The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1871-11-16
Miscellany.
MIR. sPRIGGINs' EXPERIMENT,
A STORY WITH A MORAL.
"where ignorance is bliss, It's folly to be wise" ."

"I'n bet you FIVE dollars I cam" said
Spriggins. q :: =, :.. ;,
And III bet you FIVE dollars you can't"
said I, emphasizing the last word decidedly
The moral and Conscientious reader must
not be shocked at what he may consider our
gambling proclivities. Like the little boy
who was caught at school bending and
twisting pin in s;position for 4 school-mate
TO sit upon" awe didl t-nean no harm by
it." The phrase, "Tll bet you five dollars,
was simply clinchcr of climax used by
Spriggins and myself when We had exhaust
cd every argument, and each had failed to
convince the other he was wrong. And
aimee neither of us, except in rare instances
ever acknowledged ourselves in the wrong
we had to bet FIVE dollars frequently.
D. But we never expected to fork over
when VIC lost. Indeed, we never demanded
payment when the point in dispute was set
tied, but .conteuted ourselves in saying, II
told you So"
The point in dispute in the present in
stance arose about an item that appeared in
the telegraphic columns of the morning pa
DER. The item read as follows: ..,.
"John Jones, convict in the Ia
States prison has fallen heir to S50,OOU.
Efforts are being made to secure his par
dom"
"There."' said I, "you sec the power of
money. That man was just as innocent,
Just as guilty, before he was worth fifty
thousand dollars as he was afterwards, but be-
hold what a change. Wealth brings him
friends. who make efforts to secure his par
d,a! HID he remained poor, his friends
would have permitted him to rot in prison
without raising little finger to secure his
pardon. This world is humbdg, Mr.. Sprig-
gins, regular cheat; in the language of a
poem read in boyhood, it's all hollow, hol-
low, hollow ~
LAS concluded this spitcful little speech
Mr.. Spriggins Strengthened himself up in the
peculiar way he had when preparing HIM
self for combat, and knew we would have
q fight, onr tongues being the weapons
Without giving the argument pro and con,
it will suffice to say that the discussion was
brought to an end by MIR. Sprigyins propos-
ing an experiment. lie was, be it under
stood. u man of means; business man Of
god business understanding, but somewhat
e,centric ; and the proposition he made was
to go around among his friends and tell
them that lie was dead broke
off, said he 81 d, this and they freely
advance money tn start HE in business, l
win. | have no doubt that can borrow all
the money that [ want with nothing but my
face tor security"
Then, US stated at the outset, we bet FIVE
dollars each on the result; and | awaited
with eagerness the result of the practical
test.
/, however, venturcd to intimate that if he
carried out the experiment. he might weak
en- peoples confidence in his truthfulness !;
but this only made him think l feared the
result, and made him more determined than
ever. s. the experiment was tiled.
lie went to Mr.. Smith, one Of his most in
tima.e friends, and said:
"Smith, I'm bankrupt"
"Indeed !" calculated Mr. S., greatly as
tonished 'and pray how has it coue about ?
"I-I-" stammered Mr.. Spriggins, hes-
tatingly, story telling, Or, i'll plain English,
lying, was d new sin with him, Il went secu-
rity for friend, and had to pay every dollar
of
"Too b,d, indeed" was Mr.. Smiths SYM
p,thizing response.
E""If can only borrow few thousands,
however, to get started in business, / think
\ .., ,,ot ol,uf, ynry uoll ~
mir. Smith thought there would be no dit
fSkltyin getting the money. He would be
yJfyE)ad to advance it, himself, but he was
almost strapped just at that time: Mr.. sprig;
gins knew that this was not the case, and
his opinion of Mr. Smiths undying friend
ship, underwent rapid and radical change
lie saw all of his many friends, and re-
newsd his request to each in turn, but they
all happened to be '.short" just at that time
After few days of unsuccessful attempts to
borrow money, he hunlbly confessed he had
lost his bet fairly, and that his face was not
good security among his friends.
81 told you so" said |.
But an unlocked for trouble came upon
him. lie was engaged to very accomplish
ed l-dy. His trust IN heI was unbounded
He had often told me that, if ever there WA
a good, true woman on earth, it was his in
tended.
But her father hearing of the bankruptc,
of the son-in-law that was to be, accostct
him saying:
IL understand, Mr., Spriggins, that yo'
have met with reverse Of fortune.
Eyes, sir" replied Spriggins, shecpishly
"Of course, under your altered circun
stances you cannot expect to marry m
daughter !" -,
Here was new turn in affairs for whlc
Mr.. S. was not prepared. lie thought
FIRST of correcting the falsehood which n
himself had started but the idea suddenl
flashed upon his mind that there was goo
opportunity for testing the sterling qualltle
of his sweetheart. This would be a trump
which would more than compensate for hi
defeats in other directions. So he replied
"Of course, sir, 1 have better opinion G
IL L !