Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1851-05-22

II wish you had taken piece Of
muslin" said she. We want sheets and
pillow. cases badly"
you can get piece. replied Jacobs.
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 for il now. Edwards will send
the bill at the end of six months and il
will be easy enough to pay for it then"
ooh 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 incrCas.
es to a ruinous current. Now that
want had found supply source, want
became moro clamorous than before
Scarcely a day passed that Mr.. and
Mrs. Jacobs did not order something
from the store, not dreaming, simple
souls that an alarmingly heavy debt
was accumuating against them.
AS to the income of Mr.. Jacobs, ii
was not large. He was, as has been
intimated clerk in a wholesale store,
and received q salary of seven hundred
dollars a year. His family consisted Of
wife and two children, and he had
found it necessary to be prudent in all
his expenditures, in order 10 "make
both ends meet" Somewhat indc.
pendent in his feelings, he had never
asked credit of any one with whom he
dealt, and no one offering it, previous
10 the tempting inducement held out
by Edward, he had regulated his out
goes by his income. By this means he
had managed to keep even with the
world, though not TO gain any advanla'
ges 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, with
out feeling that the indulgence drained
the purse too heavily. And weak van.
ity on the part of Jacobs, was gratfled
by the hattering opinion of his honesty
entertained by Edwards, the store
keeper. His credit was good and he
} was proud of the fact. But the day o.
reckoning was approaching, and at las
it came.
Notwithstanding the credit at the
= dry goods store, there was no more mo
ney in the young clerks purse at th'
end of six months than at the begin
5 ming. The cash that would have gon
] for clothing, when necessity called f0
2 additions to the family wardwrobo, hat
$ been spent for things, the purchase o
: which would have been omitted, bu
for the fact that the dollars were in III,
] purse instead Of the slorekeopers hand.
' and tempted needless expenditure.
c As the end of six months credit pc
riod approached, the mind of Jacou
e began to rest upon the dry goods deal
c cr's bill, and TO be disturbed by fec
8 ing of anxiety. As 10 the amount c
G the bill, he was in some uncertainty
but he thought it could not be less tha
II forty dollars. That was large SUI
s for him TO owe, particularly as he ha
u nothing ahead, and his current cxpc'
IS scs were fully up to his income. 1t W.
now for the first time in his life th;
IS Jacobs felt the night mare pressure ,
le debt, and it seemed, at times as if
g would sutl'ocatc him
D. One evening he came home fccIIr
y more sober than usual. lie had thoug
Is of little else all day but his bill at Il
is store. On meeting his wife, he sa
c. that something was wrong.
"What ails you Jane" said he kin
TO Iy. "Are you sick?'
NO." was the simple reply But h
h eyes dropped as she made it, and Il
al husband saw that her lips slightly qui
lr cred.
"Somcthing is wong Jane" said t
II husband.
l." Tears stole to the wife's checks fro
ct beneath her half closed lds-thc bose
ok laborcd with the weight of some Prei
urc.
on Tell me, Jane" urged Jacobs,
i'm any thing is wrong. Your mann
he alarms me. Arc any of the chiIdr
~ sick"
fe. "Oh, no, no. Nothing of that" "
ire quickly answered. "But-but-A
on Edwards has sent in his bill"
ad This was to be expected, of cours
'or said Jacobs, with forced calmncss.
"Tho credit was for six months. |
;" how much is the bill!"
pv His voice unsteady as he asked
ny question.
"a hundred and twenty dollars.
ed And poor Mrs. Jacobs burst into tea
ly' "Impossibe" exclaimed the start
for husband. "imposible! There is SO
1t. mistake. A hundred and twenty d
les lars? Never!'
:; uy,Lo.o :, ,bn Kill" And Mrs Inct