Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-06-25
Concerning Early Sass"

The story is told of shrewd old Con-
necticut deacon, that when his pushing,
enterprising neighbors came to financial
grief, he alone, of the tOwnsmen, showed
no surprise whatever a know'd all
along" the deacon said, "that he was
bound to go under one time or another.
| saw it in his ways" When his neigh
bOrS expressed surprise at this, pointing
to the fact that the habits of the unfor-
tunate one were exceptionally good and
his morals wholly above reprOach, the dea-
con replied: Yes, [ know all that. He
didn't drink nor gamble nor keep fast
bosses, but still [ knOw'd he was bound
10 go under, cause he always would buy
the first sass in market"
Now there was deal Of wisdom hid
den under the hOmely phrase, and one
given to mOralizing might write an excel
lent hOmily from such text No doubt
the deacon was right. Possibly the pur-
chaser of extra early vegetables, while he
was yet well to do, could fairly afford the
expense incident to such indulgence. 1t
is not at all likely that the amount paid
for his "early sass'' cut any considerable
figure in the deficiency found in his as
sets, and the shrewd deacon knew this,
doubtless, as we'll as anybody He re-
garded the indulgence in very early vege-
tables merely as a symptom, and argued
theretrOm want Of due regard to
economy as a principle. He saw hid
den in his neighbours market basket,
among the early radishes and un-
seasonable lettuce heads, the poisonous
plant, self-indulgence, and his experience
taught him that such plants strike their
roots deep, even when they seem to grow
upon the surface. The contempt for
small savings which such indulgence
showed argued a want of genuine thrift
Oh the part of the unfortunate man; and
this being matter Of character the dea-
| con was right in thinking that it would
ultimately tell upon his neighbours finan-
cial condition. 1t is not only because
many Titles make much that economy in
little things is important. 1t is because
we carry into greater matters whatever
habits we form in little ones Our char
acters are largely the result of our habits,
| and it is in small things only that we ac-
| quire habits Of any sort. Combining our
selves strictly to the matter of economy,
we find the deacon's rule always a good
one. The men who grow wealthy, and
those who, without getting rich, manage
to accumulate comfortable competence,
are not they who make money easily, but
they who save it Systematically and on
| principle. Men we see by the score
whose earnings are abundant, but whose
| accommodations amount to nothing. Some
of them count their incomes by thousands,
and yet find themselves in debt at the
end of every year. On the other hand,
there are men in every village in this
| country who have gradually and surely
| grown wealthy or well to do, whose an
nual earnings have never been greater
than those of an industrious mechanic.
If one is not accommodating money as
fast as he thinks he ought, the remedy, in
nine cases out of ten, is not greater ex-
ertion to make money, but care to save
it. Indeed, he who saves money system
atically, putting away a part, even
though it be but small part, of each
weeks or each days earnings, is rich al
ready. His means exceed his necessities,
and that is wealth always The gripings
of poverty are felt whenever one finds
the demands upon his purse greater than
he can meet; and many of those who are
accounted wealthy suffer the worst woes
and notifications Of poverty in this
way, while their neighbors, with small
means and thrifty habits, are really richer
than they, in that their incomes supply
all their needs and leave a comfortable
remainder over. One may be sorely
pinched on ten thousand year, and one
may 1--we well and save money on respect
able days wages. The difference lies less
in the amount of the earnings than in the
ratio maintained between earnings and
expenditures. The man who must " shin
around" as Wall street phrases it, in
search Of money with which to meet his
expenses suffers the pangs and the humil-
latlons OF poverty, even though he count
his wealth by millions, while the thrifty
mechanic or clerk who has few hun
dred dollars at work for him in a savings
bank, and who can add dollar or two to
the little hoard at regular times. knows
nothing whatever Of what poverty is
Hearth and Home.