Palladium Of Virginia And The Pacific Monitor

HOW TO PAY FOR A FARM.

A man in the town of Dover, some twenty years ago, went to a merchant in Portsmouth, (N. H.) who was also president of a bank, and stated that he lived on a farm, the home of his fathers, which had descended to him by right of inheritance; that this his only property, worth two thousand dollars, was mortgaged for one thousand to a merciless creditor, and that the time of redemption would be out in a week. He closed by asking for a loan to the amount of his debt, for which he offered to re-mortgage his farm.

Merchant.—I have no money to spare, and if I could relieve you now, a similar difficulty would probably arise in a year or two.

Farmer.—No: I would make every exertion; I think I could clear it.

Mer.—Well, if you will obey my directions, I can put you in a way to get the money; but it will require the greatest prudence and resolution. If you can get a good endorser on a note, you shall have money from the bank; and you can mortgage your farm to the endorser for his security. You must pay one hundred dollars every 60 days. Can you do it?

Far.—I can get Mr. ——— for endorser and I can raise the hundred dollars for every payment but the first.

Mer.—Then borrow a hundred dollars more than you want, and let it lie in the bank; you will lose only one dollar interest. But mind—in order to get along you must spend nothing—buy nothing—make a box to hold all the money you get as a sacred deposit.

He departed. The note was discounted and the payments punctually made. In something more than two years he came again into the store of the merchant, and exclaimed "I am a free man, I do not owe any man ten dollars—but look at me." He was embroidered with labor, & his clothes from head to foot were a tissue of darn and patches. "My wife looks worse than I do." "So you have cleared your farm," said the merchant. "Yes," answered he, "and now I know how to get another."

Thus good advice, well improved, rescued a family from poverty, and put them in possession of a competency which they yet live to enjoy. Thus may any one retrieve a fallen fortune if he will. And by the same means of self denial and exertions as great in the way to heaven! we may secure an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, that fadeth away.