Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1880-01-01
SHIF TING.
ST HARRIET L. s. CREssY,

must have my pay right on, so
you may al well stir around and get it.
or there'I be fuss!" said the naughty
Mr.. oIarbIck TO a poor man who owed
him u small sum of money.
We'll" replied the humble fellow,
whom we will cali Jack Styles, q I will
pay you next week without fail. Peter
FGnley Is owing me enough to pay it,
and he L coming over to Butcher john
sons next Tuesday with beef eritter,
and ne will then pay me, and I viii
hand 1t over to you"
Mind you do, or you'll be sent up
for month or two!" was the reply.
This threat seemed hard and uncalled
for, as Jack always paid his debts when
ever he could; but he had been very
unfortunate ali through the hard, long
winter, Sut ROW needed little tina TO
pay the debts that had accumulated.
He had been very Ill with rheumatism
for month or two; beside, his wife
and two Children had been sick with
levers, auG his doctors bill had amount.
ed to more than he had earned; for
when he could work his help had been
needed at home. and work had been
found anything TO do when he was able
10 do it. Old Starbuck knew all this;
and knew also that Jack was an honest
fellow; but ne always was very hard
With tbs poor and unfortunate.
Jack took tie cruel threat very much
to heart, and fretteG himself nearly into
feyer Tor two or three days. What il
Fanley should dlsGppOint him, after ali2
Il hardly seemed possible he would
for the butcher had the promise of the
COW for the following Tuesday: but
Fanley lived some eight miles away,
and something might happen that he
would net come with her. Oh, he
hoped there would not; for he had @
great horror of a jail, and had never
been threatened like that before.
Thank God, men are not now i'm
prisoned for debt in the State where
Jack then lived; but such was the Law
at that time; and many poor man,
though honest, was thrust into prison,
and his family left in want, for the
reason that he could not pay lis debts.
What possible good such law could do
ne have never been able to see, IS il
only filed up the j&ils, made expense
for til state, and deprived the family
of tbs clip taey needed, beside placing
the cul iTib il q condition to earn moth
ing to relieve himself of the debt fol-
which he was imprisoned. Perhaps il
prevented some from running into debt
% much as they otherwise would; IL
this respect it might have done sons
good.
Well, Tuesday came and Jack kept q
good lookout for Fanley and his COW
wto, in going to the butchers, would
ave to pass his house. About i
o'clock of that forenoon boy came
running to his house to inform hin
that both man and coz were on the way
tiaither, but the latter had t&llen int
the snow, and he was little afraid sht
was dead. Jack sprung and ran wit
al his might to the place where the Coz
was lying, which was half mile from
his house; and there, to MS utter de
SPAR, the creature was spraWled on til
snow, stona dead.
What could have been the matte
with herr" asked Jack. greatly excited
Don't know, I'm sure, less It's she
worrit to death tramping in the snow.
and surmised that something more thai
fatigue had caused the dissolution. Blu
q sled and yoke Of oxen were procure,
and the carcass drawn to Butcher John
gon, Sho, after making post-morEeI
examination, found that the decease
came to her death from drepsy, undu
fatigue from tremping IN the snow has
tenlng the event. OF course he coui
rot purchase the carcass of disc sc
animal, 30 it was turned over to til
scavep gers OF the field.
Fanley was grievcd at the loss, for b
was poor man, end Jack, who was tol
by Fanley that he could not pay him 6
present, was frantic.
"To jail, then, must CO." he tea
fully exclaimed. "There is no use j
trying to put off old Starbuck an
longer. would not dare face him wit
the old promise in my mouth; no,
jail ] must CO."
Thatafternoonh he went to see Starbucl
who said to him, as soon as he saw hir
You've come, then, to pay me ii
money!"
Jack hung his head and Eeek1y r
piled, No, Mr.. Starbuck, the COW died
None OF your stories; IL you hay
not got the money you will have hon
:. over there little while" he said, poin
ing to The Jail.
Il could not get it."
ENuf ced, then; here, walk over
Sheriff Patton's with me-" taking q
poor man by tho collar and walkin
along.
Starbrck, who was q hard drinke
was pretty drunk, and he went along
an uneven gait, still hold of Jacks GO
lar. Meeting the Sheriff after going
short distance. he handed Jack over
him and returned home.
Have you been sending Jack Styl
of to prison? p asked Starbuck's wife
he entered the house.
@Yes, and I'm going to send eve
other scamp that won't pay me to 81