Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1859-10-19

Not vet" said the visitor. Money
gave you power, and You used that power
to wrong thousands Of your weaker fellow.
men,"
al have vronged no one" answered tho
merchant boldly. An my dealings have
been in justico between man and man.
You deceive yourself returned the yisi
tor. is mere speculation honest? Is il
just to monoPolizc an article that the poor
est mechanic and humblest day-laborel
must have, anl 50 enhance its price that
many comforts must be given up in order
to procure the needed supply? 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 neighborly regard
and honest principles were involved 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
too successful, for d.frauiing your weaker
brethren. You diminished the supply of
bread in the mouths of hungry children,
and made the POOR man s burdens heavier,
that you mi.ht add to the wealth already
increased beyond your power to enjoy
Again the head Of lr. Stephens sank up
on his breast, and he vas covered with
shame and confusion.
is there cause for sclf-congratulation in
this? Are you really richer man to-
night than you were at the years begin
ning?'
Leave mel said the merchant with a
groan Of anguish.
Not yet; for my mission is incomplete
answered the beautiful monitor. 1T is
said that Mr.. Stephens is high-minded,
honorable merchant. Every where, 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
answer.
Let your own heart jndge. What bet
ter are you than the thief who appropriatcs
unllwfully the goods Of another? 0rwhat
honor is there in taking, by constraint,
dollar from the earnings of ten thousand
different men, in order that you may add
ten thousand to your hearcd up store of
wealth? This you have done in q single
act of unrightcous speculation. What
would think of the moality of a ncws6Oy
who should by some adroit piece of petty
circumvention, succeed in extracting a six
pence from the pockets of each of a dozen
ragged companions, that he might be pos
sessof 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. Cove
tousness was the spring of action in your
clse. as it would be in his, and a selfish
disregard of the neighbor led on to the
consumption of wrong
'High-mindcd and honorable, There
was an almost withering contempt in the
monitor voice. If it would not be hon
orable in the newsbOy to get, without any
return of benefits, the sixpcuces of his hum
bic companions, it cannot be honorable in
the schcming merchant to wrong his ueigh-
Dor on broader scale. Take thousand
dollars Of your money and place it here on
this tablc-the money you gained in that
nice speculation for which so many shrcwd,
unscrupulous men praised your boldncss and
sagacity. Count it over, and as you look
upon each one suoocssivcly, say thus to your
self This dollar took from a poor day
iaborer. lie had saved it, penny by penny;
and IS he s,ved the hope of getting some
thiFg ahead checrcd him in his ill-rcIuitcd
work. But, my plans were too well laid;
the dollar passed from its little treasure
and now is mine. The man grew discour-
aged at its loss, and went back to his
dram-dripking. he lies in prison now,
and his children are bcggars on tie street.
That dollar cost something This one has
almost as sad story 4 toiiiRg mother,
with three helpless babes to support, was
barely able to procure food and raiment,
though she bent to weary work long after
midnight! Iraised the price Of bread and
this extra dollar she had to earn by in
creasing toll And So count on, coin aftc.
coin, until you ge5 tie full sum Of human
your base speculation in food has
cost. Honorable! high-mindcdl No, SIR,
In the sight Of heaven you appear mean,
base, selfish, and dishonorable.'
Again the merchants heard was deprcss-
cd, and his heart sum; Ike lead in his bo-
som. His own deformcd image was before
him, and he shuddered at the monstrous
siigy.
i do not think you are any richer for
hat scheme of wrong and oppression, re-
sumed the visitor.
If your soul were required Of you this
light, you could not take a dollar Of gain
with you; but instead, only the curse of an
vii deed. Shall 90 On!
No, no, in Heavens name, spare me!
cried the mcrthont aload. starting up and
turning to fly from his rcbuking visitor
But, even while he spoke, the beautiful be- ;
ng faded from his sight, and he found
himself alone in his parlor. The vision
rad passed, but the lesson remained.
The next day was the GrsS sabb2th. of