Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-06-05

"Why, darling" said he, "you must
have used more lately than the first month
you kept house."
"No, Ed, but I've lent at least forty
pounds of sugar to Mrs. Dorsey, and she
has not returned it; that is what has cut
short my supply. She has borrowed fifty
pounds of flour, and I've kept no account
of the meal and drawings Of tea"
"Well, really" said Edgar, this looks
somewhat serious. We are poor, love,
have our fortune yet to make. You must
quit lending; however willing, we are
not able to afford it. For my own part, |
never was any hand to borrow, and
don't approve of the practice at ALL 1t is
like standing security. | have known
many a Woodworking, saving man to
build up fortune and then have it all
swept away to pay a security debt, his
poor wife and children plunged in If
remediable poverty just because he was
too clever to refuse to put his name to
to keep him from being thought hard of
by some other clever fellow, he runs the
risk, and takes the hard consequences of
his want of moral courage. That's the
cause of one-half the trouble in the coun-
try. Borrowing and lending may be
classed in the same category; they in
volve a one-sided policy in which one of
the parties is sure to be a loser MY dear,
have you borrowed anything from Mrs
Dorsey?"
mo, Ed; mother wouldn't let me- She's
as much opposed to borrowing and lend
ing as you are"
"Well, dear, when your neighbor sends
to you for groceries again, just say you
can't spare Them
During Edgar's absence l was actually
besieged on the borrowing question; re-
pulsed in one quarter, Angelica returned
to the charge in another Denied sugar,
tea, flour, rice, vegetables came in requisi-
ton, and these | freely gave away; and
reluctantly continued to loan my kitchen
utensils till Lucy found my best tub all to
pieces at the well, where Angelica had left
it when she was done using it, On clean
ing day, Lucy acknowledged she had
handed the securing brush across the
fence to her kitchen neighbor, who ingen-
uously owned that the COW had eaten the
shucks and she had burned the handle, so
| had to send to the carpenters and have
a new one made before my cleaning up
could be done
In the large garden belonging to the
neighboring premises grew fine Soup
pornong vine, and in September, when the
grapes were ripe, wagon loaded with
boxes and barrels Of provisions arrived, a
present to Mrs. Dorsey from her
relatives. | now congratulated NY
self with the hope Of a speedy restoration
of the groceries [ had lent, but
instead came an invitation to a grape fes-
tlval. Mrs Dorsey came over to tell me
her plans, to press me to 90, and to Dor
row my new lilac scarf and lace berthe for
Medora; but the memory of my ruined
bridal silk strengthened me to refuse both
propositions politely but decidedly. The
consequence was, the young lady scorn-
fully cut my acquaintance, and though
her mother kept up show of friendli-
ness, she became more formal, while re-
ports of my disagree0ble rays, by the
Dorsey's, were brought to me by my we'll
meaning friends.
1t was the last week of the old year, and
Edgar, looking over his accounts, ex-
amined my housekeeping memoranda,
among which | had put down the various
articles loaned and never returned.
"1Ou have kept your accounts SO we'll
you deserve Christmas gift, wife, and
herewith present you one hundred and
fifty dollars, to be collected out of Mrs
Dorsey" then seeing my face cloud, he
laughingly said "I've got piece of good
news for you, darling. Captain Dorsey
told me this evening he had lost heavily
this year, and could not afford to keep up
so much style. He moves into the coun-
try next week, so good bye to your trouble
some neighbor Phren0L0gienL Jo,rndl