Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-06-20
What Little Foxes Did.
A TRUE STORY.
From the Boston Recorder

IRON the Boston Recorder
was on a visit to my grandfather, one of the
pioneer farmers Of Central New Y ork, and we
had started outfor a ride. The first house we
passed Twas in so many respects like my grand
fathers that it drew my attention.
"4 our good neighbor seems to have had
some ideas like yours, grandfather" l said
The man that built this house had. No
neIghbor OF mine now, poor manu- and my
grandfather drew a long breath.
Then after pause, his voice changed
"Ihese foxes! these 4ittle foxes, l hate
them! Nobody fears them, nobody minds
them, yet they ruin everything. The beasts
OF prey are not half so dangerous. The little
toXes!" he repeated with emphasis, and his
tone was bitter.
What little foxes, grandfather"
Amy little foxes, all little foxes; little SINS
little weaknesses, little ISLANDERS, little debts,
hate them all. They do such mischief; they
are so treacherous and ruinous!''
"When they are so little?"
'.Yes, and because they are so little"
My grandfather paused WAITED in silence,
and he went on.
81 never ride by that house without pain
and indignation. You see what fine place il
IS; good house, hundred and fifty acres of
rich land; and yet it went for silk gown.
That was the little fox.
"A silk gown?''
Eyes, it went for a silk gown. And there
went with 1t what was worth greatly more than
all of ia whole family's happiness and
hope"
What is the story, grandfather"
'Ill tell you. When l first came to this
part OF the country, young couple of the
name of Brown were settled here in a log
house. They were Woodworking, selfdeny-
ing people, and everything prospered with
Il
farm, and kept adding to it, TILL as | told you,
they had hundred and fifty acres. Then
when had built me new house, neighbor
Brown had to build him one, somewhat like
mine, as you see, for he did not like to be be-
hind. l sent my oldest children to an acad-
envy in the next town, where they could have
better opportunities for learning than were
here. After a time, neighbor Brown thought
it would be good thing to educate his chill
dren, and sent his oldest daughter to the same
academy.
1t was new expense to him, but he met it
cheertully, and for time, all went we'll The
young woman made him stare with her phil
osophy, the fond father was more than repaid
for all his sacrifices on her account. But as
she increased in knowledge, so did she in
love of dress, and nothing would do for her
but an expensive silk gown. Her mother put
her of.
''We can't afford it, Susan"
"Why not, mother ?''
'Because we have no money to pay for it..
But father can pay for it in things from off
the farm"
Nothing can be spared now. Last years
grain is all sold; so is everything else from
last year.
But father might sell something's COW, if
nothing else"
''No, he needs all the stock he has,
The father entered.
"What is it, Susan?n
81 want a silk dress, father. Mary Stiles has
one"
GLOW will she get it2" interposed the pru,
dent mother.
"I'll 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 vii
lage, and Brown had store bill for the first
time IN his life. He thought nothing of it, as
many others had the same, and the merchant
encouraged 1t. 1t comes great deal easier
to say, ''Charge i'll" than to hand over the
hard earned cash. They know this; and take
advantage Of it. And so a 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 meet
at the end Of the year.
"And suppose it can't be met 2"
"The merchant puts it into the shape of a
note payable with interest, and starts fresh
account"
"Too bad p
$50 it is but Susan Brown had her fine
dress, and Brown had his store bill, and once
begun it soon grew too large, and how many
debts are not so? The command is wise,
'Owe no man anything Most debts ought
tC bay NJ cIo
indulgence that cannot be paid for at once.
Next year Browns store bill became note
with interest, but it did not trouble him. Next
year another note was given, a larger one, in
Guiding interest, and an unpaid balance of O.
second store bill. Heavier interest was not
asked, for money was scarce. Brown kept
falling behind for several years; once sliding
downward, it is hard to recover ones SELF
At length | saw the surveyors at work on that
part of his farm lying next to mine. He was
with them"
"Going to sell?'' | asked him.
'I'm going to give Lyme q mortgage
"Ah! how's that?'
Giles got some Of my notes and wants
one.'
pitied him and with good reason. He
was never the same man again. An incubus
lay upon him, destroying his courage, his very
life. If he could not pay his store bill how
could he lift a mortgage? His farm must go;
no help for it. The grasping usurer had done
his work, had made his own the handsome
farm which another man had earned by the
sweat and toll of life, without the sweat and
toll of an hour, by cunning, small advantages
fastened to a little store debt. How indignant
1 felt; how sorrowful too, when my good neigh
Dor put his furniture into wagons, put in his
axe, pillow and hoe, and took his way to an
humble home far from US, to begin lites toll
anew; youth all gone, hope almost dead, cour-
age almost failed, muscles and heart weak
ened. And all this wrong and ruin grew from
little thing, school girls gown. Do you
wonder hate the little foxes? Look out for
them, child! watch for theml don't let them
spoil your vines while you are safe from them.
No one is safe.
We rode on in silence, and l unused and
trembled. So many little things-lite is made
up with them-which shall ruin? which shall
bless? God of wisdom direct me-"
prayed.
&c dactr11o.