The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-07-27

Il
breast in shame and selfcondemnation. 1t
was all too true. He had, knowingly, omitted
to pay tax bill which was justly due. Had
failed that much in one of his higher obi
cations to society, for the paltry gain of few
dollars. In all his public walk before men, he
had maintained an upright stature; butstooped
to petty fraud in secret.
GA fearful loss,' said the visitor, '1or it is
loss of just so much of the property that goes
to make up mans riches in heaven. L said
you were poorer now than at this time last
year; and so you are, by this large item. And
you have lost, besides, pearl of inestimable
/ value; one that you could have taken with
! you as rich inheritance into the other life
God gave youan opportunity to help brother in
need, who came to YOU in his sore distress, and
tried to awaken your sympathy. But you
heard him only in part, and turned him aside
with cold and cutting words. 1t was not
enough that you saw the struggles of manly
pride in his face, and the pale anguish of fea-
lures; not enough that he was weak and in
sore trouble-you must add rebuke. to denial,
as if misfortune were crime. As a merchant,
you had prospered in every venture--you were
at ease, and in comfort; and so God sent to
you this man, that you might help him in his
need, and thus add to your heavenly riches
But love of self triumphed over love of the
neighbor. You preferred gold to good.-The
|
which is enduring as eternity. The pure pearl
of tender compassion offered for your
ceptance, but your eyes were to dim to see its
priceless value. God did not forget his needy
child. The good deed you failed to do, anoth-
er performed, and to him Heaven sent the
blessing that might have been yours. And so
there is more lost treasure to be taken into the
| account"
"Spare me-" cried the merchant, raising his
hands with deprecating gesture. ;'Oh, spare
mel"
"Not vet" said the visitor ssMoney gave
you power, and you used that power to wrong
thousands of your weaker fellow-men."
81 have wronged no one," answered the
merchant, boldly. "All my dealings have
| been in justice between man and man."
"You deceive yourself" returned the visitor.
els mere speculation honest? Is it just to
monopolize an article that the poorest mechan-
ic and humblest day laborer must have, and SO
enhance its price that many comforts must be
| given up in order to procure the needed sup
ply? You have not been just between man
and man, for you have done this, and done it
at the peril of your soul for loss of neigh
borly regard and honest principle were in
volved in the act. Gold gained by fair trading
did not come in fast enough to satisfy your
thirst for riches, and so you laid plans, that
were two successful for defrauding your weak
er brethren. You diminished the supply of
bread in the mouths of hungry children, and
made the poor mans burdens heavier, that you
might add to the wealth already increased be-
yond your power to enjoy"
Again the head of Mr.. Stephens sank upon
his breast, and he was covered with shame and
confusion.
"Is there cause rself congratulation in this?
Are you really richer man toni ght than you
were at the years beginning ?"
"Leave mep' said the merchant, with
groan of anguish
"Not yet; for my mission is not complete - an
swered the beautiful monitor. at is said that
Mr.. Stephens is high minded, honorable
merchant Everywhere, in business circles,
men bear this testimony in his favor"
The merchant began recovering himself
A glow of pride warmed his heart.
"Men can say nothing less" he made an
swer
"Let your own heart judge. What better
are you than the thief who appropriates un-
lawfully the goods of another? Or what hon
or is there in taking, by constraint dollar
from the earnings of ten thousand different
men, in order that you may add ten thousand
dollars to your heaped up store of wealth p
This you have done in single act of unright-
eous speculation. What would you think of
! the morality of a newsboy who should, by
some adrot piece of petty circumvention, sue
ceed in extracting sixpence from the pockets
of each of a DOZEN ragged companions, that
he might be possessor of the most money, or
secure the means of enjoyment which poverty
denied to them? You would consider him a
sharper; perhaps, call him rogue. Covetous-
ness was the spring of action in your case, as
it would be in his /; and a selfish disregard of
the neighbor led to the consummation of
wrong.
"Highminded and honorable ~ There was
an almost whitening contempt in the monitors
voice "If it would not be honorable in the
newsboy to get, without any return of benefits,
the sixpences of his humble companions, it
cannot be honorable in the scheming merchant
to wrong his neighbors ON broader scale
Take thousand dollars of yonr money and
place it here upon this table-the money you
gained in that nice speculation for which somany
shrewd, unscrupulous men praised your bold
ness and sagacity. Count it over, coin by coin,
and as you look upon each one successfully,
! say thus to yourself: "This dollar took from
a poor day laborer. He had saved it, penny
| by penny; and as he saved, the hope of get
ting something ahead cheered him in his i'll
requited work. But my plans were too well
laid the dollar passed from its little treasury,
and now is mine. The man grew discouraged
at its loss, and went back to his dram drinking
He lies in prison now, and his children are
beggars on the street. That dollar cost some-
thing. This one has almost as sad story: A
toiling mother, with three helpless babes to
support, was barely able to procure food and
raiment, though she bent to her weary work
till long after midnight. I raised the price of
bread, and this extra dollar she had to earn by
increasing toll And so count on, coin after
coin, until you get the full sum of human suf-
fering your base speculation in food has cost.
Honorable high minded ! No sir In the
sipht of Heaven Won anpear mean base sell
fish, aud dishonorable."
Again the merchants head was depressed,
and his heart sank like lead in his BOSOM
His own deformed image was before him, and
he shuddered at the monstrous efigy
"I do not think you any richer for that
scheme of wrong and oppression" resumed
the visitor