Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1857-02-21
I15GB1GAIS0U5 3 Us
A Short Patent Sermon on the Pay
ment OF Debts.
BY DOW, JR

My HEARERS :--There are many
seeming triAes in this world which you
are too apt 10 overlook on account Of their
apparent unimportance, the neglect of
which has plunged thousands into the
deepest mire Of misery, and sunk their
characters into ineXlricable depreciation.
Among these ostensble trihes, that of
neglecting TO pay ones honest debts is
most common, and attended with the
worst OF consequences. 1t takes oil all
the silken furse from the fine threads of
feeling--creates sort OF mlsanthroplc
GOODNESS about the heart--and skins off
all the cream that may chance 10 rise up
on the milk Of generosity. One debt
bepets another. | have always observed
that he who owes man dollar is also
apt TO owe him grudge and he is al
ways more read y TO pay compound inter-
est on the latter than on the former. My
friends, 10 be over head and ears in love
is as bad predicament as ever any one
ought to be in but to be so deeply in
debt that you can't sleep Of nights with
out being haunted by the ghost Of some
nsaliate creditor, is enough 10 give man
the hydrophobia.
Ny dear friends The debt that sits
heaviest on the conscience Of mortal
if he has any-ls the debt due the printer.
1t presses harder upon ones bosom than
the nightmare-galIs the soul---frets and
chafes every ennobling sentiment
squeezes all the juice of fraternal sympa
thy from the heart and leaves it drier than
the surface of roasted potatoe. A man
who wrongs the printer out Of single
cent can never expect TO enjoy comfort in
this world, and may well have doubts Of
finding happiness in any other. He will
be apt to 90 down 10 the grave ere time
shall have bedecked his brow with the sill
very blossoms Of age and the green
leaves of hope will fall before the first bud
Of enjoyment has expanded. 1t is true,
the mushrooms of peace may spring up
during the short night of forgeliulness, but
they will all wither beneath the scorching
rays of remorse. The printer has poured
into the treasures Of your minds some Of
the most valuable gifts that anything short
of God can bestow. With The keys of
magic, as it were. be has opened the iron
cased doors Of the human understanding
-dispelled the darkness of ignorance, land
lit up the lamps of knowledge and wis
dom. The en'ulgence Of that mighty en-
gine-the press, extends over all the
broad empire of The mind, Illuminating
the darkest avenues Of the heart /; and yet
the printer, the man who tolls al the lever
of this soul enlightened instrument is Of.
ten robbed Of his hard earned bread by
those whom he has delivered from mental
bondage and placed in paradise TO lay
off and grow fal upon the fruits of his la.
bors.
My hearers: IF you have hearts mois-
tened with the dews of mercy, take heed
what | say unto you. If there be one a
mong you whose account is not settled
with the printer. go and adjust i, immedi-
ately, and be able TO hold up your head in
society like a giraffe be respected by
the wise and the good free from the tor
lures of guilty eonselence.--the NORTH
cation OF repeated duns---and escape from
falling into the clutches Of the lawyers.
If YOU are an honest, an honorable man,
YOU will 90 forthwith and pay the printer.
You will not wait for the morrow---be- !
cause there is no tomorrow il IS but a
visionary r, ,ceptacle Ior nnredeemed
nromises---the debtors hope and the cred
TORS curse. If YOU are dishonest, low
minded sons Of Satan, don't suppose
YOU ever will pay the printer, but as long
as YOU have no reputation to lose, no char
ac,er 70 sustain, and no morals TO cuIil-
va,e Bat let me tell you. my friends,
,ha, if YOU don't do it, your paths 10 The
1omb will be strewn with iAorns---you