The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-08-01
WHAT LrfTIE foxEs M.

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mouse we passed was IN so many respects lik,
my grandfather's that it drew my attention
Your good neighbor seems to have hat
some ideas like yours grandfather" / said
The man that built this house had. NJ
neighbor of mine now poor man !" and my
grandfather drew long breath. SO.
Then after pause, his voice changed.
These. foxes! these little foxes, hat,
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 p
ANY little foxes, all little foxes; little
sins, little weaknesses, little sIanderers, little
debts, hate them all. They do such mis-
chief; they are SO treacherous and ruinous ~
"When they are SO little2
"Yes, and because they are so little"
My grandfather paused. Iwaited in ST.
lence, and he went on.
81 never ride by that house without pain
and indignation. You see what fine 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 gown2"
Yes it went for silk gown And there
went with it what was worth greatly more
than all of it-a whole familys happiness
and hope"
what is the story, grandfather 2"
I'll 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 Woodworking, self-denying people,
Al g.
many years. They paid for their farm, and
kept adding to it, till, as told you, they
had hundred and fifty acres Then when
! had built me.a new house, neighbor Brown
had to build him one,- somewhat like mine,
as you see, for he did not like to be behind.
l 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 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 "a COW,
If nothing else."
No, he needs all the stock he has,"
The father entered.
What is it, Susan?"
L want silk dress, father Mary Stiles |
has one.n
"How will she get it ?" interposed the
prudent mother.
"rll buy it for her."
But how will you pay for it9n |
They'll trust me-"
The wife said no more, and Susan had the
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 graat deal
easier to say, "Charge r' than to hand
over the hard-earned cash. They know this;
md take advantage of it. And so a man
who would not have spent ten dollars at the
tore if he had been obliged to pay down."
las store bill of perhaps five times that
mount to meet at the end of the year.
"And suppose it can't be met q"
The merchant puts it into the shape of a
tote payable with interest, and starts fresh
"Too badp l
$50 it is; but Susan brown had her. fine
lress, and Brown had his store bill, and
nee begun it soon grew too large, and how
many debts are not so? The command is
rise, Owe no man anything Most debts
ught never to have been. No one should
ave an indulgence that cannot be paid for
once. Next year Browns store bill be- !
anne note with interest, but it did not
rouble him. Next year another note was
lven, larger Que, including interest, and
n unpaid balance of a second store BILL
ieavler interest was not asked, for money
'as scarce. Brown kept falling behind for
sveral years; once sliding downward, it is
ard to recover ones self. At length saw
ne surveyors at work on that part of his
lrm lying next to mine. He was with
1eln."
Going to sell ~ asked him.
" Pm going to give Lyme mortgages
'Ah how's that %
" He's got some of my notes and wants
me-"
pitied him and with good reason. He
as never the same man again An incpbns
y upon him, destroying his COURAGE. his
cry life. If he could not pay his store bill
ow could ne lift mortgage His farm
Just go; no help for it. The grasping u.s.
rer had done his work, had made his own
lie handsome farm which another man had
'rned' by the sweat and toll of life, with
ut the sweat and toll OF an hour, by cum
ing, small advantages fastened in a little
ore debt. How indignant 1 felt; how sor- !
'wiul too, when my good neighbor put his
into wagons, put in his axe, pillow
I'd hoe, and took his way to an humble ..
ome tar from US, to begin lifts toll anew:
'uth all gone, hope almost dead, courage
most failed, muscles and heart weakened.
nd all this wrong and ruin grew from
tile thing, school girls gown. Do YOU
onder l hate the little foxes Look out t
r them, child watch for them! don't let g
em spoil your vines while you are safe from
em. No one is SAFE 7
We rode on in silence, and unused and t
embed. So many little things-life is
ade up with them-which shall ruin c
inch shall bless2 "God of wisdom direct
e." prayed. If
THE New ArroRNEY-GENER A1,-Tbe :
asillngton correspondent of the New York |
ines says: