The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1855-05-16

IN DEBT AND OUT OF DEDF.-Ofybat
h'de?us progeny of i'll is delft tho
father! What meannesses; wha. In.
vasions On selfrespect. what ca,os
what double dealing! How. in duo
season, it will carve the frank omen
face into wrinkles; how like a ki,ife
twlil stab the honest heart. And then
It's transformation! How it has been
known to change goodiy face into n
mask OF brass; now, with the damned
custom" Of debt, has the true man hc.
come callous ,rickster! A freedom
from debt. and what nourisi,ing sweet
ness may be found in cold water; what
toothsomcness in dry crust; what
ambrosial nourisl,mcnt i'm hard c,ri
lie sure oft, he who dimes out ofdei,,
tho his meal he biscuit and an onion
dimes in "The Apollo" And then for,
rai'nent; what warmth in a threadharc
coat, if the tailor's receipt be in your
pocket; what Tyrian purple in tho
faded walstc9at, the vest not owed for.
how glossy the we'll worn hat If it Gov
or not the ACHING head Of a debtor !
Next the homc.s*cets, the out door
recreation Of the free man. The street
door falls not kncll on his heart: tite
loot on the staircase, though he lives
on the third pair, sends no spasm
through his anatomy; at the rap of his
door he can crow forth "come in" and
his pulse still beat heaithfuIly, his heart
sink not in his bowels. See him
abroad. How confidently, yet how
pleasantly he takes the street; how he
returns look for look with any passen.
ger; how he saunters; how, mee,iur
an acquaintance, he stands and gos.
sips! But, :!;sH, ;!hiiis man KNOWS no.
debt; debt, that casts o drug into the
richest wine; that makes the food of
the gods unwholesome, indjeestible.
that sprinkes the banquets Of q Lu.
cul'us with ashes, and drops SCOT in
tne soup OF an emperor; debt, TINT
IKE the moth, makes valueless fuya
and velvets, enclosing the wearer in d
fostering prison, (the shirt of Nessus
was shirt not paid for;) debt, that
writes upon irescoed walls the hand
writing of the attorney; that puts a
:ss 6: terror IN the knocker: that
makes the heart quake at the hunted
hres'de; debt, the invisible demon that
walks abroad with man, now Quick.
cning lis steps, nov making rim iuoh
on ali sides like hunted beast, and
now bringing to his face the ashy hue
OF death, as the unconcious PASSENGER
looks glancingly upon him! Poverty
is q bitter draught, yet may, and
sometimes with advantage, be eulped
down. Though the drinker makes
wIry faces, there may after all be
wholesome goodness in the cup. But
DEBT, however covertly it be offered,
is the cup of a Syren, and the wine.
spicy and delicious though it be. an
poison. The man out of debt, though
with flaw in his jeikin, a crack in
his shoeleather, and hole in his hal,
is still the son of liberty, free as ths
singing lark above him; but the deh.
or, though clothed in the utmost
bravery, what is he but q serf out
upon holiday-a slave to be reclaim.
ed at any instant by his owner, the
creditor? My son, if poor, see wine
IN the running spring; let thy mouth
water at last weeks roll; think a
thIeadbare coat the "only wear" and
acknowledge white.washed aarret
the httest housing place for gentle.
man; do this, and flee debt. So shall
tiny heart be ut peace; and the sheriff
be confounded.-Do,tglas Jerold, in
"Heaas Of the People,"