Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1857-10-16

Here, William, are seventy FIVE dollara
your quarters salary. Write your name
on the pay roll said Mr. Mason.
Yes, sir; but
Never mind sign your name.'
What does this mean, sir1 hope
Nothing of the sort. There, that will
do. Pleasant morning, Mrs. Taylor.
Beautiful, sir
Mr.. Mason took the pay roll under his
arm again, and departed.
William was astonshed, and so was his
wife. 1t looked mysterious. Why did
Mr. Mason do thisl They could not i'm
agine.
On.his way over. William paid the butch
er, the baker, and the grocer, and had
twenty dollars left, which would Just pay
the doctors bill. AS the clock struck
eight, the porter opened the gate, and he
took his place at the desk, Mr.. Mason sat
by the stove, reading the Boston paper.
This first person that entered the public
side ofthe counting room was the deputy
sheriff The head clerk had Just taken out
the payroll and prepared to pay off the en-
ployes:
The sheriff read his writ.
Who' asked Mr. Mason.
Spike Versus Bagg Coporation-all mon
ey due TO William Taylor, replied the sher
We don't owe Taylor anything, replied
the agent, turning to his paper.
Don't you'
Show him the payroll
The head clerk turned to the roll, and to
his surprise found Williams siGnat"re
there.
Very well, nodded the sheriff. l thought
| was soon enough.
OF course, Spike was mad when the sher-
if reported to him. lie was confident that
the business had not been conducted in the
usual manner at the Office; so he decided
to see Mr.. Mason at ance.
That gentleman received him very kindly,
and took him into his private Office.
You have been playing some game upon
me. said Mr.. Spike, a little excited.
We don't play games, replied the agent,
with dignity.
Did you not pay Taylor before the usual
time, so as to help him cheat me out of my
bill,
No. SIR
But he was paid off before the Office
opened.
Well; what did you deny it for Just now'
did not.
Yes, you did,
Be civil, Mr.. Spike, or shall have moth
ing to say to you. | say we did not pay
Mr. Taylor before the time, to help him
cheat you.
| I've got bill against him.
That is your lookout.
And the law allows me to collect 1T.
And don't object.
lie won't pay me. He is scoundrel
and swindler,
There we differ. lie is a young man of
excellent character. If there is any swind-
ling about it, you have swindled him.
never got dollar out of him.
You will he is honest, and will pay
your bill.
doubt it, if he has you to keep him out
of difficulty.
shall endeavor to keep him out of trou,
BILE.
You shall
How much does he owe you
Thirty dollars.
And you trustee for fifty
Sixty.
Very we'll. Taylor is honest. He mean
to pay all his debts. Now Is it right t.
lock up nearly all his salary for weeks, pei
haps months.
But he don't mean to pay.
has he told you so
No; but he asked me to wait, which
the same thing.
Which only proves his honesty. II h
intended to swindle you, he would not hav
gone to see you about it, This debt an
credit business is all wrong. Mr.. Spike
and if | had the making of the laws,
would not allow a debt to be collected by
legal process, unless an intention to dc
fraud could be shown or fairly supposed.
Humph You would let us be cheate
: out of our property
! would let you cheat yourself out
your property if you choose to do so. Loo
at it ; here is a young man on salary
three hundred dollars year. You let hi
horses; you trust him along for two or thrt
months, and thus encourage him to spen
his money upon what he cannot afford, an
9 which, if he had to pay for it on the spo
c he would not have. Riding is a usele
luxury. You have led this young ma
along till he has run up bill of thirty dc
lars-one-tenth of his salary for year :
o Now, do you suppose if you had made hi
pay for his horse when he had him,
would, or could, have ridden quarter pa
Of what he has.
" | suppose not but that is his lookou
% And yours to get your pay, Now, If
d had paid your bill to-day, he could not ha
paid his butcher or his baker, probably, a
}, they would refuse to trust him, and tn
ID perhaps his family might suffer,
le No business to have family.
1r Nav, ] commend him for that; and
can support them decently, if any one wor
at teach him the value of money. But A.
i'd and c. trust him, and he lives beyond
at means.
as That's his look out, not mine.
ut If there were no laws by which you col
ID collect this debt, Taylor would have b'
le' better off to-day. This credit system, p
perly restrained, is we'll enough; but |
ID not like to see young man placed in yc
on power, perhaps hampered for life, beca'
your desire to do large business indu
gg you to run up long bills.
nd Iiumphl
&C. MIR. Spike, give me your receipt for t
ws bill and will pay it,
Sn And the costs
Ide No, only the face OF the bill,
But shall have to pay the sheriff
re, Very well you may pay him, Taylor 81
tn. not.
ng Spike thought, and concluded to accept
Mt, Mason's proposition.
nd John Randolph said that pay as you GO
i'm the philosophers stone, Mr.. Spike. "
zen ylor rides any more make him pay on
tn spot.
| shall, and Spike left not very well Sd
eat fed.
ter But William did not ride any more,
ire a few days after, Mr.. Mason kindly pc
er, ed out to him the philosopher stone