Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1891-12-12
His Credit was Poor.

hlu, furnishes some uSelul nlntS ana
excellent food for reflection. Read it.
Every one you may meet with a
few eXceptiOns) has something to say
about hard times, tight money, etc,
and if you were to catch on to the
complaints you would be about as
gloomy as the most of the people APP
pear to be. l have short, faithful
story 70 tell in your paper and hope it
may aid the wise men in our State to
arrive at the cause and remedy for
hard times among the farmers.
In 1867 / found myself on a fair
average farm just where l am now
writing to you, with one good mule,
a broken down army horse, fair set
of farming implements, mostly sec
ond-hand, but without a dollar of
credit and just 1918 in cash. 1t was
the last week in January and the
time had come for us to pitch our
crops for the year. | had a small
quantity of corn, about enough with
economy to feed my stock and give
my family meal for four or five
months. Times were then hard with
me sure enough. My near neighhor
waSa little better of, but not as much
as thought him to be at the time,
We were talking over the matter
when he informed me that he was
going to Gadsden the next day to
make some arrangements for credit
to enable him to make his crop, and
asked me to go with him and see
what / could do, We went to town.
1t wasn't long before my neighbor
had secured his credit with a note
and mortgage, which he was to trade
out during the year.
| tried to do the same, but it was
no go. The merchant did not know
me and | could not make the Securi-
ty demanded. Well we went back
home together, my neighbor with .
smart load of bacon, -four, coffee, dry
goods, and shoes for the children,
with a dress for his wife, and a Sun
day coat for himself. My wagon was
empty and / disconsolate with Moth
ing to take to my Preside but heavy
heart and will to work. told my
wife all about my failure to get cred
it and we talked the matter over un.
til midnight: We'll, said she, "TOm,
we have got two good cows, some
hens, and few pigs, good garden,
and the best of health. So we will
stay at home and get our living from
our work" Bless her soul, she was
the wisest woman, think, that ever
lived on earth, and among the best
that ever went to heaven. took her
advice, and at the end of the year, |
had seven good bales of cotton, 24O
bushels of corn, and saved 1000
pounds of bacon, banked up snugly
100 bushels of sweet potatoes; while
my good wife had $14.60 made from
her eggs, chickens, butter, and honey,
and bought herself summer dress
and bonnet and cloth enough to make
the under garments for all the chill.
dren. And best of all, did not owe
a man on earth cent.
My neighbor who had the credit ]
could not get made eleven bales Of
cotton, small corn crop, no meat,
and had his credit until he was sew,
eral hundred dollars in debt. l met
him in Gadsden during the month o.
January, 1868, after he had settled
with the merchants and had sold hi:
cotton. All he had to show for hi;
years work was new buggy, thai
he really did not need, and abou
$50 in cash. In 1872 my neighbol
sold out to pay his debts and keeE
the sheriff away and moved to Texas
where he came to want. The same
year 1 had $3.50 loaned out anC
drawing a good interest well secured
and l have never borrowed a cent
or a thing, or ever had my name or
a merchants book for nickle's cred
it. I have often thought and believe
most firmly that the best thing tina
ever happened to me was my failur,
to get credit in 1867.
Nearly "a years have passed since
had my disconsolate ride back to my
humble home from Gadsden. Ihav,
since reared a family of seven chill
dren, given the best education tn
country could offer, have built a larg
house and barn, and have enough
thank the Lord, to keep me and m.
family in comfort as long as I shall
live. l want no sub-treasury ant
never have wanted il but once AM