Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-11-30
" Out OF DEBIT"

"But, mother, are we to be forever har-
assed by debts From my earliest child |
hood you have emphasized this one word,
debt, until have come TO feel that TO be in
debt is crime and disgrace, and that |
would do anything to escape from its thrall-
DOM"
The speaker, young and beautiful girl
Of seventeen years, turned bright, but
troubled face toward her mother, sad, but
intellectual looking woman of apparently
forty-fve years.
"Daughter (and there was slight quaver
of voice as she began), | can understand and
sympathize with you for all you suffer in
consequence of your fathers debts, but bear
up bravely, your father thinks he shall soon
be able to extricate himself and stand forth
man once more meanwhile we must do
all in our power to help him."
In order that the reader may sympathize
more fully with the characters Of my story,
it will be necessary to go back to the time
when Howard Garland chose wife from
among the fair daughters of Beechmont.
At the time of his marriage he was the heir
of respectable fortune; by judicious man
agement and unwearied industry, he might,
after a few years have been possessed OF his
thousands. But Howard Garland was a
man of impracticable ideas, aud at the very
outset went into debt, joining house to
house, and land to land, until almost the en-
tire town of Bsechmont was reckoned his
Whenever his wife demonstrated with him,
and demonstrate she did in the early years
of their married life, he would say, 1t isn't
running in debt if you get an equivalent.
What does woman know about business
matters she ought to trust to her hus-
I'D rbra rahpEaI
Garland would relapse into silence, living
more and more within herself, schooling
herself to patiently wait for the long antici-
pated release from the bondage Of debt (;
but as the years came and went bringing no
changes for the better, the buoyant hopes
which had hitherto given courage and en-
deavor to her life began to flag, and she be-
came dispirited and sad. With the birth
of daughter, new hopes animated the de-
spending wife, and she took up her burden
of life again.
Year after year rolled on until seventeen
had gone their allotted rounds, and the
mother and daughter daily hoped and waited
for their financial skies to brighten, now
eagerly expecting, and now patiently endur-
ing. With a high moral sense of her rela-
tions and obligations to her husbands cred
itors, Mrs. Garland would not appropriate
money which rightfully belonged to them ;
only reserving enough for their merest ex-
igencies she daily sacrificed taste and the
luxuries which almost seem necessities, that
no one might suffer through them. She had
| all mothers love and ambition for her
daughter Grace who had proved herself wor-
| thy Of such love. She was Just graduated
from the High school in Beechmont, (for
debtors as well as creditors daughters could
avail themselves of this schooD and it
was the one bright dream of her life to en-
ter a young ladies school, and perfect her
education. 1t was this question which the
mother and daughter were considering,
when my story opens. AS Grace unfolded
her desire to her mother, to obtain thor
ough education and thus prepare for fu-
ture usefulness, the mothers invariable re-
ply, if your father was " out of debt" forced
the exclamation "are we to be forever har-
assed by debts ?" from Grace's lips. An
expression of sadness was on her face, but
the mothers bright smile dissipated it.
Don't let it worry you, dear child, for we
shall find way Of getting along" said her
mother, who felt heart-sick and discouraged
| despite her cheerful words. AS Mr.. Garland
rose from the breakfast table the following
morning his wife found voice to say, Hus-
band, don't you think it possible to send
! Grace for one year to Mrs. Haynes school
you know how anxious she is to 60 on with
her studies. "Yes, / know" interrupted
her husband, but don't see how can do
it this year; it would cost three hundred
and fifty dollars; wait until l am out of
debt one years waiting will make very lit
tie difference with Grace" and with these
concluding words Mr.. G. passed out into the
street. AS he walked rapidly towards his
place Of business, gentleman who had evil
IDENTIFY been waiting for him approached
and said, 4" Garland, you are just the person
1 wish to see. / am just now in great need
of five thousand dollars. Could you lend me
that amount or sign note with me so that
| | could obtain the money at the bank?"
Mr.. Garland did not reply to this appeal
"wait till / am out Of debt" but said
quickly, " Yes, will sign with YOU" must
give Mr.. Garland the credit of loving wife
and daughter as well as men in general, but
that he wronged them deeply in being gen.
erous and accommodating to others when he
could not suitably provide for his own, all
must admit. Another year passes, and as
we trace its history we see that there is no,
prospect of Mr.. Garland's fulfilling the
promise made to his wife, that he would
send Grace to school he has in addition to
his own pecuniary embarrassment to meet
those of another, and that other the friend
with whom he signed "just to accommo-
date" What wonder that wife and daugh.
ter became disbeartened and gave up all
hope of getting out of debt?
At last Grace determined TO educate her
self, and at once set about trying to find en-
ployment which would enable her to pay
her expenses at school. She soon obtained
a situation as assistant teacher at the high
school from which she was graduated, and
the succeeding year finds her working cheer
fully, patiently travelling on through des-
ert of history, arithmetic, grammar, ETC.,
maintaining in addition to all her other
tasks, two hours of study every evening.
But the effort overtaxed her powers; the
labor of the school was far greater than she
and expected; still she struggled to continue,
and did maintain her position until just a
week before the close Of the term, when she
was seized with brain fever, from which she
had not sufficient strength TO rally. "Mother,'
were her last feeble words, al am not sorry
even to die, conscious as i am that, were
to live, the hopes and activities of a strong
life would never be clothed in reality for me"
The husband and wife mingled their tears
of bereavement above the still form of their
child; but to the former the sad conscious
ness that he alone was responsible for her
death, saddened all his life There are many
hearts that will communicate with mine
upon the subject of " debt, when speak of
the untold misery, the amount of crime and
Of suffering which it always occasions the
repeated defalcations and, forgeries which
have startled the public, within the last few
years, sufficiently testify to the truth of this
statement All how often have we read of
men and women who in the frenzy of despair
were driven, yes, actually driven to take the
life that had become 80 miserable through
debt and disgrace.
Let me enjoin upon all, that as they value
life and happiness, to keep out Of de6i.
"0we aughtj
Stand In the world crest,
And lean alone upon myself and God"