St. Landry democrat., 1880-07-17
I'm Memory of Cash Down.
detroit Free PrcSs.l

Detroit Free Press.
He is at rest. Cash Down is dead and
buried and the mourners are home from
the funeral. He was well known man,
but of late years he was not half appre-
ciated. There was a time when he
stood head and shoulders above Trust
and Dead Beat, but times some how
changed. Cash Down left quite large
family, who will take warning by his
years in his efforts to keep his word and
meet his pecuniary obligations, and
they will not follow in his footsteps.
There was time when Cash Down
was met with smile and a hearty shake
of the hand. If he wanted his buggy
repaired the black smith would figure
fine and depend upon bis pay the hour
the work was finished. He could then
take the money and become Cash Down
himself, making difference Of ten per
cent in his favor. If Cash Down wanted
u new suit OF clothes the tailor made
difference of s. between him and Slow
Pay, and the money could be sent East
TO pay for his cloth. The last time
Cash Down was out on the street he
saw Slow Pay, Bad Debt and Dead Beat
walking arm in arm, and the blacksmith,
the tailor, the grocer and the merchant
shook hands with each one OF them and
replied:
what YOU want on time, and I'll sell you
lust as cheaply, and wait upon you as
promptly, as [ will Cash Down.
One of them might pay in six months !;
the other might be forced to pay i'll a
wear or two, and the third didn't intend
to pay at any time. They got the same
treatment as Cash Down, and d great
rush was made to send home their
goods.
he had paid hundreds of dollars in ready
money and asked the price of sugar.
Slow Pay sauntered in after him and
asked the same question, and both were
given one figure. Yet at that time
Cash Down had paid over that counter
more than a thousand dollars in ready
cash, and Slow Pay was in debt fifty
dollars and adding to the figure.
Cash Down went to dry goods store
to purchase dress for his wife. Bad
Debt was ahead of him. Cash Down
pulled out d $40 bill and paid for his
goods on the spot. Bad Debt picked up
lis bundle and told them to charge it
In the one case the merchant had his
money in the cash box to help pay for a
new stock. In the other his collector
would be months, fnot years, III getting
it. or in the end it would be charged to
nrotit and loss. Yet Cash Down had to
pay the same price that Bad Debt did.
Cash Down wanted a new pair OF
boots. He went to his Old shoemaker
and was surprised to hear that he would
be charged fifty cents more than for
the last pair.
HAS there been a great advance in
the price of leather :" he asked.
"Oh, no."
"Do you pay your workmcn more
"Not cent. You see, Slow Pay, Bad
Debt and Dead Beat are into me pretty
heavily, and l must make it up by
charging cash customers little more !.
That's way VIC all have Ut doing
Cash Down must then pay, the same
! prizes as Dead Beat, and help make
good Dead Beats indebtedness Ill ad,
ditiou He went home sick III mind
and body. The doctor who attended
him was bound by solemn agreement to
charge as much as if called to see Dead
Beat, and his prescriptions cost more,
because he had to help pay Dead Beats
old bill at. the drug store. When he died
the undertaken made no reduction on
the casket, and the tombstone cutters
nut an extra five dollars on the price OF
the shaft to pay the balance due from
Bad Debt for the one furnished for his
child's grave.
Mrs. Cash Down, widow of the late
deceased, went down after her mourn
ing yesterday. She bought a bonnet at
one place and said she'd pay sometime
this summer. She got dress goods at
another store, and simply told them to
put it on the books. She needed shoes,
and she said she'd hand it in some day.
She had a hundred dollars in her pocket,
but she didn't pay out a cent. She had
learned something.