Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-07-30
DDlume L
Soul Selling.

~
A great many transfers Of the SON,
made for social position and a name IN a. .
The price IF alim;ttance int, a.
lain circles Is placed cxoriitanuv hiot ana
many go in though the fee is even tho r.
and Will. We occasionally m, ct with :
of these souiless ladies and co,l.
men, who seem to ct along amazingIr -,
without the gem they have sold and seen.
be well pleased witt, their bargain. II worls
seem then. if the other party in the tr,5o
was satisfied, that an exact and homes, -
change of goods and chat les had cen p.oao
according to the acknowledged rulrs Of c. m.
mercial transactions hence, it does No, Il
come us perhaps. TO sermonize upon tie ma,
ter and gravely hint that either the ON.
ty or the other had ben cheated. Truo H.
one has all the gew gaws the will lnnyed E.
and are not troubled with the iudisidpaE,u
they once professed, while the other may .
may not he troubled with q very fiery and
rebellious spirit. We must lie allowed. b,v.
ever. to suggest tlfat a certain measure e
''pG-ition"t r Society" might esclrdalculv
high for on, al d he same measure n.iehtl Ia
scandouhly low for another. We are sure
that some are worth more than they yet and
doubtless would make better trades if they
would go to other shops. Unfortunatelv.
l trades Of this character are not often mazda
for the benefit of the individual selling IN.
. but for others. Let us instance Tt.ere isa
merchant. with a soul above Euttrrs. wiz
lives (%befnre breakfast and after teal in 4
. palace, teaches his wife and daughters Tor
perhaps they learn it intuiti,e!y a certain
grand style of living, and tugs all day in 4
comfortless and dusty cuun ing room, Among
= spiders, centipedrs and wharf rats, TO keen
;, up his up town establishment A panic =
Bankruptcy Disgrace! Fifty cents ON the
:, dollar !! His overwrought imagit arion ices
his house and gorgeous furnishings under
:. the hammer, and his daughters doing rlain
sewing in the upper department of Stitch
r Thilnble, & Co.'s Clothing Bazaar wien
just in the nick of time up steps an uncxpec-
ted somebody AMI whispers in his ear that
ships, merchandise, lreadstuffs and naval
stores are not the only marketable commoli-
m
ties-that souls, truth, honor, Conscience
are all saleahle, and after some slight qualm,
he sells ont and thus keeps up appraran, e
and a place in good society. lie is fully
made alive to the fact that he is n rogue. 4;
)ut =. = 80
liar, a cheat, and aswindler, ythe %twitting
r., -
les u - 9'9 10 r"'
but then the world is none the wiser of it
thumps, and so he moves in the great circle
Now this is positively a foolish trade, All
id, against which the political economist ma
en-. well enter his protest and still tley a
trades constantly being made-oftener
far than good society supposes.
ngs To sell the sonl for the myth. "Snciety
81. then is a blunder-a fools bargain, but wi
and ringing silver /? 'Ah (! there's the rub
Is not cash the great transaction of life
ends and aims? l. MT the whole civilizt
race grasping after wealth and extending I
mo itching palm to gather geld ? The Pea,
ers, so far as tley lave tried, ave Len
this ""ie = o'"' ~ ""ru '""' VIZ
.ho to sell the soul for money even. and for ii
reason our hopes are slender that we sh
no be able to write the custom down."
ond But suppose we concede. in order to
; ,bo atthe argument, that cash in certain amoul
may be reckoued an equivalent for the
man soul, al nLGcrt men VII say at G
+ one the consi' Grafton 81 ould ie solid, al Ccl
5 or quently will agree in condemning the |
any gains most commonly made. How lt'lc
,h"lu gacity is manifested " lie most 81 L
vino when they resolve to tuIn tLeir in moita
into ready cash !! We once heard If a
all or who was possessed Of a goose that laid a
: one den egg every day. Eager to get rich
, ~ denly he killed the ieathrled Grhir, 'ir
her open and-was disappointed Hist
has lad no effect upon all the g"use.hil
since his day. Thousands i~mpelled hy
zenith rice, make "a sacrifie Of self for a few !
Con- mics. and are doubtless marked on ceri
mem subterranean ledgers as having leenlrt
'or to ''dog-cheap." To such prodisals Il wOr'
Ks BE- exhurtatioI, may not lie out Of place: ii
zee OF are determined 10 tell, WY sci, lut il
alters sake Of your diguifed nature. DO lIiIg
old Broker up to high and EoEoralle pa
Mon Have IA soul above ninepence." Don't
,efore your soul is a damaged article for lie as
ed that bad as it is, if you part with it,
atIOn will never pct another.