Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-02-20

policy TO lapse because he could not af-
ford to pay the few hundred dollars
necessary to keep II up. though he had
salary OF $1,000 per year. So we find
today that many a man who lives in
n fine mansion Is in the merciless clutch
OF debt. The financial curse OF this
age Is that multitudes of people. on
account OF false pride and pernicious
extravagance, are -ekiug out a misera.
BILE existence. These people may move
in the best society. so called, yet they
are far poorer than the humble clerk
with paltry salary of $40 a week
who saves at least one-tenth OF his in
come.
Debt is not only the offspring Of
pride, but is often the parent of n
large family of criminal children. The
study OF genealogical tables is among
the most interesting of studies. Ger
tain families nearly always have good
children: you can trace them down
from generation to generation. Other
families nearly always have bad chill
dren; there is apparently something in
their blood that is diseased and con-
taminated. As the waters falling down
colorations contracted in passing
through forests of cedar and tamarack
miles away, so the blood of some chill
dren is tainted with criminal tenden-
cies, inherited even before they are
born. They are born with propensity
for lying, for stealing. for inebriety.
which they are seldom able to eradi-
cate. But. though those children may
not be able to overcome their evil tend
encies In their own strength, they can
overcome them by the help of super
natural power, which is offered to all
who are tempted.
Wilifuily Running Into Debt.
Willful debt is that kind OF debt into
which many allow themselves to run
through useless and sinful extrava-
gances. While the young man is being
financially ground to pieces by the up
per and neither millstones of this kind
OF debt what is often the most natural
thing for him to do? Ask that young
collector who is taking some of his
employers money to win, as he fool
ishly thinks. a fortune at the gamblers
wheel. He is not at heart bad young
man. He intends to pay that money
back. He expects to use ii only for a
little while and then return 1t with in
terest after he has escaped from the
clutches of merciless debt. Ask that
young embezzIer who has Just felt the
heavy hand of the law placed upon his
shoulder. Did he ever expect that the
late suppers, the theater tickets and
the attendance at the races would yet
end in a prison cell? No, no! He was
led as a lamb to the slaughter by the
OWL WORKINGS Of debt, accommodating
debt. Ask that wildcat Spectator in
Wall street. Did he ever think for one
moment that he would lose the esta tie
confided TO him in trustee form when
he began to run into debt? No, no!
These men are being destroyed by debt
In the same way that the learned Lord
Bacon was led to accept brides. They
are being lured to destruction as Bene-
dict Arnold was lured when his debts
drove him to embark In the plot to de-
stroy West Point. The bloodhounds of
debt had barked at his heels ever since
bis Philadelphia extravagances. and his
debts not only made him a traitor
against his creditors. but at the last
they made him n traitor against his
country.
Crookedness, gambling, wildcat spec
ulation and a betrayal OF ones best
friends are often found among the mall
formed offspring of n hideous parent
Debt. But without doubt the greater
number OF the children OF this infa-
nous progenitor are those with the 70.
tai marks of perjury stamped, Cain
like, upon their brow. Lying always
rides upon Debts back" once wrote
Benjamin Franklin. "The second vice
iS lying; the first Is running into debt"
When n man needlessly and wiilfully
runs into debt, he opens the sluice gates
Of falsehood. He processes his willing
ness to clasp hands with deception and
deceit. The debtor says to his creditor,
II have no money this morning, but i
will pay you next week" His words
are false; he has no intention of pay
ing next week. The debtor says: al
am now trying to sell some land. The
deal is almost closed; then will send
you check" The debtor knows he Is
a falsifier; he has no land to sell.
One OF the dearest friends ever had
by this curse of running into debt be-
came moral degenerate. He went &c
| another friend and borrowed 5000 and
gave as security some cattle which he
professed to own at that time In Kan
sas. In fact, he did not own a horn OF
hoof In all the world. So the perjury
habit which is often the offspring OF
| debt, will creep into a mans heart as
worm tunnels its way into the heart
| of great tree and leaves there moth
Ing but death and corruption and filth
"All liars shall have their part in the
lake which burneth with fire and brim
stone, which is the second death" Be
ware, o man, how you nourish this de
stroying child OF perjury, which is Of
ten the offspring of accursed Debt!
| Helpless and Innocent victims.
Willful Debt is the fiend who care:
not how many helpless and innocen
victims he may destroy in his own an
initiation. The pirates of old used t,
raise their black flags and prey upoI
the ancient shipping. The robbers O.
| Scotland used to place false light.
upon the shores so that the ships woul,
be decoyed upon the rocks and tn,
wreckers could collect the broken car
goes. The man who willfully runs int,
debt is human vampire who is suck
Ing the lifeblood out of his butche
and baker. his tailor and landlord, hi
friend and his enemy alike. He care
not how he gets money so long as b.
gets 1t. He cares not who has to SUI
fer so long as his present desires ar
satisfied. What is the natural and In
evitable result? There have been thou
sands Of small retail merchants driver
into bankruptcy because their custom
ers, supposed to be honorable men
would not pay their bills. There hav
been hundreds and thousands of poo
widows and orphans and aged an
helpless depositors of small sums Il
the banks who have lost all merely be
cause the cashiers have become dc
fauiters and cared not whom the