Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-12-04

THE sEapPERY MAN
hob Burdstts ReIis7ss ms Mind ~ C.ii-
Ing sOno ~ the Breed Hcw hA<o
Names.
My son, was not born in the lap o.
luxury. didn't roll in affluence In my
earlier days. Within the memory o.
men standing, and some Of the men
now lying, within the sound OF my
voice my check for $50, 900 would have
lain dormant in the waste-basket IN
any bank in the land. / did not always
dress like q head waiter, or wear dia-
monds like a clog-dancer. All, no. 4
was poor once myself.
And one time, when was very poor
and comparatively honest, q prominent
merchant whose books were adorned
by my name was very anxious to send
me his autograph at the complimentary
end of receipted bill. was at thar
time an enthusiast on the subject OF
business mems autographs, and had
amassed quite varied collection, IN
Guiding those of well-known characters
and operators in the butchering,
grocerying, tailoring and shoe-making
walks of life. Twas quite anxious -
add to my collection the autograph OF
the merchant above referred to, but he
held it at what then considered very
high figure. $65.80. did not feel
justified in paying such an amount TOR
a single autograph. Moreover, ! learned
through confidential sources, that the
particular autograph he was anxious to
sell me was not in high demand among
h tore nd
would come down little.
But it didn't. received one day
violent and abusive letter from a mer-
chant, in which he accused me or mr.,
tending to defraud and swindle him;
said that had entered my name upon
his valuable books for that purpose,
and threatened all sorts of dire things
if I didn't come to taw and buy
that autograph of him. Then he
once more called me a swindler, and
signed himself ssYours respectfully. ~"
I hustled around. my boy, for the
next week or two, to get that autograph.
I wrote until my fingers were numb
and was in ink to the eyes got the
money-Heaven knows how got so
much money in two weeks in those
days. / paid it over to that prominent
merchant, got his autograph on q
receipted bill, he thanked me gracious
~, and
The next day the hoary-headed old
cuss failed, and paid his creditors
thirty three cents on the dollar.
No wonder the old rascalsigned him.
self yours, respectfully" when he
called me swindler.
And here had gone and paid the old
gouge $65.S0, when by his own rules
and practice should have paid him but
$21.93. He was just collecting every
cash cent on his books to salt away be-
fore he swindled his creditors.
Icouldn't understand it then, and
don't understand it now, why the small
debtor should be deprived of the privi-
leges that accrue to the big one. You
can't understand it either, my boy. It
is one of the profound mysteries of our
modern civilization. / sometimes wish
had the $44 overpaid that old
wretch, and yet, don't suppose, at
least I hope it would not make me hap
py. think it makes me much happier
to sit down. and expose his rascality
and call him names in print. But even
that happiness is married by the thought
that he doesn't care for that. His
creditors called him worse names than
can think of, and he really did me no
wrong, It was just bill; owed it; I
was in honor bound to pay it, and /
did pay it, one hundred cents on the
dollar, but what makes me mad as a
hornet every time think of it, was the
old thief's virtuous indignation when
he was afraid he wasn't going to get
my $65 to fail with. This also is
vanity
Well, the same thing happens in this
Christian land every day, my boy.
There is, SO far as I can see, as little
honor in commercial circles as there is
in politics. And then again, there is
just as much. Tammany Hall is as hon
est as Wall street. About the only man
who pays one hundred cents on the doll
lar is the man who owes less than 800.
And, if occasionally he pays 0 on the
dollar he has only learned his lesson
from the great commercial schools
where the small dealer sits at the feet
of the great operators and learns all
the knavery and cunning he knows
What started out to say. my boy,
was this: If you are in debt, carry YOUR
self calmly as the great houses do. If
You owe a merchant $65, don't be in
too big hurry to pay it, just let him
sweat over it a little while, until you
see how much he is going to pay on his
own debts. Then you can pro rate
with him. I am afraid that is the in
ference you have already drawn from
this rather nl-natured "reminiscences.
But, on second thought, don't want
you to do that way. You want to re-
form this great evil, do you notP Well,
the best way to bring about that re-
form is to walk up and pay that 500
you owe, just the first minute YOU can
collar the money. If you owe it to q
never mind, it is just debt on
your part, and don't keep the con-
science of the assignment operator.
You pay 100 cents on the dollar every
time. Then, by and by, as yoa and
your neighbors do this and teach your
children so to do. there will arise a
generation of men in America who will
paw one hundred cents ON the dollar,
and Canada will become bowling
untenanted save by the wild
bear and the wolf, who will help the
wilderness howl.
Bank cashiers will sleep al home and
confidential clerks will spend their va
in town. and mans salary
will pay for everything he gets, But
The only way to bring about this prepar-
atory millennium, my boy. Ii for YOU to
pay that $65 when you owe it--every
cent of it. No matter how much the q
other man owes nor how little no pays.
You pay your debts. my dear boy. and
= ~. IL