Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1869-01-15
The Bankrupss wife.


Henry MARSHALL, was bankrupt. A
business which had yielded him more
than ample support and which had pro-
missed at no distant day TO enable him
to retire upon & fortune, came to stand
lstfl. His stock became unstable, and
his papers and assestssWere Of no use to
him. N0thtng he had could be eon-
yerted to cash to meetthe thick coming
/ liabilities; and if he could have sold
5evsrthing he had in stock at current
rates in a pancikY market the sale
would only have netted enough to
carry him through. # he could have
sWaited a few months or q year he could
shave Kept his feet; but what man can
wait when the notary is IN q hurry salEld
IA thunderstorm.
4 .AlIthe proceeds Of the labor Of years
were gone, ana he had no choice but TO
make the hUHnl liating confession that
he was banlrupt. ne had nothing
TO reproach 1inoself with. He had nok
Ebeen careless, i'm prudent or extraVa-
Egant.ss He had taken no money out Of
his business for outside speculation, ,
and had wasted nothing in show or ex-
ltravagance, far less in vice. Hna
! Oneluvestment he had made, such
fas every successful business man is
Justified in making He had proYideo
a home for his family He had bought
/ a house, furnished and improved IL,
/ unOdestly but tastefully; and the Pur-
chase was made at such timey and On
terms, that il helped rather than en-
barrassed him. It had been to him as
he called it, his tsnest whittier he could
retire for quiet ana comfort after his
iday's work was DONE Three little
I nestlings Were there and their mother.
EShe Was as much 70 their domtcil6 as
i her hrs band; and, az to the children,
fbis world was ehome,1 and every
thing outside seemed 10 them as some-
] thing foreign. Mrs. Marsha an s. taste
and care and honest pride bad 60 ar
i ranged 5Eld completed all, W1thin and
/ without, that the house fitted the IN
mate, and the inmates the mousse
/ They seemed to have grown into each
other.
He had not settled the house anon his
| wife; though according TO rece1Ved uo-
tions of probity he might have done so.
For when he bought it he was clear OF
al. the world, and could have answered
II all demands against him and still have
Il retained a surplus. He did not con-
4 tenn plate the danger that he could ever
& come to want; and if the danger ever
n crossed his mind he would have reason
4 ed thus: My house and social posi-
u tioneare part of my capital. j II 1 Sc
| cretly put what remains of my property
q out of the reach of my ereditorst am
living under false pretenses. Ii open
. Iy ALLEVIATE my title I am causing slls=
] 1icion; or.at the very. best, depriYtng
7 myself of a part Of my capital. Thus
81 Mr.. Marshall reasoned. Perhaps he
was wrong. But though he choked 8
little over it, his conscience applaudeo
) him, when he added his house anC
furniture to the schedule of his effects
e to be surrendered for the benefit OF hli
creditors.
n ide.eaIled a meeting of those who helC
~ demands against him, and submitted
n 3. .3r afF gentlemen
were notsa little astonished when the1
found his house and furniture included
"a in the schedule. 1855
Q 7t'Why, Marshall y exclaimed one 0
4 them, 'ssurely you are not going TO Deg
gar Yourself in this way We are no
ShvIocIs. and will not have the pounl
of flesh. That house should have beel
settled upon your wife years ago, whel
i YOU bought it ~
,sPerhaps,'' p said the bankrupt with
Fl sad smile. ''But it is too late now"
lido not know that, said his trleno
: Il casting Il look of inquiry round the Gil
a "Ido Know it," said Mr.. Marshal
quietly. "And whileI appreciate you
N kindness, must beg that the questio
n be not opened"
IN what do you propose ~ asked IL
gentleman who, in virtue of holding Ii
tn largest demand acted as chairman
yst the melancholy committee.
\; 'sNothing," said Mr.. Marshall, "e1
or eept that you take my books and a
sets, divide the proceeds among I'll
% creditors, and if you are satisfied of N
e. honesty. give me a release. WhateY'
eaa deficit there may be give my word
y p make, If my life is spared, and am
is any degree prosperous, after this storl
he has blown over"
g, Many heartfelt and sincere compl
nd ,,,oTfs2 gvara raid To the unfortuna
ne merchant by his creditors; and SO en-
ID. ed the first Meeting. The next pr
eeedinE would be held without the pre-
A. ence OF Marshall, and of the results
mt these deliberations he could not ha'
seE EsL lsss,Sss EJa fa1t that I,a was ripF
ig, Ate5sis 41, 80 - =. --,S I,,1t -~Soi
m the feeling of every honest man VIII
be he said, sFI had rather be right than
President"