The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1854-04-13
WESTERLY, R. l., THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 1854.

pay off any Of the old obligations !;
although he never lost sight Of them,
and never ceased to feel troubled on
account of their existence.
go, debt, debt, debt !" he would
often sigh to himself. what would l
not give to be able to say, l owe no
man anything But viii my large
family and limited income, what hope is
there !" ..
This was his depressed state of mind
one day when Mr.. Green called in to
see him. Many times before this un-
happy man had been reminded of his
debt
" How are you getting ON :" inquired
the creditor, fixing his eyes steadily
upon poor Mr.. Wilkins, who felt sense
Of suffocation, and slightly quailed be-
fore his tyrant.
"I have much to be thankful for"
meekly answered the debtor. " My
health has been good, and | have had
steady employment"
" You are living very comfortably"
And we are grateful to kind
Providence for our blessings"
-" Your salary is one thousand dollars
a year 7"
cit is; and l have six children to
support"
:" You ought to save something I've
been easy with you long time it's
three years now, and you haven't offered
me one cent. Ifyou'd paid me five or
ten dollars at time, the debt would
have been lessencd. L wish you would
begin to make some arrangement. You
ought to save at least two hundred dol
lars from your salary. know plenty
of men who get only eight hundred dol
lars a year, and have as large family as
yours"
The eye Of Mr. Wilkins fell heavily
to the floor he felt as if heavy weight
had been laid upon his bosom. He
made no reply, for what could he say'
I" L have always upheld you as an
honest man." remarked Green in a tone
of voice that implied an awakening
doubt as to whether this view Of the
debtors character was truly correct"
"That is between God and my con-
SCIENCE" said Wilkins, lifting his eye
from the holr and looking with some
sternness into the face Of his persecut-
ing creditor.
"For your own sake, I trust you will
keep q clear conscience" returned
Green. AS for the present matter
between us, all wish to know is, wheth-
er you mean to pay my debt; and if so,
when | may expect to receive some
thing"
+" How much is the debt ?" asked
Wilkins.
1T was three hundred and seventy
at the time of your failure. Interest
added, it now amounts to four hundred
and fifty" said Green
"There are other debts beside yours. ="
"Of course there we're but have
to do with them"
" The whole amount of my indebted
ness was twenty thousand dollars. The
yearly interest on this debt is more than
my whole income. cannot pay the
Interest, much less the principal" !"
"But you can pay my small claim if
you will; you could have paid it before
this time, if the disposition had existed.
You talk of conscience, but Pm afraid,
brother Wilkins, in your case there is a
very narrow foundation of honesty for
conscience to rest upon. L don't put
much faith in the professions of men
who live after the fashion you live, and
yet refuse to pay their debts. Pm a
plain spoken individual, and you now
have my mind freely"
The tone and manner OF the creditor
we're harsh in the extreme.
+" Perhaps" said wilkins, with forced
calmness, " there may be less Of dis
honesty in my withholding than in your
demanding"
Dishonesty! Do you dare !" The
creditors face flushed, aud his lips
quivered with indignation.
/" There are ten creditors in all, ;" said
Wilkins, with regained composurc. "Let
ine put you a question | owe John