The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1854-10-26
SELECT SAORY.
LAST DAYOF GRACE.
BY TIE AUTHOR OF YANKEE NOTIONS =

by TIE AUTHOR OF YANKEE NOTIONS"
In the days Of old, when all men were
honest, and wise, and unsophisticated,
and plain dealing, and generous-all hu.
man affairs went on smoothly. No mig
gardly Thrift, no mercenary selfshness,
no Sordid love of lucre, no miserly cold
heartedness existed to throw child upon
the warm and genial kindness of social
intercourse. If debtor could not pay,
doubtless the creditor crossed out the ac
count and let him 60. If any man wanted
10 borrow money which might happen Of
course, in the best Of times, he found a
hundred friends ready to lend him any
sum. Bless me! how the dollars trotted
from hand to hand! Lending money is
certainly the best, noblest, and greatest
invention that the genius of man has ever
achieved. Oh ye powers of prosperity!
what harmony, joy, abundance, content.
felicity and glorious jollity must have
filled the land! For cash being plenty in
every mans pocket, all the shops over
flowed with custom; all handcrafs were
in full activity, and every. body drove a
rousing trade. People paid their taxes
without grumbling. Everything was
cheap, besides being in good demands
the jails were empty, and the lawyers
starved!
But these times were too good TO last
By and by little clouds began 10 gather
over the sunshine of this golden age
The great and Irresistible proclivity ol all
human institutions towards evil, began to
manifest itself. Men began to be less
liberal and generous. Doubtless some
misery old hunks or other, first sci the
example by refusing to lend his money
thus instigated others; and the example
was followed by universal imitation. Suct
is the perverse fate of the world! Al
good customs speedily get out of fashion
Now, when those who HAD money %pulC
no longer lend it, those who wANTEl
money could no longer spend it-tor how
could they spend without borrowing! s.
money become scarce; people could no
pay their debts; trade declined, and law
suits increased. Nobody would be gen
erous, or charitable or public spirite
any longer; but all mankind grew sel6s
mercenary and calculating. Each ma
looked out for the main chance, and too
care of nothing but number one; and tn
result of this contagion was the breedin
OF that horrible, diereful, wasting, rava
ging epidemic which is now stalking owe
the earth at noonday in The frighdul shap
of HARD TIMES. -......... ....
Such appears to me The true philosoh
cal explanation Of this phenomenon; b,
whether this or any different account (
its origin be nearest The truth, the melsr
choly fact is indisputable, that hard time
really exist; and the question most int
. esling TO all philanlhropisls, politician
moraIists. fnanciers, philosophers. poet
and poor devils, is, how TO get rid ofther
Dare we hope that some species of legi
lative, metaphy ysical, or monetary vacci
alton will be discovered in the course
time, that shall extirpate this dire diseas
and restore the felicity Of the good o
/. golden age. .r
Such were my reflections as rose
The morning, knowing that my note at Il
; bank must be paid that day; but knowiI
u no more than the man in the moon whe
the money was to come from. dreAmt
: through the night Of all sorts Of vain al
s, tantalzing attempts to find something
r my pockets. | awoke to find it was
b. dream. 1t was prodigiousIy gloon
''e ' morning-at least it appeared SO 10 m
Everything seemed to go wrong in n
B. endeavors to dress; my PanlaloonS we
wrong side before; bottoms were in t
= wrong places vest inside out, and sto
loop bottom upwards. Where SHALL
get the money! said 10 myself in gre
perplexity. and at this moment ! stuck
n particularly sharp pin into my windPiI
At breakfast nothing went better, /
coffee was scalding hot, the steak toue
,h and my appetite languid. Everythi
mt had rick of slipping from my fnge
| broke cup and saucer, and dropped
:, thumring slice of toast in my lap. Pa
en- en- falcons bran new. Shall | ever ha
It's another pair thought !. Two o'cloc
Or, and the note must be paid ! ...
| looked over my Pocket-book aga
he as if expected TO find what was loo
. ing after. What fool! knew as "
MS as | knew that was alive, how much "
Ce in it--or rather how much was NOT IN
"a. "a Six hundred dollars to make up the su
at Can't | collect some of my debts I
forenoonl' thought |, What a tool aga
I, for who ever could collect debt wh
= he wanted it,? Two O'clock, SAID
again, 'and it must be paid.'
| sat down and fell into Pro'oou
yS cogitation. thought Of the mines o,
toei--nf tho mint of MeXiCo-ot 10