Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1872-06-05
Whole No. 29O5
What Keeps Men Poar.

Fate IS against me. L never could
succeed in anything. I am doomed
to poverty. Here am near the me.
ridian of life, large family upon my
hands, sons and daughters lust at tIe
age when they become particularly
expensive and need much money
spent upon them to fit them for the
positions / wish them to occupy;
but have not got it to spend unless
involve myself deeper In difficulties
which have always encompassed me.
Wnat Is the reason ] am poor2S
such are the complaints of hun
dreos OF men in our midst, who are
struggling as they have struggled all
their llVes 70 maintain style Of liv-
ing they fancy necessary for the hap
plness OF themselves and families.-
The main point is to make others
believe they are possessed of greater
wealth than they really areas to be
thought poor would destroy all the
comforts of real wealth, did they pos
sess them. Hence they labor and
plan to deceive their neighbors even
as they are deceiving themselves
This is an infatuaticn which leads
such men down a life of poverty as
well as Of intense misery.
With but limited or small incomes
they spend money lavishly before the
public in the dress and ornaments of
their families and in their houses,
followed by an equal. parsimonious-
ness towards themselves and their
business eOnvenieDees in private
Spending more than they receive,
they are constantly in debt, and to
maintain their credit among their
friends and debtors, occupies much of
their time; and monODOlizes the best
energies Of their minds, and their ca
paeity for making money correspOn-
dinghy weakened, and what is clearly
the road 70 fortune is overlooked in
the search for q path out of the entan-
clements Of their voluntary position.
The habit Of spending money twice
over, viz: once in anticipation of its
receipt, and again when il is received,
is the cause of most of the poverty in
the world among the intelligent class
es-as no one can practice it without
becoming involved peeuniarily. and
If persisted In it will entail lifelong
poverty.
But let such man stop where he is,
forget the Mrs. Grundys and their
gossip, strike out for himself a new
path, never use q dime unless it is in
his pocket, and only nine cents of Ii
then saving the other and putting it
on interest. Let him learn that his
children can enjoy themselves fully
as well and fit themselves for life
much better without the many fash
iOnaDle pleasures, so common, so ex-
pensiVe, and so useless let him in
fact live Independently and free from
debt, and his complaints Of Fate will
cease. Accumulation, though slow
at first, will soon assert itself; and
the feeling of embarrassment and con-
slant anxiety, sitting like q weight up
on the mind, destroying its elasticity
and power, will give way, and a time
will be given to the brain which will
enable man to see clearly before him,
and ten 20 one fortune dawns upon
him before he is aware of II. If
many wives would seek the cause of
the sober looks they see upon their
husbands faces, and would know
why his locks bleach out 50 rapidly,
let them inquire into his pecuniaIy
matters, and if possible draw aside
the veil, behind which he shelters his
pride even from his wife and If she
finds he is living beyond bis income.
let her see to it as she values his hap
piness and that of her children, that
she support his arms and his heart in
the carrying Out Of any resolution he
can be prevailed upon to adopt, to
turn the current conveying him on TO
destruction and misery.