The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1866-12-13
What Little Foxes Did 2

New Ork, ana We Hau St1flea out LOT .
ride. !. The first house. that we passed
was in SO many respects like my grand
fathers that it drew my attention
sYonr good neighbor seems to have
had some ideas like yours. grandfather,
I said.
The man that built this house had.
No neighbor of mine now, poor man !.
and my grandfather drew long breath.
These foxes! these little foxes, l
hate them, Nobody fears them, nobody
minds them, yet they ruin everything
The beasts OF prey are not half SO dan
gerous. The little foxes. he repeated
with emphasis, and his tone was bitter.
What little foxes, grandfather! sga
ANY little foxes. all little foxes; lit
tie sins, little weaknesses, little ISLANDERS,
little debts, l hate them all. They do
such mischief; they are SO treacherous
and ruinousn % -sb zafs4-fa
..When they are SO nttle?'
Yes, because they are SO little es8
MY grandfather paused. l waited in
silence and he went on.
sIneyer rode by that house without
pain and indignation. You see what q
fine place it is; good house, hun
dred and fifty acres of rich land and
yet it went for silk gown. That was
the little fox. aas
"A silk gown 70 e7sasaa
Yes, It went for silk gown. And
there went with it what was worth great
ly more than all OF it-a whole family's
happiness and hope,
.What is the story. grandfather
"Ill tell you. When first came to
this part OF. the country. young couple
of the name of Brown were settled here
in log house. They were hardwork-
ing, self denying people, and everything
prospered with them for years. They
paid for their farm and kept adding to
it, till las told you, they had hun
dred and Gfty acreas. Then when Ihad
buiit me new. house, neighbor Brown
had to build him one, somewhat like
mine as you see, for he did not like to
be behind / sent my eldest children to
an academy in the next town, where they
could have better opportunities for learn
ing than were here. After a time neigh
Dor Brown thought it would be a good
thing to educate his children, and sent
his oldest daughter to the same academy.
1t was new expense to him, but he
met it cheerfully, and for a time, all
went well. The young woman made
him stare with her philosophy; the fond
father was more than repaid for all his
sacrifices on her account. But as she in
creased in knowledge 80 did she III love
of dress, and nothing would do her but
an expensive silk gown. Her mother
put her Off s~f
I'VE can't afford it, Susan
why not, mother?
sBecause we have no money to pay
for it
But father can pay for it in things off
the faTm.' - 4e I
Nothing can be spared now. Last
years grain is all sold; so is everything
else froul last year
But father might sell something's
COW if nothing else
mo, he needs all the stock he has
The father entered.
Whats it Susanl' 4T E#S
L want silk dress, father. Mary
Stiles has one cV t4. .,.s
How will she get it9' inserposed the
prudent mother.
'Tll buy it for her.
But how will you pay for it?
They'll trust me-
The wife said no more, and Susan had
the handsomest silk to be found in the
next village, and Brown had a store bill
for the first time in his life. He thought
nothing Of il, las Elnanyl others had the
same, and the merchant encourag-
ed it. 1t comes a great deal easier to
say, "Charge it. than to hand over the
hard earned cash. They know this and
take advantage of it. And So man
who would not have spent ten dollars at
the store, if he had been obliged to pay
down. has store bill of perhaps five
times that amount to pay at the end of
the year.
- And suppose it can't be metz
The merchant puts it into the shape Of
a note payable with interest, and starts
q fresh account
Too bad y
SO it is; but Susan Brown had her
fine dress. and Brown had his store bill
and once begun, it grew too large, and
how MANY debts are not so The COM
mand is so wise, Owe no man anything
Most debts ought never to have been.
No one should have an indulgence that
cannot lie paid for at once. Next year
Browns store bill became note with in
terest. but it did not tronble him. Next
year another note was given larger one
interest, ond an unpaid balance
of another store bill Heavier interest
was not asked. for money was scarce
Brown kept falling for several years !:
once sliding downward it is hard to re-
cover ones self. At length I saw the
surveyors at work on that part of his
farm lying next to mine. He was with
them. -e - -
Going to sell 2 asked him
I'm going 10 give Lyme a mortgage
sAh! how's that?' Z.
He's got some of my notes and
wants one'
I pitied him with good reason. He
was never the same man again. An in
cumbus lay upon him, destroying his
courage. his very life II he could not
pay his store bill. how could he lift .
mortgage? His farm mnst go: no help
for it. The grasping usurer had done
his work, had made hts own the hand
some farm which another man had earn
ed by the ssweat and toll of many An
hour, by counning. small advantages
fastened to little debt. How indignant
felt; how sorrowfui too, when my good
neighbor put his furniture into wagons,
put his AK, plow and hoe. AID took his