, 1861-12-05
She farmers Corner.
Borrowing Tools.


Borrowing is an ancient and evil custom,
the fruitful source of many troubles. In
the ruder stages Of civilization there might
have been greater necessity for borrowing
than now; but as the world progresses there
Is less and less need of it. The tendency of
cultivated humanity is too independent ac.
tiOn. the tendency of barbarism is too ser.
vile obligation. The more educated com.
munity, the less they borrow, and conse-
quently the more the borrowing element
predOminates, the greater their degradation
There are several kinds of borrowers at the
present day. There are the careful and the
careless, the slack and the prompt, those who
expect to pay for the privilege, and those who
don't expect to; those who help themselves
without permission, and those who forget to
return. The careful prompt.paying Dor.
rover b usually welcome visitor. II is a
pleasure 70 lend to such man. This class
know how to appreciate favor, and it is Of
these that Solomon spoke when he said "the
borrower is servant 70 the lender" But there
is . class TO whom the lender is servant, a de-
generate class Of borrowers, always to be
dreaded. They wear q fair, smooth face to
begin with, and mean sneaking face at the
end. They take precious property Of
smother, aud subject Il to rougher usage and
seEerer strain than does the owner. The
chances are that the article is returned in a
broken or damaged condition. A man who
can misuse q borrowed thing, seldom has
dellcacy enough to make amends for any in
jury. Thus insult Is added to injury, and il
complaint arises, neighbors become enemies.
Ihat such are the frequent final results Of
borrowing, any one familiar with social life
knowa
For instance, farmer A keeps all sorts Of
tools neat bright, and in perfect order. He
pridep himself on having tools, and saeri-
ices other pleasures to save money to buy
and pay for them. He has neighbors who
are unable or too stingy to buy, and so
they live BY borrowing and making old
apologies for answer instead. They can ap.
preciate good tools, and are willing to save
time in using them as well as anybody, but
they never think Of the propriety of Iemun.
GRAFTON. Farmer A buys new corn
planter, and the season being backward,
several neighbOrs are behindhand in plant.
ing, and apply for the use Of the machine.
1he implement cost money; the owner,
never expecting 70 buy another, handles Il
himself carefully, and reluctantly loans il.
nomo days after, when farmer A wants to
uss hls machine, be has TO hunt it up among
his nelghbors and finds Il dirty, unhoused,
. nut lost oG, and q wooden linch.pln sup.
plying tie place Of the appropriate one.
AZ Il has been used by several individuals,
each throws the blame Of damage upon the
other, coolly leaving the owner TO pocket
lhe los and ils injury.
Again, hlmer A gets moving machine,
1no puts = IN running order some rainy day
before The time Of using. Soon after a
n1Ighboring farmer comes all prepared with
h'l team, and wants 70 try It in his home lot,
intinaling that be thinks Of buying when he
en- decide upon its merits. The machine
e allowed 70 DEPART and finally returned by
She borrower without thanks or offering,
but With he cool impudence that Il wouldn't
Do - work. On examination the knives
nro found Capped and marked BY the sticks
.nd bricks through which Il has run, and
ne loss of nn important screw is key to
10 mystery Other Gases might be enum.
Grated Suffice Il 10 say, there are well of
Ernere IN almost every town, who for years
l1yq depended upon less opulent neighbors
for ploWl, rakes' forks, and grindstones.
lhe,9 things ought not TO be. Every tub
should sand Or fall upon ils own bottom.
= , neither charity nor religion 70 lend to
r|c1 men without remuneration. A mans
tools alo property, and, like money, are en-.
lI|ed % security and pay.