Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-02-17
In Debt and out of Debt.

Of what hideous progeny of i'll ;s debt the
father! What WEAKNESSES, what lnvasons on
sef-respect, what cares, what double dealing !!
How, in due season, it will carve the frank,
open face into wrinkles: how like a knife,
twill stab the honest heart. And then its
transformations How it has been known to
change a goodly face into mask of brass:
how, with the damned custom" of debt, has
the true man become callous tricksteri A
freedom from debt, and what nourishing
sweetness may lie found in cold water; what
toothsomelfess in a dry crust; what ambrosal
nouriShment in hard egg! BE sure of it, he
who dimes out of debt, tho his meal be bis
cult and an onion, dimes in "The Appolo.''
And then for raiment; what warmth in a
threadbare coat, if the tailor's receipt be in
the pocke.s what Tyrian purp.e in the faded
waisseoat, 4hs-%est not owed for; how glossy
the well-worn hat, if it cover not the aching
head of debtorl
Next the home-sweets, the out door recrea-
ton OF the free man. The street door falls
not knell on his heart; the foot on the stair
case, though he live on the third pair, sends
no spasms through his anatomy; at the rap of
his door he can crow forth "come in" and his
pulse still beat healthiully, his heart sink not
in his bowels. See him abroad. How conf
dentally yet how pleasantly he takes the
street; how he returns look for look with any
passenger; how he saunters; how, meeting
an acquaintance, he stands and gossips But,
then, this man knows not debt; debt, that
casts drug into the richest wine; that makes
the food Of the gods unwholesome, indigesti-
bic; that sprinkles The banquets of Lucullus
with ashes, and drops SCOT in the soup of an
nr,o habf hot 10 ha
valuess furs aud velvets, enclosing the wear
err in fostering prison. (the shirt of Nessus
was a shirt not paid for;) debt, that writes up
on frtscoed walls the handwriting of the at
torney; that puts a voice of terror in the knock
er; that makes the heart quake at the haunt
ed hre-side; debt, the invisible demon that
walks abroad with a man, now quickening his
steps, now making him look on all sides like
a haunted beast, and now bringing to his face
the ashy hue of death, as the unconscious
passenger looks glancing,y upon him
Poverty is bitter draught, yet may, aud
sometimes with advantage, be gulped down.
Though the drinker make wry faces, there
may, after al, be wholesome goodness in the
cup. But debt, however coveteously it be
offered, is the cup of Syren and the wine
spictd and delicious though it be, is poison,
The man out of debt, though with a flaw in
his jerkin, crack i'll his shoc-leather, and a
hole in hs-nsx, is still the son Of liberty, free
as the singing lark above him; but the debtor
though clothed in the utmost bravery, what
is he but serf out upon hOlyday-a slave
to be reclaimed at any instant by his owner
the creditor? Ny son, if poor, see wine in the
running spring; let thy mouth water at last
weeks roll; thisk threadbare coat the "enly
wear" and acknowledge a whitley washed gaT-
ret the fr2s; housing place for gentleman
do this, and flee debt. So shall thy heart be
at peace; and the sheriff be confounded.-
Douglas JerrOld IN "HaedS of the People"