The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1854-04-13

/ Martin 600 dollars. Suppose | had six
hundred dollars, and little prospect of
ever getting any more, and were to pay
the whole of it over to John Martin,
instead of dividing it equally between
you and all the creditors, would you
deem the act right on my part /? Or,
would you think Martin really honest, if
he we're to crowd and chafe me until in
very desperation, as it were, gave him
the whole of what mainly belonged to
others Would you not say that he
had possessed himself of your property J;
l know you would. And let me say to
you plainly, that l do not think your
present effort to get me to pay off your
claim entire, regardless of others equally
as much entitled to be paid as yourself,
at all indicative of unsellishness, or II
spirit of genuine honesty. If ! have
any money to pay, it belongs equally to
all my creditors-not to any one of them
exclusively"
To be turned upon thus by man
who was in debt to him-to be charged
with dishonest spirit by the poor crea-
ture whose relation to society he regard
ed as essentially dishonest--this was too
much for the self complaconcy of Mr..
Green. He rose up quickly, saying, in
a threatening tone:
"You will repent of this insult, sir |!
| have forborne for years, believing that
you were really honest; but for this
forbearance / now meet with outrage
| shall forbear no longer. You are able
enough to pay me, and will find a way
to compel you to do So"
Left alone with his troubled thoughts
poor Mr.. Wilkins felt not only humilia-
ted and wrotched, but alarmed for the
Integrity of his household. There was
no way in which his creditor could ex-
tort the sum due him except by seizing
upon his household furniture. That
Green would do this, he had but too
good reason to fear; for he had done it
in other cases. His fears proved not
altogether groundless. On the very
next day, a sheriff's writ was served on
him at the suit of Harvey Green.
"What do you propose doing asked
Wilkins, on meeting with his creditor
few days afterwards.
Get my money!" was answered
sternly.
"But I have nothing"
We will soon see about that Good
morning -
Mr. Green imagined that the indigna-
tfon felt towards Wilkins was directed
towards his dishonest spirit, was, in fact,
a righteous Indignation, when its spring
was in cupidity and wounded pride.
1t was the day before the trial of his
cause against wilkins, when he ex-
pected to get judgment by default, as
no answer had been made by the defend
ant in the case. And it was his pur-
pose, as it had been from the beginning,
to order an execution SO soon as the
matter was through the court, and seize
upon any property that could be found.
Evening came, and Mr.. Green sat,
with bis children around him, in his
pleasant home. A sweet little boy
knelt before him, his pure hands clasped
in prayer, while from bis lips came,
musically, the words taught by the Lord
to his disciples, Forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors" There
seemed deeper meaning in the words
murmured by innocent childhood, than
had before reached his perceptions His
thoughts we're stirred; new emotions
awakened. The, prayer was said, the
little one arose from his knees and lifted
his rosy lips for the good night kiss.
Father" safa he, turning back after
going across the room, " Pm not going
to let Harry Williams pay me for that
sled 1t got broke all to pieces the next
day after | let him have it J."
/" He bought it from you," said Mr..
Green.
Il know he did; but Hary's mother
is poor, and be only gets a penny now
and then. 1t will take him long
while to save dollar; and then tho
sled is broken, and no good to him. l
have great many more nice things than