The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-03-07
Written for the Sunday Sentinel
BOND OR FREE.
BY MRS. sALLIE A. RAMAGE.

We pity the slave who has never knownl
freedom, whose whole life has BEEN
one long desire to be, if but for one moment
his own man to stand before the world
acknowledging no master but God. We,
stretch out our hands to help him in his
weak efforts to unlOOse the fetters that bind
him. and rejoice when he no longer must
cringe or bow before human being who by
purchase or inheritance has acquired the
control and disposition of fellow creature.
But when a man voluntarily sells himself
knowingly, forfeits his right to perfect free
dom, then we loathe and despise him for
his baseness or weakness, and neither rel
monstrate nor seek to prevent when the
bonds of his servitude are frightened. The
same feeling that prompted our sympathy
and pity for the poor unfortunate slave in
his servitude is instantly changed when we
see the self degradation and abasement of
the ignoble captive who was willing to sell
his birthright for a mess of pottage.
The great mass of men and women are di-
vidsd, not equally at all, into the bond and
the free, and so large is the majority of the
former that we again mentally class them as
either the victims of circumstances unavoid1
ably crushing or as the authors of their own
misfortunes. Not of the degraded, the out
cast, the beggar are these classes composed
but of those who receive wages, salaries, or
an income from property; those moderately,
comfortably fixed in life and many who are
reputed to be wealthy Their serfdom is
debt, and their masters their creditors. It is
almost appalling to consider the number of
men who are to-day working to lift burden
that is increasing with every year, and whose
weight crushes hope and confidence in the
heart and paraly1es every energy. And yet
we take no warning from the agony and de-
spair that PROSTATE and kill
A man may be forced into debt Sickness.
crowding misfortunes, the dishonesty OF
partners or friends, the destructive eonhs1
grafton or food may sweep away property,
or he may be left to bear the consequences
of the inability crime of others. Then we
pity, we cendole, we sympathize. The
world loses not one whit Of its faith in his
honesty, his honor, his business fidelity, but
deals generously with him; and if the blow is
not vital and the time is sufficient to allow.
his commercial recuperation is certain. If
the pressure is too great and financial ruin IS
the result there will at least be a firm foot
ing of honor and character left, and that is
worth everything else
But when men deliberately run in debt
spend more than they receive or can reason
ably hope to receive-there is nothing to up
held them when they fall; moth
ing to cling to. They but gather
the harvest whose seed was sown,
and there is none but thenl selves to reproach
for the bitterness of the fruit; they destroyed
willingly the gernss of pleasure, and as ashes
upon the lips must be the reward of their
folly. Young men just starting in business
life frequently are met by this obstacle to
their wishes, and they either lack the coar-
age or wisdom to overcome il: IL they are
prudent and saving they are afraid of being
reckoned and called stingy, and this they
caR not stand. They covet and long for the
name Of a good, whole souled fellow" q
Liberal man." merchant who has heart
and SOUL" and so on through the list, and to
earn these they entail trouble and worry
upon themselves, and when they fail in bus
iness they receive only the contempt of
these who we're 50 profuse in Battery. They
tied their OWE hands. they crampea their
own energies, and when distress comes upon
tnem tney have ony thsmseiyss w