Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1872-08-22
Pay Your Debt and be True t.
Yourself
HERALD AND TRIBUNE:

AND TRIBUNE.
|, 1t is, only those who have lent mone
toNa friend and lost both money and frien
BY that act of ki~ndness,w who can full
appreciate the sentiments contained i
this text. Men are often called selfish
heartless and unfeeliDg because they d
not help n another when in distress Q
trouble. But remember it is only s.coa
; nature that is thus selfish, cool, caleuiatin
and suspicious. The first and best i:npuls
|, of every heart is generosity ; all peopl
l are by nature generous and liberal. IT.
, !, only after finding s~elfishness in others t
be far too often the rule than the rare ex
ception, that they learn to ''look out 70
number one" therefore it is only by rails
ing the standard of public, morality tia
we can ever have the satisfaction Of seem,
our race become wnass its nature and or
ganization, under favorable circumstances
would always develop into. Let ever,
child be educated from the homer of it
earliSt conceptions of right and wrong
to respect the rights and privileges of ever
one with whom he comes in contact lie
him take no undue advantage of his broth
ers and sisters in any respect and wher
he is playing with his playmatcs and
young companions, let him be taught
carefully to consider their rights as some.
thing upon which he is never to infringe
If he wishes to be just and true to himself
and his own nature. If he borrows q
plaything, a book, a slate or a pencil,
have him return them promptly and in
good order; and in playing any game let
him rather loose the honors, than win them
unjustly {; and as he grows older and be-
gins to deal. barter, trade, buy and sell
with the world at large, let all his dealings
be honest and just and above all things,
meet evory obligation promptly and fairly.
Would that every one could realize
how much more noble and honorable it is
to SUFFER WRONG, than to DO WRONG,
If you owe a debt don't wait till you are
asked for the money, but go and pay it the
moment it is due. If some unforeseen oc-
currence renders it impossible for you to
pay it at the appointed time. go at once
to your creditor and frankly and honestly
lay before him your circumstances, and
make the best arrangements with him
that you can for his present as well as flu
ture satisfaction. Above all never wait
to be forced by laa1 to meet a just and
acknowledged claim. Remember your
creditor has done you a favor by letting
you have his goods or his money, the
fruits of his labor ; and he is entitled not
only to the full requital of such obliga-
ton, but also to your gratitude for a
FAVOR CoNFERRED, an ingratitude is one
of tho blacklist of sins. Millions of dol
lars are annually spent in paying officers
of the law both by debtors and creditors
by the one to escape the Just payment of
his liabilities, and by the other that he
may Obtgin the same and all which thus
spent, is so much money absolutely squan-
deredMand belonging of right to that
classSwhieh accommodates friends and
neighborsty lending to them that which
has been asked for upon honor, and now
they barely belle that honor by seeking
to evade or escape the payment of it. Ii
unable to pay all, pay some, be it ever
SO little. and keep on paying from time
to time as you are able, and show by
every act of your life that you mean to be
just to yourself and just to the friend who
has trusted you; There is no sadder feel
ing in life than that of mourning trust
betrayed A friend when you dearly
love comes to you in the hour of need and
asks you for a few hundred dollars to
help him out of some EN- barrass ment, you
cheerfully and gladly place in his hands
the treasured savings of many a weary
and perpiexing hour of toll and anxiety,
that you can be OF assistance 70
one for whom you feel such esteem and
love, and he also perhaps at the time feels
thrilling through his heart, great throbs
of gratitude that he has such a blessed
in his need. But alas! when the
time of payment arrives, he has not, and
would not, make the necessary
arrangement for returning the money,
we'll instead of going at once to his credi-
and telling how it is and trying to
make satisfactory terms with him for his
present and future security, and to show
that he means to do all he can TO-
wards settling with with him he begins
o shun him, grows cold, then Indifferent,
hen careless, and at last resolves that he
will nercr pay it until compelled by law
o do SO. And his creditor should he
till cherish a feeling of the olden friend>
hip-Often entirely relinquish the debt,
ather than attempt by harsh measures to
,btain it. p,
But if the conduct Of his debtor has I
lienated so as to harden his heart towards ,
is whilom friend, he may perhaps obtain
portion of his dues by course of law, but
n any case he is the loosen for he is no
etter off than he was before he accomo-
ated. his friend, even if he gets back all that
his, for he had all the trouble. care
nd anxiety, and then lost a friend by
him +
l do not say never go in debt, for there n
re few, especially business men who are e
OF almost compelled at times to borrow T.
loney, and there is no shame, degradation a
: disgrace in making debts, let them he o
yer SO easy, or ever so many, the shame b
I'd dishonor lies in not making due po- Fl
ton to meet the obligation at the prom n
ed time. Never make a debt unless you il
Re a clear fair way to pay it when it be- Il
mes due, and always make yeur creditor G
safe as possible. it~ "
There are circumstances which some "
mes render it impossible for a man to re
y all his debts, and he may be COM C;
lied to take the advantage of the Bank tt
pit law SO that he can once more begin
and get a start in the world unem-
by all claims and membranes.
ell if we. do take this advantage of our
let us firmly resolve that as soon
we have it in our power we will pay
cry just debt; everything for which we NJ
received FUEL VALUE in times past. vi
hat we earn is not ours while we owe hs
y more for a past favor u%nreturned