The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1867-02-16
what Little Foxes lDid

what Little Foxes Did
was on visit to nv grandfather, one OF
the pioneer tarmsrs Of Central New FORK
and we had started cut for a ride. The first
house that we passed was in many re-.
spects Ike my grandfathsrs that il draw nv
attention.
Your good neighbor seems to have had
some ideas ike your grandtathsr,' | said.
The man who built this house had-No
neighbor Of nlins now, poor man = and nav
srandfathsr drew Il long breath.
These foxes these little foxes, hate
them Nobody fears them, nobody mind :
thsm, vet they ruin everything. beasts
o. prev are not half SO dangerous The lit
tie foxe4 + he repeated with emphasis and
his tone was bitter.
What lttle faxes, grsndfather''
ANY little foxes, ali foxes, all little sins
little weakHe:.ss, little ISLANDERS, little debr.,
hate them all They do such mischief :;
they are - trsaeheroGs and ruinous".
When they are 50 little p
My grandfather paused. waited ia si>
leace asd lie went on.
II never rode by that house without pain
and indignation. Ieu see what fine place
il IS, d good house. hundred aad hft- acres
OF rich land and ye, it went for silk gown.
That wns the little fox"
a silk gown 2
"Yes, it went FOR silk gown. And there
ssfs meP Eh dah i Tqt q a vas .s gorh great aaa asH
ness snd hope.
What Is the story, grandfather ?"
IN tell YOU. WhsH first came to .his
part Of tAe couHtrT. l Young couple By the
name of Brown we're seltled tere in log
ID. q.
iug people. and everything pres pered with
them for years. They paid Tor JAeir farm aud
kept adding to it. till as told you, they haj
. hundred and iifty acres. Then when
had built me l new mouse. neighbor Brown
had TO bulli him one, somewhat Ike mine as
you see. FOR he diiH': like TO be behind.
sent mT;eldest children TO An academy in the
next town. where thev could have better op>
portunities for learning than were here.
Alter time neighnor Brown thought 1t
would De good thing h. educate his chill
dres, and sent bis oldest daughter TO the
same academy.
II was u new expense 10 him, but he met
it cheertgiiy, and for time all went we'll.
The young woman made him stare with her
philosophv; the fond father was then repaid
for all his sacrifices on her account. Ba. as
she increased IN knowledge so did she in
love Of dress, ssd nothing would do her but
an expensive silk gown. Her mother put
her off.
1--WE cant afford it, Susan"
why not, mother?'
Because we have no money 10 pay for
it,
But father can pay for /, in hugs off the
farm"
"No.hing can be spared Tow. Last year s
grain is all sold 50 is everything else froia
last year
' But father might sell something's COW.
If nothing else"
"No, he needs ali the stock he has
The father entered. ...-. ...-.--
What is it, Susan Pr 90
Il want silk dross, father. Mary Stiles
has one t
How win she get it, in,erposed the pru.
dent mother. -
"Tll buy it for her."
"But how will you pay for il p
They'll trust ma.
The wife said lie more, aud Susan had the
handsomc.t silk dress 70 be found in the
next village, aud Brown had a store bill for
the first time in his life. He thought no;h-
ing of 1t, as many others had the same, and
the merchant encouraged it. 1t comes a
gEsat uedI edsiSi W eAy, SudrSS II lhau
to hand over the hard earned cash. They
know this and take advantage of it. And so
A man who weuld not have spent ten dollars
at the store, if he had been obliged to pay
"down, has store bill Of perhs ps Eve times
that smoant TO pay at the end OF the year.
"And suppose it can't be paid p
The merchant puts 1t ia the shape of a
note payable with interest, and starts fresh
account"
TOO bad -
$50 il is; bat Susan Brown had her fine
| dress aud Brown had his store bill, and once
began, it grew too large, and how many debts
are not 80 I?
The command is SC, wife, "Ows no mau
arvtbizgr' Most debts ough. never to have
been. No one should have an indulgence
that cannot b. paid for at once.
Next year Prown's store bill became n
note with interest, but it did not trouble him
! Heavier interest was not asked, for money
vas scarce. Brown kept failing tor several
years; once sliding downward it is hard to
recover ones self. At length l saw the sur
veyors at work on par, Of his farm lying nexl
TO mine. He was with them.
Going to sell 2 | asked him.
9 I'm going to give Lyme a mortgage"
All hov's that?'
He's got some OF my notes and wants
one"
a pitied him with good reason Ae 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 .lif. martgage? His farm
must go no help for it. The grasping
usurer had done his work, had made
( his own that good and handsome farm
which another man had earned by the sweat
and toll of many an hour, by cunning small
adyastagss fastened to little debt. How
indignant | felt; how sorro~ful too, when
my good neighbor put his furailura int,
wagons, put in his axe, pillow and hoe, and