The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-05-31
Audesspn 0ntelligenser,
BORROWER AND LENDER.
A Georgia Housckeeper's Experience ant
Advice.
1mericus { ca Recorder.

very small capitai. lHat VIC were
young and inexperienced is amply de.
monstrated by the fact that we consider
cd salary Of thrty.five do.,ars month
quite sufficient to establish household
and "keep the wolf from the door"
That was busy and happy week
which we spent in furnishing and getting
settled in our new home. We bought
nothing but what WAS needful for the
plainest home but when everything Was
put into place and | sat opposite my
husband for the first time at our own
supper table in our own neat kitchen Of
which was sole mistress, | felt sure that
there was nothing more on earth neces-
sary to my full content.
Now" said David, as he left home
the next morning to resume his regular
employment, 81 have no advice to give
about the management of your house but
this: Don't lend anything if you can
help yourself, and dont borr0c undcr any
circumstances. Go without what you
want first. Borrowed money is the
hardest debt in the world to pay, and
should suppose the same thing is true
about borrowed lard and -four.
smiled at his caution, for what could
want to borrow when had everything,
thought, proudly.
Since that happy morning Of my do
meslic life, have learned that "a house.
keepers needs are nerer fully supplied.
Every month brings TO her notice some
new convenience, or some valuable in.
vention 80 exceedingly desirable that she
can scarcely live without it,
After q week Of very successful house
keeping, during which discovered no
lack in my furnishing, my second baking
day came, and decided to make a cake
for our Sundays dinner. While beating
the eggs after my mothers old fashioned
way j. e.. with three or four stiff straws
from my broom, thought of a new egg
beater which / saw my ncighbor, cold
Mrs. Clopton,' using the day before.
Forgetting David's admonition, i'm
across my yard into that of "The Clop-
TONS" entered their kitchen and asked
breathlcssly," "Will you be 80 kind
AS to lend me your egg beater for half an
hour?" The old lady turned from the
table where she, too, was busy preparing
Sundays dinner, and came slowly toward
me with such grave, earnest face that
| felt abashed, scarcely knowing why.
only DEAR" said Mrs. Clopton, putting
her hand on mine 'you are young
housekeeper: am an old one. Let me
tell you q short story, and give you q
piece of advice, for sincerely wish You
well. When ] first moved into the
neighborbood, was young like you, and
kind hearted toward every one. had
but little, yet somehow it soon became
understood that would divide what lit.
tie did have with any friend who need
ed and would ask.
''It was not long before we had half
the families around lis to support rs we'll
as our own. Every day, and often many
times n day, cups, plates, bowls, pans,
oil.cans, conl.hods, ETC., etc, were, some
one or all Of them, presented to me for
replenishment, until sometimes did not
remember what had or where it was.
My wheelbnrrow was seldom at home :;
my hoe was invariably gone when l
needed it my rake kept other peoples
yards clean, while my own was neglect.
ed; even my broom was worn out scour-
ing neighbours kitchen.
II bore all this cheerfully, however,
the returns came in, and then l felt "a
little richer than thought was.'
"At last one family began to exaggcr-
ate borrowers privileges that the prin-
ciple Of self preservation awoke within
me. "A chicken or two for dinner "a
beefsteak !; IA LOAF of cake for unexpected
company : n pot of hot tea for moth
es's headAche;' "a plate Of those nice
buckwheats "a few raisins, if you
please a plate Of biscuits, ours are 80
burned they are not fit to eat : and 80 on
al mfnitum.
ut would be impossible for me to tell
you how varied were the requests of these
borrowers; how much was tormented
by them; how indignant the applicants
we're when I failed to supply any de-.
mand, or how much lost in the pur.
ported payment of their dues.
"When the time came at last for uS to
rent home for another yenr, my hus.
band said. shall move to the country
where we will have no neighbor near
enough to borrow. can support my
own family but that is enough for one
man.
This year we moved back to town,
but am under promise to my husband
to set my face as q flint against borrow.
ing. So, my dear, shall refuse to lend
you. my egg 'beater; and here is my
advice. Wien you 'cant anything that al
housekeepers need buy Il, then you will
an egg .beater down town for twenty We
cents; go and get one."
I did not tell David Of this little epi.
sode until many ysars of careful, system
attic housekeeping had earned for me
his entire confidence.
Ono day heard him condemn, with
great severity, the universal habit of bor-
rowing. my rife" he added, sis
superior to any woman l ever sa,7 in
that respect. We have been very poor,
and needed things many times which she
found it hard to do without. She is
kind.hearted too, and willing to lend,
but fer the ten years We have lived to-
gether, have never once known her to
borrow.
Precious words of approval. Yet
could not quite call them mine until
had told him, as did that very day, the
story of my first temptation to borrow,
and It's cure.
cannot forbear to add that Mrs. Clop-
ton was my best friend and helper during
that happy ten years. AS generous to
giue, as she was firm not to lend; always
ready to make her knowledge and expe.
rience of service to me; Kind, faithful
and true, and thus she taught me that
selfishness is not always the reason for a
borrowers rebuff