Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-04-23
MISCELLANEOUS.
TOO MUCH CREDIT.
ny t. 8. ARTHUR.

come from a clerkship was in the neighborhood Of
seven hundred dollars.
Don't trouble yourself, Mr.. Edwards replied
the customer. The silk and buttons are all !
want
'Oh, no trouble at all, Mr.. Jacobs-no trouble
at all. 1t is a pleasure for me to show my goods,
said the storekeeper, drawing from a shelf q piece
Of cloth ne had mentioned, and throwing ii upor
,he counter.-'There,' be added, as be unfolded
the glossy broadclotb, and clapped his hand upon
it self complacently, there is something worth
locking at and it's cheap as dirt. Only four dol
lars a yard, and worth six, every cent Of it.
bought IL at auction yesterday, at a great bar
gain
'It's cheap enough, certainly remarked Jacobs
half indiferently, as he bent down to inspect the
cloth, but I've no money to spare just now
'Don't want any money replied Edwards, "a
least mono from such men as you.'
Jacobs looked up into the mans face in some
doubt as to his meaning.
Your credit is good, said Edwards, smiling.
Credit I've no credit. never asked a man
to trust me in my life,' returned the customer.
IN trust you for half that is in my store was
answered.
Thank you,' answered Jacobs, feeling a little
fattered BY a compliment like this. But I've no
want in the dry goods line to that extent. A
skein ofsilk and a dozen buttons, for my wife, are
ell that l require at present.
You want a new coat replied the perseverips
storekeeper, and he laid his hand upon the sleeve
of Jacobs coat. and examined it closely. This
one is getting rusty and threadb are. A man like
you should have some respect as to his appearance.
Let me see. Two yards of this beautiful cloth
will cost but eight dollars, and l wont send in
your bill for six months. Eight dollars for a fine
broadcloth coat. Think Of that Bargains of that
kind don't grow on every tree
While Edwards talked thus he was displaying
the goods he wished to sell in q way to let the rich
glossy surface catch the best points Of light, and
his quick eye soon told him that his customer was
beginning to be tenn pied.
'Ill cut you of a coat pattern said he, taking
up his yard stick, 4 know you want it. Don't
hesitate about the matter
Jacobs did not say mo- although the word was
on the end ofhis tongue. While he yet h~esitated,
the coat pattern was measured off and severed
from the piece.
There it :s,' came in a satisfied, half.triumph'
ant tone from the storekeeper's lips. And the
greatest bargain you ever had. You will want
trimmings, of course
As hc spoke, he turned to the shelf for padding,
lining, silk, and while Jacobs, half'bewildered,
stood looking on, cut from one piece and another,
until the coat trimmings were all nicely laid out.
This done, Mr.. Edwards faced his customer agein,
rubbing his hands from an internal feeling of de.
light, and said
You must have a handsome vest to 20 with this
Of course
MY vest is a little shabby replied Jacobs, al
he glanced downward at a garment which hat
seen pretty fair service.
If that's the best one you have, it will never d.
to 90 with a new coat said Edwards. in a decid
cd tone. Let me show you a beautiful piece Of
black satin.'
And SO the storekeeper went on tempting his
customer, until he sold him a vest and a pair oil
pantaloons in addition to the coat. After that he
found no trouble in selling him a silk dress for his
wife. Indulging himself with an entire new suit,
he could not, upon reflection, think of passing BY
his wife, who had been wishing Cor a new silk
dress for more than six months.
Can't you think of anything else p inquired
EdwardS.0 4 shall be happy to supply whatever
you want in my line.'
Nothing more, I believe answered Jacobs,
whose bill was already thirty.fve dollars and
he had yet to pay for making his coat, vest and
pantaloons.
But you want various articles of dry goods.
In a family there is something called for overy day
Tell Mrs. Jacobs 10 send down for whatever she
may need. Never mind about the money, Your
credit is good with me for any amount
When Mr.. Jacobs went home and told his wifi,
what he had done, she, unsuspecting woman, wa,
delighted.
Il wish you had taken q piece of muslin sh
said we want sheets and pillow cases badly
You can get a piece replied Jacobs. w
won't have TO pay for it now Edwards will sen,
in the bill at the end Of six months, and it will b
easy enough to pay it them
%, yes, easy enough responded the wife, conf
IDENTIFY.
So a piece of muslin was procured on the credi
account. But things do not stop here. a crsdi
account is too often like a breach in a canal th
stream is small at first, but soon increases to
ruinous current. Now that want bad found a sup
ply source, want became more clamorous than be
fore. Scarcely a day passed that Mr.. or Mrs
Jacobs did not order something from the store
not dreaming, simple souls, that an alarming
heavy debt was accumulating against them.
As to the income Of Mr.. Jacobs. it was no
large. lie was. as has been animated, a clerk il
. wholesale store, and received a salary of sever
hundred dollars a year. His family consisted Of
wife and three children. and he found it necessar,
to be prudent in all his expenditures. in order Il
make both ends meet Somewhat Independent
10 his feelings, he had never asked for credit o
any one with whom he dealt, and no one offerinI
it, previous to the tempting inducement held GU
by Edwards. he had regulated his outgoings b.
his iucoms. By this means he had managed t.
keep even with the world though not to gain an,
advantages on the eide Of fortune. Let US see i
his good credit has been of any service to him.
1t was 90 very pleasant to have things com
Portable or for q little disnlav. witbopt faal;n,