3.----NO. 4.

tninp from tne Store, not dreaming, SIM
pie souls that an alarmingly heavy deb
was against them.
AS to the income of Mr.. Jacobs, i
was not large. He was as has been in.
timated, clerk in wholesale store, and
received a salary Of seven hundred dol.
lars year. His family consisted of q
wife and three children and he found i
necessary TO be prudent in all his expen.
ditures in order to make both ends meet
Somewhat independent in his feelings
he had never asked credit of any one
offering il previous to the tempting in.
ducement held out by Edwards, he had
regulated his outgoes by his actual in.
come. BY this means he had managed
10 keep even with the world, though moi
to gain any advantages on the side oil
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.
II was very pleasant to have things
comfortable or FOR little display, with
out feeling that the indulgence drained
the purse too heavily. And weak vanity
on The part of Jacobs was gra,ifed by
The flattering opinion of his honesty en-.
tertained by Edwards, the store-keeper.
His credit was good and he was proud
OF the fact But the day of reckoning
was approaching, and at last it came.
Notwithstanding the credit at the dry
goods store there was no more money in
the young clerks purse at the end o!
six months than at the beginning. The
cash that would have gone for clothings
when necessity called for additions to
the family wardrobe had been spent for
things the purchase of which would have
been omitted, but for the fact that the
dollars were in the purse instead of the
slore-keeper's hands and the tempted
needless expenditure.
As the end Of the six months credit
period approached, the mind of Jacobs
began to restupon the dry-goods dealer 5
bill, he was in uncertainty; but he tho't
that i. could not be less than forty dollars.
That it was a lare sum for him to owe,
particularly as he had nothing ahead, and
his current expenses were fully up to
his income. Ii was now for the first
time in his life, that Jacobs felt the night
mare of debt, and it seemed at times as
if it would almost suffocate him.
One evening he came home feeling
more sober than usual. He had thought
Of little else, besides the bill at the store.
On meeting his wife, he saw that some
thing was wrong.
What ails you Jane!' said he kindly
-'Are you sick!'
NO was the simple reply. But her
eyes dropped as she made it, and her
husband saw that her lips slightly quiv.
cred.
Something is wrong, jane, said the
husband.
Tears stole down the wife's cheeks
from beneath her half closed lids; the
bosom 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. Nothing of that, it was
quickly answered. But Mr.. Edwards
has sent In his BILL
That was to be expected of course,
said Jacobs with forced calmness. The
credit was for only six months. Bu
how much is the bille
His voice was unsteady as he asked
the question.
"A hundred and twenty dollars And
poor Mrs. Jacobs went into tears.
.Impossible!' exclaimed the startled
husband. -{upossible! There is some
mistake. A hundred and twenty dol.
lars!,. Never! al
.There is the BILL And Mrs. Jacobs
drew it from her bosom. "a
Jacobs glanced eagerly a, the footing
up, Of the long coluian OF figures, where
were numerals 10 the value of a hundred
and twenty.
III can't be- he said in troubled voice
Edwards has made mistake
so thought, when first looked a
the BILL replied Mrs. Jacobs, recovering
herself yet speaking in sad voice
But, | am sorry to say, that it's all right
| have been over and over it again ant
cannot find an error.
Oh, dear! how foolish have been.--
II was so easy to get things when ne
money had TO be paid down. But,
never thought Of bill like this. New
er! 8aq
Jacobs sat for some moments with hi.
eyes upon the floor, He was thinking
rapidly. 0a 81
.So.much for good credit he said a
length taking a long breath. What +;
fool have been! That cunning fellow
Edwards, has gone to the windward o
me completely. He knew that if h
got me ON his books, he would secur'
three dollars to one of my money, be
yond what he would get under the cash.
down system. One hundred and twent,
dollars in six months! All, me!-Ar,
we happier. now, for the extra dry-goodl
we have procured! Not whit! Gu
bodies have been little better clothed
and our love Of display grati6ed to SOM
extent. But, has all that wrought ;
compensation for the pain Of this day 0
reck oning. ~