Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1857-12-11
A DROLL INCIDENT IN A COLLECT.
OR'S EXPERIENCE.
now TO AVOID DUNN IN THE DtNINU-
TNDO STYLE


A story is told of MIR, well known in
this city as an easy dispositioncd good sort
of fellow, who has unconquerable scruplcs
against paying debts--no so much from cthi-
cal as financial reasons; believing, with the
famous epigramatist. Martialis, that Nature
absolyes him from all pccuniary liabilities to
whom she has not given the means of dis
charging them
Some time ago a certain collector for a mer-
chant tailor found among his bills one for
forty dollars, for a suit Of clothes, against our
hero, whom we will call Jenkins The col
lcctor called at Jenkins place Of business.
and presented the memorandum of indebted
ness. Jenkins ran his eye over it hastily and
carlossly, and returned it, saving, There's
some mistake about this ! owe them twenty
five dollars for a coat | know--but nothing
more They've got some one else's bill mix
cd up with mine. Tell Jones, Robinson q
Co. 1--WE will so style the FIRM I'll call down
and see them about it,
The collector retired and surrendered the
bill into the hands Of J., r. q Co. but they
hearing or seeing nothing Of their debtor for
three months, again sent the specimen OF
their chirography 30 jenkins.
Halo I" exclaimed that worthy, " what's
this? Forty dollars for pair Of pants
well that is a good price. Look here, my
friend, 10 the collector thares a big error
here somewhere, and intend to have it rec
tilted. Tell your employers III be down
there in a week or two and have that thing
Strengthened"
second time the collector departed, and
delivered his message as he had received it.
The talors knew their bill was correct, and
waited patiently for jenkins many weeks, but
he came not.
Once more the bill was made visible by the
collector to the eyes Of Jenkins, who buster
ed out; "What the mischief is all this a
bout? Why, confound it, all got there was
a summer vest, the one ! have on now-for-
ty dollars for this-well that is cool Tell
Jones, Robinson q Co. their book-keepcr
must be drunk. The price of this vest was
four dollars--l remember it well-l'n pay
that some time whom | am passing. Just tel
them So
Three months more elapsed. and jenkins
never came near the store to settle or arrang
his bill, and for the fourth time it went bacl
to him.
Forty, forty, forty-what :-dollars =
questioned Jenkins, squirting at the paper
forty devils Well, that's good oko q
yes, see-ha, ha, ha Why, bless you
soul, that is intended for forty cents; they'v
put the figures in the wrong column. l wa
going to Louisville one day, and | steppe
into their place, and bought pair of socks
and they had no change convenient for
ten dollar note, l told them I'd step in an
pay it; and by Joe, I've never thought Of
since. It's all right; but haven't dime i
my pocket, as it happens. I'll be down tina
way tomorrow, though, and drop in and pa.
the triae."
Seven, eight, nine weeks passed, and nc
Jenkins. For the fifth time the collector
stobd in Jenkins path with the ominous and
everlasting hill.
Jenkins looked long at the bit Of paper
/ apparently lost in surprise, repeating Jones
I Robinson 81 Co.-Jones -R -Robinson--Robin-
son-Jones-Jones and finally asked
"who are they any how; :"
Why, you know" replied the collector
the merchant tailors Front between
and-streets."
Let me see | believe I have heard oi
such a firm, but nothing good Of them, though.
Jones, Robinson & Co. yes: they're a set
Of swindlers. | know them quite well-they
can't play any of their sharp games on me.
never was in their store in my life. I'd be
ashamed to be seen going into such den Of
thciyes. Forty dollars Why confound
their villainy and impudence Tell them il
they ever dare to speak to me on the subject,
l II kick them for their impertinence Gin
cRHoti Gazette.
WANTED" EVENINGS AT HOME"
Not the interesting and instructive book
under that title, but the very scenes which
the book delineates-and which, unless we
mistake are fast vanishing away, and will
soon be, if they are not already among the
things that have been, but are not.
An evening at home, how is il to be found
Just mark the calls for public and social meet
ngs read in your church on the next Sab
bath, and advertised by the various moral and
literary associations of the city, and what
evening is left for quiet communion with
your own family, or a social call on a friend
What room is there for thorough family in
structon Their father is away at the store
or office all the day, and the mother has her
work, and the children arc at school now, il
there is a meeting to call the family out eve
ry evening, what time is there left for house
hold teaching;
There is much truth, with perhaps a slight
coloring of exaggeration, in the anecdote
! gwen IN a lale NUMBER OF harper 5 MaRaNlnt
of gentleman who had failed in business
and, when asked what he intended to do, re-
/ piled,
81 shall remain at homo awhile and get ac'
| quaintcd with my family"
We believe this constant drawing away
/ from home, and home influence, is demoral-
| izing and that it is time Christians shound
inquire whether one reason why they do not
grow more rapidly in grace and knowledge, is
not that they are ever hearing and never med
itating on what they hear ever running
from meeting to meeting, and never at home
Is there not great danger that "homc' inAu-
ences will loose their charm, when we CONT
there only to eat and sleep, offering, indeed
the morning and evening prayer, but never
sitting down with the household in tho sweet
communion and the precious instruction thai
were always found in the olden times, wher
families had some " Evenings at Home. -
/ Mrror,
MEMORY Al FAULr.-A pious old lady
too unwell TO attend church on Sunday, beg
ged her husband to 90 in her place and re
member the words of the text, so that h,
might thereby administer to her some spirit
ual consolation. The worthy minister gave
out, ''An angel came down from Heaven and
took live coal from the alter" In due time
Il. 1 r. 81.