Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-04-13

avoided him-shrank of down narrow
by-way, 50 as not TO meet his poor cred
itor
On "Wednesday morning, John Perkins
saw Matthew Baldwin-again but he wa,
not forced TO dodge out of the way, fol
this time the poor laboring man was
standing at the door Of physicians
Office.
On Thursday morning, az John Perkins
was going to his shop, be saw in the street
ahead OF him Matthew Baldwin and 81
las Tower, engaged in conversation. Di
recly Baldwin crossed the street, sno
went away, while Tower waited for Per
kins 10 come up. The two friends shook
hands, and passed the compliments o.
the morning.
Poor Baldwin is in much trouble SAID
Tower, as they walked on.
'Ah, how so ? asked Perkins.
| His wife is very sick-has been sick g
week; and two of his children are down
with the diptheris. One of them the doc
tor thinks will die. Poor fellow | pity
him. What with nurses TO hire, and
medicine to buy, and provisions high, he
finds it hard to get along. | lent him
ANC 4OAAhIS tAls 4uOIAAIS VI AothSif
paid him in advance for some work be
has promised to do for me-
John Perkins seems to be little nerv-
Gus.
BY the way, pursued Tower, after they
had walked on little while in silence,
have yon paid Baldwin that eight dollars
yet"
No, 1 haven't replied John, reluc-
tsntly,
Have you money enough with you 10
pay it?'
NO
How much have your
Not over three or four dollars
Now, John. said Tower. with sudden
earnestness, i am going TO ask you a
question, and you can answer me, or not,
as you please. What have you done with
the money you had on Monday morning?
AT first John Perkins could not tell
what he had done with it but finally he
made out to account for part of it. There
was two theatre tickets at fifty cents each.
One oyster supper for himself and friend
"A dollar. A horse and wagon for a
moonlight ride-two dollars. And then
he owed for numerous glasses of soda and
beer. In all he accounted for six dollars,
or thereabouts
i declare, said Tower, shaking his
head, and speaking with solemn serious
ness, 1 would not like to borrow money
from Matthew Baldwin for such purposes!
'HowP uttered John, 'Borrow-of Mat
thew Baldwin,
John. You know what l mean
fhsa g. Il, 4
and as John Perkins walked towards his
shop the words of Silas Tower rang in his
ears. Did he know what his friend had
meantf Aye-that he did /; and when he
reached his place of work he reflected
long and seriously.
i declare he muttered 10 himself, as
he rolled up his sleeves and arranged his
tools, 4 think Tower is right. | could
have paid Baldwin last Monday morning,
if had only thought so. | wish l had.'
He set his lathe, and fixed bar of iron
for turning. II L had paid him. he con-
tinued, as he watched the bits of iron
drop from the revolving bar, 4 should at
this moment be better off than am. Of
course shouldn't have borrowed money
to go to the theatre with, nor to pay for
horses with. By the powers Silas told
the truth. That money honestly belong
ed to Matthew Baldwin
And so, through the day John Perkins
talked with himself upon the subject
thus brought before him, and before night
he had resolved that he would turn over
new leaf.
On Friday morning, John Perkins saw
a man carrying little coffin into Mat
thew Baldwin's house. The sight caused
him TO reflect more deeply than he had
done the day before. That little coffin,
with its tale of bereavement and woe, led
him into sympathy with the sufferers :;
and the thought that his failure in duty
might have added to the sufferings of the
lowly household smote him to the heart.
Saturday evening, Perkins knocked at
Matthew BaldWin's door. The poor man
answered the summons. He was bowed
with grief and his eyes were red with
weeping.
Pardon me for calling at this time
said Perkins IN subdued tones; but l
thought you might need the money l
owed YOU
Indeed, sir, do need it; and thank
you for remembering me- The mans
face frightened as he received the money,
and he expressed his thanks again.
In the time to come said John Per-
kins, 4 may have considerable work for
you to do; and promise that you shall
never have occasion to ask me twice for
what is your DUE
And he kept his word
People who were acqusinted with John
Perkins, and who saw him often, fancied
that he walked more steadily and proud
" than he used TO walk; and the impress
sion with some was, that he had met with
stroke of good fortune The grocer, and
baker, and the butcher were among those
who imagined that large sum of money
had fallen to him
Six months have passed away. John
Perkins and Silas Tower were walking to-
gether as we have seen them before.
Ny dear Silss,' said John, in continu-
alton of conversation already begun, i
owe it all to you. To you am indebted
for my emancipation from one of the
meanest and most gauling states of serYi-
tude that ever laid its yoke upon the neck
of man. Six months ago was hampered
with petty debts, and l was growing more
inclined to shirk payment of them; but
it is SO no more. l now regard debt as
thing 10 be summed; bGst if must in
cur debt, pay it as soon as can. fl
had an enemy. and was malevolent
enough to wish him i'll, can think of no
greater evil to call down of curse upon
him than state of bondage to perplex-
ing, harrassing Debt.
WHAT "CoPPERHEAD" MEANs.-For the
r L l. E.,I Har1r