Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1859-04-14
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From the True Flag
SWEARING OUT:
OR
COVE Nc MEAN ANYTWENG.
BY OLIVER OPTIC.

BY OLIVER OPTIC.
"You are making a mistake, Ned, a
great mistake" said John Steady to his
friend Edw ard Wildone.
"Always preaching, Jack" replied he
who was alledged to have made the mis-
take
"Don't you think so yourself, N ed o.
mo, l don't. What's the use of liy-
ing, If a fellow can't enjoy himself lit
tie ?"
"Why not enjoy yourself in reason
able manner, or at least keep within
your means?"
My means will expand one of these
days, and then l can easily pay off all |
owe"
"Another mistake as your means ex-
pand, so will your wants, and recon-
mend you to keep within your means,
though you pinch your stomach a lit
tie"
Il won't do that, if l die. had rath-
er die in jail on the tail end Of an execu-
ton, than live like miser. [ was born
with soul in my body, and l don't
mean to starve it out"
"That's all very fine talk. OF course
with your present wages there is no such
thing as pinching your stomach and as
to your soul, that will thrive better on
Honesty than on dishonesty"
Dishonesty? What do you mean
by that?" said Edward, rather sharply.
''I'll tell you what mean, Ned. You
seem to run away with the idea that, I'M
less a fellow spends about SO much,
whether he has it to spend or not, he is
mean; is starving his soul
That's it. When I propose to take
a ride, You tell me l can't afford it,
Clear me moment. Which is bet
ter for young man; to earn the repu-
Etation of being whole-souled, liberal
Fellow, by spending more than he earns,
or to keep within his means, and do
without that reputation %
''Let fellow be whole-souled, liberal
at any rate"
"You are wrong. There is Bill
Phippen. Folks call him a good fell
low"
$50 he is; frst-rate fellow. He
don't stand more than half day look
ing at sixpence, before he spends it,
"And he is in debt"
"What if he is p
Then he is earning popular repu-
tation for dishonesty"
''Bah you are radical"
Gle contracts debts which he has no
assurance of ever being able to pay
That is what l cali downright Gishones-
ty."
@You are too hard, jack
s'No; | believe what l say. cove no
man anything is my motto"
81 calculate to pay all | owe"
81 suppose you do; but you are walk
ing straight into a hornets nest. You
cannot very well get rid of these debts
without paying them. According to
your own confession, you owe Hapgood,
the able-keeper, over seventy dol
lars"
"What of that? My employer owes
me eighty"
"But you have other debts you owe
your tailor fifty. Taking these two
debts alone, you are forty dollars worse
than nothing. You spend every week
more than you earn. Hapgood duns
you every week, you say p
Gle does, and he won't get his money
half so quick for it, either,o replied Ed
ward, with smile such as the man of
power puts on, when he triumphs over
his weaker foe.
Edward Wildone was a mechanical
tin plate and sheet iron worker-and
got ten dollars d week for his services.
Besides being tinman, he was a fast
man, as his conversation with his friend
has already indicated. His ideas OF
''debt and credit" We're very vague and
loose lie meant to live well, and he
was not very scruplous about letting
his bills become 'past due"
He was considered very clever fell
low, by large circle of admiring friends
because he paid for the drinks, and Of
ten invited them out to ride with him
a very cheap way Of being popular. But
latterly, he had stopped inviting his
friends to ride, for the simple reason
that Susan Steady, Johns sister, was
now his companion. Edward was a
very good-looking fellow, and fast
friend of John, and Susan was little
wilful so, in spite of her fathers pru-
dent advice, she determined to love, and
to shave" the accomplished tinman.
John had often warned his friend of
the perils before him, but with no bet
ter success than on the present occa-
sion.
About week after this conversation,
Edward who boarded at Mr.. Steady's,
entered his room in state Of high ex-
element
"What do you think Hapgood has
done?" said he, bounding into chair.
"Sued you, | suppose" replied John,
quietly. "You can't blame HIM"
"Blame him? Confound his picture!
What sort of a way is this to treat a
fellow, after have patronized his con-
Germ for year 2"
"And not paid him.
Edwards face turned red, and he bit
his lip with vexation and anger.
sit is no use to talk to you about it. .
81 am sorry for you, Ned, but really
| cannot see anything out of the way in
his course. You owe him seventy dol
) lars, and won't pay him.
"Who says l won't pay him ~ de-
manded Edward, Indignantly.
"You haven't paid him; and you get
your teams at another stable"
because he wouldn't trust me. Did
he suppose would pocket the insult p
E can insult? Any man of ordinary
prudence would have done the same
If you kept stable, would you trust q
young man on ten dollars week fol
over seventy dollars 2"
: cit would depend on circumstances.