Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1859-02-10

consider him sharper; perhaps, cal
him rogue. Covetousness was th'
spring of action in your case. as j
would be in his; and selfish ,lisre
gard of the neighbor lei on to tn,
consummation of wrong.
High-mindci and honorable =
There was an almost whitening con
tempt in the monitors voice. "If il
would not be honorable in the news
boy to get, without any return of ben
efits, the sixpences of his humble com.
panions, it can not be honorable in the
scheming merchant to wrong his
neighbors on broader scale. Take q
thousand dollars of your money, and
place it here on this table; the money
you gained in that nice speculation fol
which so many shrewd, unscrupulous
men praised your boldncss and sagac.
ity. Count it over, coin by coin, and
as you look upon each one successive.
ly, say thus to yourself: This dollar
| took from a poor day-laborer. lie
had saved it, penny by penny; and as
he saved, the hope Of getting some
thing ahead cheered him in his i'll re.
Quilted work. Bat my plans were toe
well laid; the dollar passed from its
little treasury, and now is mine. The
man grew discouraged at his loss, and
went back to his dram drinking. He
lies in prison now, and his children
are beggars on the street. That dollar
cost something. This one has almost
as sad a story: \ toiling mother, with
three helpless babes to support, was
barely able to procure food and raj
mcnt, though she bent to her weary
work long after midnight. l raised
the price of bread, and this extra dol
lar she had to earn 10y increasing toll
And so count on, coin after coin, until
you get the full sum of human suffer
ing your base speculation in food has
cost. Honorable! high-minded! No,
sir! In the sight of heaven you APP
pear mean, base, selfish, and dishon.
orable."
Again the merchants head was lie.
pressed, and his heart sunk like lead
in his bosom. His own deformcd i'm
age was before him, and he shuddercd
at the monstrous effigy.
81 do not think you are any richer
for that scheme of wrong and oppres-
sion," remarked the visitor.
"If your soul were required of you
this night, you could not take dollar
of gain with you; but, instead, only
the curse of an evil deed. Shall
go on?"
"No! no! i'll heavens name spare
me-" cried the merchant, aloud, and
starting up and turning to fly from his
rebuking visitor. But, even while he
spoke, the beautiful being faded from
his sight, and he found himself alone
in his parlor. The vision had passed
bat the lesson remained.
The next day was the first Sabbath
of the new year. Mr.. Stephens went
to church, as he had purposed-not
however, to give thanks for a prosper
Gus year, but to humble himself; t.
ask forgiveness of sin, and to pray fo
the inspiration of a better life. Th'
minister preached from these searching
words: For what shall it profit ;
man, if he gain the whole world, anc
lose his own SOUL or what shall mar
give in exchange for his soul?" An,
every word of the sermon seemed a
if addressed to the conscious -strickeI
merchant. The unpaid tax bill; tn
unrightcous speculation; the failure t,
help a brother in need. were all ad
duccd, and marked by special condcm
nation. The mirror was secon'
time held up, and Mr.. Stephens lookc'
once more, in shame, upon the marrct
image Of himself.
God helping me-" he said, de
voutly, as he walked homeward, a..
will be a richer man on the next ney
years day than | am on this; richer il
heavenly possessions, the best of all.
And it was so.-From Steps To
yards Hearen, or Religion IN Commo
Life"
Mind your stops.
Do not "stop" at the bar-room