The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-01-18
THE CURSE OF DEBT.
Something About the Chronic Borrower
and His Dcspicable Ways.

and His DcspicaJle Ways.
How can a man eat, sleep and be Jolly
under the pressure of debt? How on
earth can he walk forth we'll appareled
and appointed and face the man whose
unpaid-for trousers he is wearing? How
dare he smile at his butcher, or his
grocer, who are at that moment $50
apiece poorer for his past dinners and
teas? How dare he pat his children on
the head when he knows that if he
should die that night, their future
would be wholly uncared for? How on
earth can he enjoy any luxury, trusting
only to his lodging instincts if the day
Of pccuniary reckoning should suddenly
come? How can he face the rascally re-
Election Of himself in the looking-glass
long enough to tie the cravat which
ought TO be choking him.
How can he have the impudence to
60 among honest, upright people and
expect cordial recognition, or any rec
ognition at all? How dare the brazen
thief in his fine clothes, look into the
frank, honest face of the swarthy, red
shirtcd mechanic, who has proved him
self a man by that days hard labor?
How can he pass station house or po-
liceman without asking tina. summary
justice may be melted out to him, rather
than the poor, friendless, ragged
wretcheS whom adverse circumstances
seem sometimes to have so hcdged about
that God himself can not help them?
look upon such mon with wonder
fhD4 o1N,,+A
Satin grins at tho misnomer. An artist
should be specially employed to collect
their portraits for ''The Rogucs' Gal
lery." Imagine the horror with which
their dainty originals would contemplate
such possibility! and yet l am not sure
that it would not be capital idea for
every creditor to immortalize his own
well-dresscd scamps iF'this manner; or
at least have a framed collection of
them in his own place of business for
the inspection of the curious.
Perhaps one of the meanest of these
dainty fellows tricks is to victimize a
friend who may be supposed to have
scruples about refusing monetary COM
pliance, or about reminding the creditor
If his rotracted forgetfulness of the
sum d"e. ies--there is one lower depth
of mean ness yet, and that is when the
friend is woman, who, if she be not
zoo smart, may be generally con-
veniently put of with well framed ex-
cuses, or at all events be supposed to be
too ''refnod" and delicate" to press so
unromantic theme. Fortunately, all
women are NOT tEfOo1c
fortunately, woman may know her
rights, and defend them, too, without
stamping about the country in brogans
armed with horsewhip. 1t is comfort
ing when such a one, without comprom-
Using her womanly dignity, handsomely
compels, as man might and would do,
Immediate restitution, OF the alterna-
tive penalty.-N. Y. Herald.
O-The term Johnnie" which was
originally coined in London, is now very
generally used in New York to describe
the peculiar class of pallid youngsters
who hang around stage doors and fro
quent burlesque theaters. The dis
tinction between Johnnie and dude
seems to be that the former has money,
while nothing is needed to equip the
latter but silver-headed stick, cigar
cite, considerable ill-health and vapid
smile. The Johnnie is also an improve
nent on the dude to the extert that he
has an object in life beyond cigarette
smoking, sven if that object ls only the
worship OF stage divinity.