The Winslow mail., 1899-03-04
A FIRST DEBT
Ey Florence B. Hallewell.
NTHEN was little girl my brother
A~AAs>>~~~~A~>~&~AS.

wv Jack and used to be sent cnce !
year to Germantown, near Phiiadel-
phia, to spend month with Uncle and
Aunt Parsons, who had no children Of
their own.
! So much effort was made during our
visit to give US a good time, and so in
. dulgeIt were uncle and aunt to our
: every wish, that we would always viii
lingIy have remained much longer had
our parents consented.
But mother declared that she could
not spare u.s. single day over the stated
time, and uncle was very particular t )
send us home promptly on the day
agreed upon.
Uncle's house was on Ritteuhouse
street, and, though old-fashioned, was
very comfortable and convenient The
one next to it was occupied by an old
gentleman named Reed, who. we were
told, had lost his wife and three chill
dren by an accident on a railway. and
had ever since lived in the strictest Sc
clusion.
Jack and I saw him very often at his
gate or on the street; but he seldom
took any notice of us, and consequently
we stood greatly in awe of him.
One afternoon in December. when
only two days more remained to us of
our annual visit Jack and | were walk
ing along Main street on our way home
from an attorneys office to which we
had been sent on an errand. when sud
denly Jack stopped before the window
of a hardware store, in which hung sew
eral pairs of skates.
81 wish Uncle Andrew had given me
pair of skates as parting gift instead
of that sled," he said, in discontented
tone. II won't be able to go skating
much longer unless 1 have a new pair
My old ones are three sizes too small"
"But don't ask Uncle Andrew for
Them" said. "He has given us so much
already"
II don't believe he would care bit il
1 got pair and had them charged"
said Jack. 'He has an account here,
know. could write him about i, after
I got home, and pay him out of my
Christmas money"
Before | could reply hand fell heav-
ily on Jacks shoulder, and. looking up.
we saw old Mr.. Reed standing beside US.
You're wrong. my boy" he said, in
a grave, earnest tone "Never run in
debt if you can avoid it, and never
mortgage your expectations. 1t isa bad
custom. l speak from experience, and
will tell you the story if you care to
hear it,
Jack was TOO much mortified and EN-
barrassed to speak, and I was so much
frightened by the old gentleman's
stern tone and grave face that I could
not have uttered word had tried.
MIR. Reed apparently did not notice
our silence, but led the way to his
house, and took us into his library,
light, pleasant room, with well-flled
bookcases against every WALL and big
desk. covered with letters and papers
under the chandelier.
He gave us each a comfortable chair
and then seated himself on a low sofa
opposite us.
You see me now, a gray headed old
man, Jack" he said, "but was once a
boy like yourself and enjoyed skating,
riding. dancing and cricket. just as you
do. But l had no kind parents They
cied before I was old enough to under
stand my loss and left me to the care
of my grandfather, stern, proud old
man, with an iron will. Upright and
honest himself, living by rule and pre-
cept, he had little charity for the faults
of others. and punished the most trivial
errors of my childhood with the most
relentless severity.
But he was extremely fond of me,
nevertheless, and | returned his affec-
ton, though. as was only natural, l
stood much in awe OF him, and had a
wholesome dread of his displeasure.
He had a large plantation and owned
nearly 100 slaves, and. as was Gus
tomary among the youth of Kentucky
in those days, l spent each morning
with my tutor and the rest CT the day
as l pleased.
My grandfather gave me a liberal
allowance, which ought to have been
sufficient to crafty my wants, but l
was naturally eXtravagant, and as |
grew older l found it extremely irk-
some to be obliged to practice economy
and ssif-denial toward the end Cf
every month. But / knew it would be
useless to ask my grandfather to in
crease my allowance, for he considered
it ample for my needs.
"One day when in panville went to
a shoe store to buy q pair of pumps,
for l was going to party that evening
ard my old ones were not presentable.
But as . entered the store l suddenly re-
membered that il was almost the end
of the month, and had only a dollar in
my pocketbook.
II hesitated a moment before reply
ing TO the clerks inquiry as to my
wants, for I knew that if bought the
pumps they would have TO be charged.
and had learned from my grandfather
to have horror of debt.
But the thought of the shabby con-
6ition of the old pumps decided me to
make the purchase, and no comment
was made when. in a low, hurried voice.
said: Charge them as the package
was given into my hands. 1 was so
we'll known and my grandfather was so
highly respected that could have OBJ
tained credit at any store in the town
without the least difficulty.
''The party was great success; but
: I had never enjoyed myself so little,
for, whenever happened to glance at
my feet, | was reminded of that debt,