San Andreas independent., 1857-07-18
How to Lend Money.

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action, you may not be too careful. But when
a friend of other years comes along, who has
not been as successful as yourself, whom dis
appointment or misplaced confidence, or una
voidable calamity has pressed to the earth,
friend who was once your equal in all things,
inferior in none, except, perhaps, In that hard
ness of character, which is a general element of
success in life, don't begin to hem and haw,
and stroke your chin; don't talk about "buts,
and "whys," and the tightness of the money
market; he knows that already-spare him the
intelligence that you lent Mr.. So and So a sum
of money, which was never returned; he don't
want your biography, he wants your cash.
Don't remind him that if he were to die you
would lose it; that arrow may sink deeper into
his heart than any amount of money could
fathom, and then close with a recital of this
that and the other thing, which, if true, could
not materially interfere with your furnishing
him the required amount. If you have ordina-
ry sagacity, you can make your mind up in a
moment whether to grant the accommodation
or refuse it, you are man, and you design
a REFUSAL tell him at once in kindly way, that
you do not feel prepared to accede to his wishes.
If, on the other hand, you have heart to help
him. do not do it as if you felt it were noun
tain grinding you to powder, or as if each dol
lar you parted with was inflicting pain equal
to the drawing of a tooth don't torture him
with the cross questioning, nor worm out OF
him some of the most sacred secrets of his life !;
away with your inquistorial and brassy imper-
tinence don't lay him on the rack for an hour
at time, as if you gloated at the sacrifice of
his manhood as if you wished him to go down
on his very knees to win his way into your
purse; give him a cordial greeting, let holy
sunshine light up your countenance, and sneak
out before he has done asking; tell him how
much you are gratifed at having it in your
power to help him, and let that help go out in
full, free, SOUL and with good slap on the
shoulder, bid him look forward and ahead, for
there's sunshine there for him. Why the very
feeling in the mans heart as he goes away from
you, is worth more to humanity than all the
money you let him have, ten times told. He
goes out of your presence with heart light as
feather, in love with all the world, and full
of gratitude towards you. He goes to work
with will, which hews down the obstacles,
and melts away the icebergs which hedge up
the ways of men, and behold, in moment,
rough places are made smooth, and straight
places made plain to him.
Reader suppose you never got your money
back and you have a heart SO big that you
can Notwithstanding his non-payment, give
him at every meeting cordial smile OF friend
ly recognition, speak to him without even
reminding him of his Indebtedness; it may be
that you are his only friend, but then you are
the world to him, and however hardly that
world may have dealt with him, your single
exception is placed on the credit side of hu-
manity, thousand times its individual value !;
that man can never die msanthrope, for he
will insist upon it to his latest breath, " there
is kindness in the world, after ALL" What a
grand thing it is to have man close his eyes
in death, and one of the last thoughts of NOR
tality be a prayer for blessings on your head
We repeat then if you lend your money at
all, do so freely, promptly-do it with your
whole soul. Do it with grace that becomes
man, with cordiality which will do quite as
much as money in raising your friend from the
depressing influences which surround him.
We do not advise the loan of money in every
case, but write to show in what manner it
should be done, when decided upon, to bring
the most pleasant "reminiscences of yourself,
hereafter and to carry with tthe largest advan-
tages to him you wish to befriend. Jour
nal of Health.