The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-07-26
WHAT LITTLE FOXES DID.

WHAT LITTLE FOXES DID.
Twas on q visit to my grandfather, one OF
the pioneer farmers of Central New York
and we had started out for ride. The first
house we passed was in so many respects ike
nv grandfathers that it drew my attention.
Your 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 man ]" and my
grandfather drew long breath.
Then after a pause, his voice changed.
"These foxesl these little foxes, 1 hate
them! Nobody fears them, nobody minds
them, yet they ruin everything. The beasts
of pray are not half so dangerous The lit
tie foxes ~ he repeated with emphasis, and
his tone was bitter.
"What little foxes, grandfather"
"Any little foxes, all little foxes; little
sins, little weaknesses, little slanderers little
debts, hate them all. They do such mis-.
chief; they are so treacherous and rulnous T.
"When they SO ittles
eyes, and because they are so little"
Nv grandfather paused. I waited in ST.
lence, and he went on.
81 never ride by that house without pain
and Indignation. You see what line place
it is; good house, a hundred and fifty acres
of rich land; and yet it went for silk gown.
That was the little fox"
a SILK gown
Yes it went for silk gown. And there
went with it what was worth greatly more
than all of ia whole family's happiness
and hope"
"What is the story, grandfather 2"
I'll tell you, When first came to this part
of the country, u young couple of the name
of Brown were settled here in log house
They were Woodworking, selfdenying people,
and everything prospered with them for
many years. They paid for their farm, and
kept adding to it, till, as 1 told you, they
had hundred and fifty acres Then when
l 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 behind.
I sent my oldest children to an academy in
the next town, where they could have better
opportunities for learning than were here
After time, neighbor Brown thought it
would be Il 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 cheerfully, and for time, all went we'll
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 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 off.
"We can't afford it, Susan
"Why not, mother 2"
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 2"
81 want silk dress, father. Mary Stiles
has onen
Glow will she get it On interposed the
prudent mother.
"TI buy it for her."
'But how will you pay for it?''
"They'n trust me-"
The wife said no more and Susan had the
handsomest silk to be found in the next vii
lage, and Brown had a store bill for the first
time in his life He thought nothing of it.
as many Others had the same, and the mer-
chant encouraged it. 1t comes a graat deal
easier to say, "Charge it p 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
has store bill of perhaps five times that
amount to meet at the end of the year.
And suppose it can't be met p
"The merchant puts it into the shape of
note payable with interest, and starts fresh
account"
TOO bad!'
$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 500 The command is
wise, Owe no man anything Most debts
ought never to have been. No one should
have an indulgence that cannot be paid for
at once. Next year Browns store bill be-
came a note with interest, but it did not
trouble him. Next year another note was
given, larger QUE, including interest, and
an unpaid balance of 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 1 saw
the surveyors at work on that part of his
farm lying next to mine. He was with
them"
"Going to sell 2" asked him.
I'm going to give Lyme a mortgage"
''Ah how's that 2"
"Hes got some of my notes and wants
one"
I 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 mortgage9 His farm
must go; no help for it. The grasping us
urer had done his work, had made his own
the handsome farm which another man had
earned by the sweat and toll of a life, with
out the sweat and toll of an hour, by cum
ming, small advantages fastened in little
store debt. How indignant felt; how sor-
rowful too, when my good neighbor 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 lifts toll anew :;
youth all gone, hope almost dead, courage
almost failed, muscles and heart weakened.
And all this wrong and ruin grew from a
little thing, a 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 I unused and
trembled. So many little things-life is
made up with them-which shall ruin ?
which shall bless2 "God of wisdom direct
me-" prayed
The 18th was the hottest ever known in