Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-11-23
VOLUME XVI.

Whc2 the latter heard of the failure he
was good deal disturbed, although the
sum owed to him was not over three or four
hundred dollars. On reflection, he grew
more composed.
"Wilkins is an honest man." said he to
himself. He'll pay me sooner or later"
1t did not take long to sell off, at a bad
sacrifice, the stock Of goods remaining in
the hands of the debtor, for he threw no
impeachment in the way of those who sought
to obtain their due
"Ah, my friend" !" said the latter on meet
ing with Green, a few days after closing
up OF his insolvent estate, this is a sad
business But if God gives me strength |
will pay off every dollar of this debt before
die. An honest man can never sleep
soundly while he owes his neighbor a farth-
ing"
The right spirit, brother Wilkins" an
swered Green the right spirit Hold
fast to that declaration, and all will come
out straight in the end. Though | can't
very well lie out of my money yet | will
wait patiently until you are able to pay
me. | alway said you were an honest man;
and | am sure you will make good my
words"
God helping me, WILL said the debt
or his voice trembled, and his eyes grew
moist. Q, how dark all looked in the fu-
| ture What weight of grief mortifica-
ton and despondency on his heart
The two men parted and each took his
! homeward way, the debtor and the creditor.
The one with cOuntenance erect, the other
sad and depressed.
| That night Mr.. Green prayed, "Forgive
us our debts as we forgive our debtors"
Yet scarcely had the words died on his lips
ere he was musing on the chances in favor
| OF his ever receiving from the penniless
| Wilkins the few hundred dollars due him by
| that unhappy individual There was no
sympathy for him in his heart; no thoughts
OF his terrible prostration Of spirit moth
ing Of pity and forgiveness. selfish re-
gard for his own interest completely alb
sorbcd all humane considerations.
Time passed on. Mr.. Wilkins was no
drone. An earnest, active man, he
found employment-not very remunerative
at first, but still sufficiently so to enable
him to secure many comforts for his family,
and to provide for their education.
One, two, three years glided by. With
the growth of his children, his expenses in
creased, and kept so close a tread upon his
any of the old obligations although he
never lost sight of them, and never ceased
to feel troubled on account of their exist
tence.
90, debt, debt, debt p he would often
sigh to himself. What would | not give
to be able to say, owe no man anything.
But with my large family and limited in-
come what hope is there p
This wac biC Jar rocoJ
day when Mr.. Green called in to see him.
Many times before this the unhappy man
had been reminded of his debt.
" How are you getting on ?" inquired the
creditor fixing his eyes steadily upon poor
Mr. Wilkins, who felt a sense of suffocation
and slightly quailed before his tyrant.
81 have much to be thankful for" meekly
replied the debtor
g My health has been good, and have
had steady employment"
You are living comfortable"
" And we are grateful to kind Provi- |
dence for our blessings"
" our salary is one thousand dollars 2"
4" 1t is; and have six children to sup
port"
You ought to save something. Pve
been easy with you a long time it's three
years now, and you haven't offered me one
cent. If you'd paid me five or ten dollars
at time, the debt would have been less
ened. wish you would begin to make |
some arrangements. You ought to save at
least two hundred dollars from your salary. |
| know plenty of men who get only eight |
hundred dollars year, and have as large |
families as yours"
The eye of Mr.. Wilkins fell heavily to the |
floor; he felt as if a heavy weight had been
laid upon his bosom. He made no reply. |
for what could he say?
have always upheld you as an honest |
man." remarked Green, in tone of voice |
that implied an awakening doubt as to |
whether this view of the debtors character
was really correct
80 That is between God and my own con-
science" said Wilkins lifting his eyes from
the floor and looking with some sternncss |
into the face of his prosecuting creditor.
g For your own sake, | trust you will |
keep clear conscience" returned Green |
" As for the present matter between us, all |
! wish to know is whether you mean to pay |
my debt, and if so, when | may expect to |
receive something"
How much is the debt ?" asked Wilkins. |
" 1t was three hundred and seventy dol |
lars at the time OF your failure. Interest |
added, it now amounts to four hundred and |
fifty" said Green.
"There were other debts beside yours"
"Of course there were; but have moth
ing to do with them"
"The whole amount of my Indebtedness
was twenty thousand dollars. The yearly |
interest on this is more than my whole in
come. | cannot pay the interest, much less
the principal"
" But you can pay my small claim if you
will you could have paid it before this
time, if the disposition had existed. You
tald of conscience, but Pm afraid, brother |
Wilkins, in your case there is very mar
row foundation of honesty for conscience to
rest upon. | don't put much faith in the |
professions of men who live after the fash
ion you live, aud yet refuse to pay their
debts. I'm plain spoken individual, and
you now have my mind freely"
The tone and manner of the creditor were |
harsh in the extreme.
Perhaps' said Wilkins, with forced
calmness, there may be less ofdishonesty
in my Withholding than in your demanding"