The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-01-12

1t was a genius who appointed the
divisions of time. 1t seems to US that
it is right that we should have twelve
months in year, four weeks in ;
month, seven days in week anc
about twenty-four hours in each day
10 say the least of it, we have thor
oughly adjusted ourselves to the
hours, days and weeks as time goes by
AS we wind up one year and look
back over its record there are many
things to think about, many things
that we carry along as pleasant memo
ries into the coming year, many things
that we regret and would blot out Of
memory forever. The good we have
done we never cease to remember with
pleasure. The evil is constant source
of grief and care. If we could only
realize that it makes an eternal differ
ence whether we do right or wrong
each day. 1t does not make so much
difference where we were, or the hour
Of the day or the day of the week that
the deed was done, but it makes an
eternal difference whether the deed
was right or wrong.
This is the time of year men reflect
and resolve. Reflections and resolu-
tions are close akin to each other.
Good resolutions are always based on
wise reflections. 1t saves US some
times from making the same mistakes
again, falling into the same sins and
errors again. Its the time Of settling
up between debtor and creditor and
yet two-thirds Of the human race will
go into the new year as debtors. oh,
debt, debt! Il is like dirt and the
devil; it takes washing and pulling
and fighting to overcome either. l
reckon most men, like myself,
year ago determined they would
get out of debt within the next
twelve months. 1t is easy to figure
yourself out Of debt, but it takes one
hundred cents in the dollar, with in
terest, counted down to pay the debt.
I have struggled for twenty years to
get out Of debt, sometimes sit down
and wonder if it will be true to the
end-always resolving and struggling
to get out of debt and die at last owing
somebody something. / have paid
enough interest in the past twenty
years to have made man compare
lively rich. Instead of putting the
old saying, "the rich getting richer
and the poor getting poorer, we
ought to say 'the creditors getting
richer and the debtors getting poorer.
There is an infinite difference between
a debtor and creditor. If pay a
man Sper cent. on 500 he gets the s
per cent. and | pay it. Therefore,
there is Is per cent. difference be-
tween us. He has got 16 percent. the
advantage of ME, and that gives the
creditor such start in the race that
h,,,,
Again, I could have paid my own
debts long ago, but | have had the
fun Of paying other fellows debts,
and it is about as hard to keep from
endorsing ether mems paper as it is to
paw the debt after they saddle it on
YOU. | reckon have told more lies
about that than any other one thing
in the world, saying that | would
never 80 ON another man S note while
lived. and then go and do it. The
Bible tells US not to be security for
ANYBODY. A man who doesn t make
up his mind fully to pay security
debt is fool if he signs his name as
security. l find the world willing to
wait on me for my own personal debts,
but nobody seems willing to wait on
me as security for anything. They
want the money, and / have had the
fun of paying other fellows debts and
paying interest on my own. But l
am going to quit now, if j don t tell
another lie about the thing, and never
20 on another mans paper for any
shing until l get out Of debt myself.
I mean this now, but | don t know
how long it will stand. | hope the
public will take notice and not lead
me into temptation. but help to de-
liver me from the evil Of the thing.
Well, | am glad it is no worse than
it is. | amt a-kicking. had rather
be gentleman and pay dog $ note
than to be dog and have my note
paid for me. Iwouldn tmindso much
paying fellow note for him if he
didn get mad with me about it and
think hard Of me and soon conclude
that | am hypocrite: and so on.
am sure if l were to 90 before the
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Courts of the country on an issue OF
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