The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1865-07-29
BT DOW, Jn.

TEXT.--Ifye are honest, honorable men
! Go ye and-pay the printer.-Anoa.
My HEARERs-There are !Iany seem
ing trihes io this world which you are
too apt TO overlook on account of their
apparent uDimportance, the neglect of
which has plunged thousands into the
deepest mre Of misery, and sunk their
characters into iuextracablo degradation
Among these ostcnsble trincs, that of
neglectiug to pay ones honest debts is
! the most common, aud attended with the
worst Of consequences. 1t takes of all
the silkeu furze from tho Ene threads Of
feeliug--create5 sort Of ulisanthropic
coldGecj about the heart skins of all
the cream that may chance to rise upon
the milk Of ofoanerosity-and make men
look as savagely upon his brother men
as does a dog upon one OF his species
while engaged in the gratifying employ
ment of ealing Lis masters dinner. One
! debt bcgets another, I have always OBJ
served that he who owes a man a dollar
is sure also to owe him a gruigc; aud
he is always more ready topay coIApound
interest on the latter than on the former.
Oh, friends, to be over head aud ears
in love is as bad a predicamenS as per-
son ought ever to be il; bat to lie 50
deeply in debt that you cant sleep of
nights without being haunted by the
ghosts Of some insatiate creditor, is
enough to give man the hydrophobia
make him bite a observation-disclosures it
20 ran mad, and create q general con
sternation among the lamp posts.
Ny dear friends--the debt that sits
heaviest Oh the conscience of mortal
provided he has cne---is the doht due
the printer. L passes harder upon ones
bosom than the nightmare-gallS the
soul--frets and chafs every eunoblipg
sentiment---aqueezes all the juice of fra
ternal sympathy from the heart, and
leaves it dgier t3an the surface Of a
roasted potato. A man who wrongs the
printer out of single cent can never
expect to enjoy comfort in this world,
and may well have doubts of finding
happiness in any other. lie will be sure
to 90 down to the grave ere Time shall
have bedecked his brow with the silvery
blossoms of age; and the green leaves
Of hope vii! fall before the first bud Of
enjoyment has expanded. 1t is true the
mushrooms of peace may spring up dur
ing short night of torgetfulneess, bat
they will all wither beneath the scorch-
ing rays Of remorse. How eau you my
friends, ever haze tie Uickedness aud
cruelty to cheat the printer when you
consider how much he has douo, and is
every day doing, foryou. He has poured
into the treasures Of your minds, some
Of the most valuable gifts that any thing
short of God can bestQw ay, riches
with which you would not part for the
possession of the world and a mortagage
en- a small corner OF heaven. With the
keys of magic, as it were, he has opened
the Iron .cased doors of the human IN
dertanding-dispelled the darkness Of
ignorance, and lit up the lamps Of knowl-
edge and wisdom. That mighty engine
the ProSs-is surrounded by the glory
aud its effulgence extends all over the
broad empire of the mind, Illuminating
the darkest avenues of the heart and
yet the printer-the man who tolls at
the lever OF this soul enlghtenipg in
strumeut--is often robbed of his hard.
earned bread by those whom be has de-
livered from meutal bondage, and placed
in a paradise TO lay of aud grow fat
upon the fruits of his labors
Oh, you ungreatful sinners, If you
have hearts sofiened with the daws Of
mercy, instead of gizzards filed with
gravel take heed what ! say unto you
II there be one among you in this con-
gregatiOn whose account is not settled
with the printer, 90 and adjust it imme
diately, and be able to hold your head
up in society, like a giraffe: be respected
by the wise and gool-frea from the
torture OF guilty conscience-the NOR
tifcatiou ofrepeated duns-and escape
from falling into the clutches of those
licensed thieves, the lawyers, If YOU
are honest and honorable men, you will
so forthwith and pay the printer You
will not wait for the morrow-because
there is no tomorrow; it is but vision.
ary receptacle Of unredeemed promises /;
an added egg in the great nest of the
future the debtors hope aud the cred.
ditor's curse. Ifyou are dishonest, low.
minded sons Of Satin, | don't suppose
you will ever pay the printer, as long as
you have no reputation to lose, nor char
aeter to sustain, and no mora.s to cult.
vate. But, let me tell you, my friends,
that if you don't do it, your paths to the
tomb will be streWn with thorns, you
will have to gather your daily food from
brambles, your children will die Of the