Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-03-28
The Money Lender.

'street rates" of interest that could be
obtained. If good paper were offered
and he could buy it from the needy
seeker of cash at two or even three per
cent. month, he did not hesitate about
the transaction on any scruples of JUS
tice between man and man. Below one
per cent. month he rarely made loans.
He had nothing to do with the question
as to whether the holder of the bills
could afford the sacrifice The circle of
his thoughts went not beyond gain to
himself.
Few days closed with Mr. Edgar that
he was not able to count up his gains
as high as from thirty to one hundred
dollars-not acquired in trade, not COM
ing back to him as the reward of pro-
ductive industry, but the simple accu-
mutation of large clippings from the an
ticipated reward of others industry.
Always with good balance in the bank
he had but to sign his name to check
and that very slight effort was repaid
by gain of from ten to fifty dollars
according to the size and time of the
note he had agreed to discount. A
shrewd man, and we'll acquainted with
the business stand around him, Mr.. Ed
gar rarely made mistakes in money
transactions.
Was Mr.. Edgar happy man? All,
that is home question. But we an
swer frankly, no. During his Office
hours, while his love of gain was active
while good customers were coming
and going, and good operations being
effected, his mind was in a pleasurable
glow. But at other times he suffered
greatly from pressure on his feelings,
the cause of which he did not clearly
understand. Wealth he had always re-
garded as the greatest good in life, and
now he had not only had wealth but the
income therefrom was great deal more
than he had any desire to spend. And
yet he was not happy no, not even in
the thought of his large possessions.
Only in the mental activity through
which more was obtained did he really
find satisfaction; but this still was of
short duration.
Positive unhappiness Mr.. Edgar Of
ten experienced. Occasional losses,
careful and shrewd as he always was,
were inevitable. These fretted him
greatly. To lose thousand dollars in
stead of gaining, as was pleasantly be
lieved, some sixty or seventy, was a
shower of cold water upon his ardent
love of accumulation, and he shivered
painfully under the infiction. The op-
potunities of friends who needed money,
and to whom it was unsafe to lend it,
were also source of no small annoy
ance. And, moreover, there was little
of the hearts warm sunshine at home.
AS Mr.. Edgar had thought more of lay
ing up wealth for his children than the
true riches of intellect and heart, i'll
weeds had sprung up in their minds.
He had not loved them with an unset
fish love. and he received not higher
affection than he had bestowed Their
prominent thought in regard to him
seemed ever to be the obtaining of some
concession to their real or imaginary
wants; and if denied these they react.
ed upon him in anger, sullenness OF
complaint.
Oh, no, Mr.. Edgar was not happy
Few CLEANS of sunshine lay across his
path. Life, to him, in his own bitter
words, uttered after some keen disap-
pointment, had ''proved failure" And
yet he continued eager for gain; would
cut as deep, exact as much. from those
who had need of his money in theil
business as ever. The measure of per
centage was the measure of his salts
faction.
One day gentleman said to him:
"Mr. Edgar, | advised young me
chanic, who had been in business for
short time. and who has to take notes
for his work, to call on you for the pur
pose of getting them cashed. He ha
no credit in bank, and Is therefore com
PEELED to 60 upon the street for money
Most Of his work is taken by one of th'
safest houses in the city his paper is
therefore, as good as any in the market
Deal as moderately with him as you can
He knows little about these matters, o
where to 60 for the accommodation b
needs"
sis he an industrious and pruden
young man p inquired Mr.. Edgar. eau
tion and cupldity at once excited.
"He isl
whats his name ?''
BLACKWELL"
''Oh, | know him. Very we'll !; sen
him along. and if his paper is good, L
discount it.
"You will find it first rate" said til
gentleman.
! '.How much shall charge him p
3 That was Mr.. Edgar's first though
as soon as he was alone. Even as f