Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1890-02-06
Fulfill Your Promises.

There is no lesson the young bus
mess man needs to learn NOR,
thoroughly than the value of gooC
reputation and good credit. These
cannot be won and kept by false
pretenses of any kind, but must bt
earned by q strict observance Of
contracts, agreements and promises
The mau whose word is "as good as
his bond" IS the man who has in.
spired confidence In himself by al.
ways doing that what he has prom
Ised to do. He is also, as a rule,
cautious about entering into oblIga-
tons, chary about making promises
that he may not be able to fulfill.
If too prodigal in the latter respect
one cannot hope to keep faith at all
times. A man who is or intends TO
be honest sometimes loses credit and
reputation simply because he is too
hopeful. Counting with too great
confidence on uncertainties, he makes
promises that he cannot fulfill be-
cause of the failure of the event on
which they were predicted. He vol
unfairly fixes the date for the pay
ment Of debt, aud finds too late
something has gone wrong, so that
he cannot meet his obligation. Such
an accident may happen to any man.
Upon the way in which he meets the
unexpected trouble depends how his
reputation shall stand afterwards.
If he can fulfill his promise at any
personal sacrifice he should do so
failing that, he should endeavor to
keep his word by borrowing else
where, thus gaining time for the f.
nal discharge Of his obligation. But
il he cannot do either he should GO
as soon as possible his creditor
and secure an extension by frankly
telling him the state of affairs, thus
renewing instead of breaking his
promise. The one essential thing is
to keep good faith, or come as near
to it as possible. The worst possi-
BILE course is to let time run on until
his creditor begins to press him on
an obligation long overdue. 1t is |
too late then for explanations or re-
newals. HIS credit is gone, his rep
utation is broken down. His after |
promises are distrusted, though they |
may be grudgingly accepted. He
may for years after thus shattering
faith in himself pay promptly and
keep his word, hut there will remain
the lingering feeling of distrust born
of one failure to keep faith or ex
plain in advance the reason why it
could not be kept. An engagement
of any kind should be held sacred,
and thus good reputation which is Of
slow growth, may be gradually built
up, for he who keeps his at all times
becomes respected and Is trusted.
The young man cannot learn too
early IN life his responsibility TO
himself and others. He is to make
bis reputation by what he says and
does, and at the out set should have
high regard for truth, which car
ries with it honesty and insures a
prompt and complete fulfillment of
all engagements. He should not al
low careless habit with money to
grow upon him, but should pay all
his bills promptly. There Is an i'm
Piled promise to pay at the end of
the month, or when the bill may be
presented, even though there has
been engagement to do so made in
so many words, and it Is q good
practice to keep these implied as
well as all other promises with scru-
pulous care. Such course will IN
time establish a reputation whose
value cannot be measured by money,
besides developing useful habits and
keeping one free from oppression and
grinding detts.-BdLimore San.