Milford chronicle., 1905-03-31
A True Picture.

Is not the picture true? What would
you do if you We're asked to pay the
dishonest debts of your friends which
you indOrsed? Would you do it?
Would you do it even if you had in
dorsed their notes and could find a
lOOphOle to crawl out? Would you do
it, as did Sir Walter Scott? Would you
do it even though it cost you your life
to die an honest man? Would you
pay those indorsed notes, as William
Mckinley paid the ones he indOrsed for
friend? In order to pay those notes
he literally gave up all his own money
and all his wife's money. A short time
before his death he was talking to a
ministerial friend of mine. and he said:
Mr.. Campbell, people sometimes won
der why l am so devoted to my wife.
Could any husband but an migrate be
otherwise when his wife willingly gave
up all she had to save his honor?"
William Mckinley never expected to
be called upon to pay those indorsed
notes, but he paid them. Would you
pay, if necessary, those notes you are
about to indOrse, as William Mckinley
paid? Or would you repudiate or at
least try to repudiate those debts as
hundreds and thousands have done?
Dare you, with your present financial
burdens, risk the sinful temptation
of reputation which you may have to
face if you become a financial surety
for a friend?
But as l see the old mother bear
struggling to get her paw out Of the
fatal trap l do not pity her, even with |
all her sufferings, nearly as much as l |
do the little cubs who are dependent |
upon her for their lives. As I see a |
man struggling in the indOrsers trap, |
with all his misfortunes, l do not feel
nearly so sorry for him as I do for his
wife and especially for his children.
who are dependent upon him for finan-
,ial support Yet to hear some people
-alk you would suppose that in order
% be kind, loving, big hearted, gener-
Jus, man should be ready to help all
lis friends and when they need it to
sign all their notes, no matter what
night be the financial danger that man
nay run in reference to his own chill
lren. Now. my friends, believe one
# the best tests of a true, big hearted
nan is not how he looks after his
riends' notes so much as how he first
OOks after his own flesh and blood.
Too Big a Price.
Do you mean to tell me there is any
onor, any justice, any big heartedness,
4 man going upon a friends note
rhen in order to do it he may have to
axe the very bread out Of his chill
ren's mouths and the clothing of their
acks and the old homestead away
rom their inheritance? This is Just
hat many men have done in order to
lin the name of being big hearted. I
ecall to mind one of this type whom ,
le world eulOgized as a kind man,
ut who purchased that eulogy at a ,
sarful price. The man of whom I ,
leak was for years the president Of a
ew York company. His income was at
asst $4,000 per year; but, though he /
ade much, he spent much. Every r
srson in distress could go to him for .
lccOr and get 1t. His name was on =
ores of notes. Every little while he Fl
ould gather five, ten, fifteen. of his h
Iughters' friends together and give n
EN- a banquet and a good time" h
le last act Of his life was to buy a
mily plot for a policeman who was n
'out to bury his little girl. When 4
at man died the beautiful acts Of n
ndness which he did were recounted II
his bier h
But would you like me to tell you "
e aftermath or the second sowing Of Y
at life of indiscriminate generosity? D
10 notes he had signed for friends his 81
tate had to pay. The moneys he had pi
It here and there and everywhere
re never paid back Caring for ev- Ii!
: one but those Of his own house. he h,
came In the sight Of God worse than az
infdel. His two daughters, to whom D,