American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1858-08-13
Miscellaneolts.
LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS.

we uon tliKe stlnglneSS. We don t
like economy" when it comes down to
starvation. We have no sympathy with
the notion that poor man should
hitch himself to post and stand still
while the rost of the world moves for
ward. 1t is no mans duty to deny
himself of every amusement, every lux
ury, every recreation, every comfort
that he may become rich. 1t is no
mans duty to make an iceberg of him
self-to shut his eyes and ears to the
sufferings of his fellows-and deny him
self the enjoyment that results from
generous actions.-merely that he may
hoard wealth for his heirs to quarrel
about.
But there is yet an economy which
is every mans duty, and which is COM
mendable in the man who struggles
with poverty-an economy which is
consistent with happiness, and which
must be practised, if the poor would So
cure independence.
1t is every mans privilege, and it
becomes every mans duty to live with
in his means; not up to, but within
them. Wealth does not make the man,
we admit, and should never be taken
into the account in our judgment of
men. But competence should be Sc
cured when it can be, and it always can
be, by the practice of economy and
self, denial, to only tolcrable extent.
1t should be secured, not so much for
others to look upon, or to raise us in
the estimation of others, as to secure
the consciousness of independence, and
the constant satisfaction that is deriv-
ed from its requirement and possession.
We would like to impress this single
fact upon the mind of every laboring
man who may peruse this short article
that it is possible fol him to rise a
boye poverty, and that the path to i'm
dependence, though beset with tolls
and self-sacrifice, is much pleasanter
to thetraycller than any one he can
enter upon.
The man who feels that he is earn
ing something more than he is spend
ing, will walk the streets with much
lighter heart, and enter his home with
much more cheerful countenance,
than the one who spends as he goes,
or falls gradually behind his necessi-
ties in acquiring the means of meeting
them.
Next to the slavery Of intemperance
there is no slavery on earth more gal
ing than that of poverty and indebted.
ness. The man who is everybody s
debtors is cverybody's slave, and in q
much worse condition than he who
serves single master.
For the sake of the present then as
we'll as the future, we would most ear
nestly urge upon every working man
to live within his means. Let him lay
by something every day--if but pen
ny, be it penny-it is better than moth
ing; infinitely better than running in
debt, penny day or penny week.
If he can earn dollar let him try,
fairly and fairfully, the experiment Of
1
living on ninety cents. lie will like
it.
"People will laugh" Let them
laugh. "They will call me stingy."
Better be called stingy than say you
do not pay your debts. "They will
wonder why / do not have better fur.
niture, live in finer house, and attend
concerts and playhouses." Let them
wonder for awhile, it wont hurt them,
and it certainly wont hurt you. BY
and by you can have fine house and
fine furniture of your own, and they
will wonder again, and come billing and
cooling around you like so many pleas.
ed fools. Try the experiment. Live
within your means. --Maine Farmer.