The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1889-01-17
THRIFT !.

the True Gospel Of Financial Sa2vaEiOz~
Il may be doubted whether Dr.. Frank
Inns services in the fields of science and
politics were of so much Importance to
mankind as his precepts and practice of
thrift and economy. His life is a most
impressive illustration of what may be
accomplished by systematic industry,
self-denial and proper care for earn
ings.
Franklin was never mean, stingy nor
misery. On the contrary he was q
philanthropist who spent time and
money freely for the advantage of his
fellow men, and whose benevolence was
attested by many gifts. What he did.
and what he taught others to do, was
TO live frugally and temperately, work
diligently and waste no money in I'M
necessary purchases. His homely pro-
verbs have passed into the common
speech of the people. How many hun
dreds of thousands of dollars are saved.
from foolish expenditure in this country
every year by the remembrance of
Franklin's advice to ''never buy thing
you don't need because it is cheap?'
A good many young men-and some
old ones-are chiefly ambitious to be
called good fellows" They like the
reputation of being "open handed"
They are willing to sacrifice a 1.-THE or
it may be q quarter of their income
every week for the sake of what they
call "a good time" and the dubious ap-
prevail of parcel OF other men as fool
ish as themselves.
Thrift SHOULD be sort of everyday
religion with persons of small means or
small income, and this class includes
ninety of the men in
Detroit. 1t inclues nearly every man
who works with his hands; nearly every
person engaged in teaching of any
kind; Observation-Disclosures of those en-
ployed in stores and other mercantile
establishments; three-quarters at least,
of those who are in the professions
called ''learned;'' nearly every one who
gets his living by newspaper work or
other literary or quasi-literary pursuit;
articles almost without exception, and,
indeed, the great bulk of our popula-
ton. There is possibly one per cent. of
our people who have either by their
own exertions, or by good luck, or by
some other means, come into the own
ership of sufficient property to render
exhortation to economical habits unnec-
essary for them, and besides they are for
the most part sufficiently inclined to save
their pennies without encouragement
from others; but how many of the nine
ty-and-nine live as carefully as they
ought?
Some of those men who spend every
cent they make month after month and
year after year have unthrifty wives, and
for them, if for anybody, the recording
angel ought to drop tear upon the
evil entry and blot it out; but most of
those who scatter as they go have no
body to blame but themselves. The de-
sire to dress in style; tomake ashow of
generous living and display of costly
hospitality; to indulge in expensive ar
ticles of food and drink; in a word, the
temptation to live beyond ones means
is the cause of more domestic misery,
more Disappointment. more life-failures
and more WEAKNESS that ends in death
than any other single danger to which
people of general responsibility are ex-
posed.
Except in case of sickness or extraor-
binary calamity it is the duty of every
man in early or middle life, who has en-
ployment OF any kind, to lay up some
thing out of what he makes. He may
be able to set apart fifty dollars a week,
or only one, but something should 60 in
store for the future. A husband, if he
is worth having, viii aim to make con-
slant additions to a permanent family
fund, and the wife, if she is worth hav-
ing, will help him.
A thriftless habit ought to be reck-
oned disgrace, and among sensible
people it is. 1t is a manifestation of
Observation-Disclosures - or posi-
bly, perverted good-heartedness, which
Is always to be condemned. In the
long run it works hardship upon the
offenders friends as well as upon him
self. 1t is sure to bring unhappiness to
his own home. Simple habits, mex
pensive tastes, cautious expenditures of
money, will do more to bring prosperity
and real enjoyment into a household
than all other material advantages COM
hined. The doctrine of thrift is the
true gospel of financial salvation with
out which no life can be at its best or
happiest--Detroit Post.