The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1905-03-09

Yesterday your old college friend
Clarence blew in from Monte Carlo,
where he had been in the interests of
science. and presented your letter of
introduction. Said he still couldn't
understand just how, it happened, be-
cause lie had figured 1t out by loga-
rithms and trigonometry and differen-
tial calculus and lot Of other high
priced studies that he'd taken away
from Harvard and that it was a cinch
on paper Was SC sure that he could
have proved his theory right if he'd
only had a little more money that 1t
hardly seemed worth while to tell him
that the only thing he could really
prove with his system was old Pro
fessor Darwin's theory that men and
monkeys began life in the same cage.
1t never struck me before, but I'll bet
the professor got that idea while he
was talking with some Of his students.
Personally l dent know great deal
about gambling. because all ! ever
spent for information on the subject
was $275-my fool horse broke In the
strickland that was forty years ago.
But first ana last I've heard lot of
men explain how 1t happened that
they hadn't made n hog killing. or
course there must be a winning end to
gambling. but all that these men have
been able to tell about is the losing
end. And ! gather from their expert
ences that when fellow does Il little
gambling Oh the side it's usually OH the
wrong side.
The fact OF the matter is that the
race horse. the faro tiger and the
poker kitty have bigger appetites than
any healthy eritter has right to have.
and after you've fed a tapeworm
there's mighty little left for you. FOL
lowing the hOrses may be pleasant ex-
erc!se at the start. but they're apt to
lead you to the door Of the pOorhOuse
or the~jah ut the finish.
To get back to Clarence, he took
hard luck and another to tell me how
strange It was That there was no draft
From his London bankers waiting to
welcome him. Naturally haven't
lived for sixty years among q lot Of
fellows who've been trying to drive a
cold ehisel between me and my bank
account without being able to smell
touch coming long time before it
overtakes me. ana Clarence's intcn-
lions permeated his CHEEKY CONVERSE
ton about as thoroughly as a fertilizer
factory does q warm summer night.
or course he gave ME every opportu-
nifty to prove TINT was q gentleman
and to suggest delicately that should
be glad II he would let me act rs his
banker In this sudden emergency. but
as ! didn't show any signs Of being a
gentleman and banker be was finally
forced to come out and ask me in
coarse commercial words to lend him
hundred. Said II hurt him to have to
do It on such short acquaintance, but
real pain.
Frankly. shouldn't have lent Clar-
e.ice dollar on his looks or his story.
for they both struck me as doubtful
collateral, but 30 long as he had a
letter from you asking nae to do any
thing In my power to oblige him or to
make his stay in Carlsbad pleasant
1 let him have the money on your &C
count, to which l have written the
cashier to charge 1t. OF course, hope
Clarence will pay you back. but think
You will save bookkeeping by charg
ing 1t OF to experience. I've usually
found that these quick. glad borrower.
are slow. sad payers. And when a Eel
low tells you that It hurts him tc
have to borrow you can bet that thu
thought Of having to pay is going t.
tie him ur into bowknot Of pain.
Right here I want to caution yol
against giving away your signature t
every Clarence and Willie that happens
along. When your name Is on a not
1t stands only for money. but whel
it's OH n letter Of introduction or rec
concentration 1t stands for your judg
znent Of ability and character, ind yo'
can't call ii in at the end of thirt,
days. either Giving q letter Of intro
huction is simply lending your nam
with Il man as collateral. and IL he
no good you can't have the satisfaction
OF redeemlng your Endorsement ever
and you're discredited. The first thin
that young merchant must learn
that his brand must never appear on
note or ham or man that isn't goot
reckon that the devil invented tn
habit Of indorsing notes and givin
letters to catch the fellows he cOuldn
reach with whisky and gambling.
or course letters Of intr6ductio
have their proper use. but about min
out OF ten Of them are simply licens
to some Clarence to waste an hour Z
your time and to graft on you for til
luncheon and cigars. It's getting &
that fellow who's almost a strange
to me doesn't think anything Of askin
for letter of Introduction to or
who's total stranger. You can't e.
plain to these men, because when 70
try TO let them down easy by tellin
them that you haven't had any re,
opportunity to know what their speci,
ABILITIES are they always come bac
with an. -'Oh. that's all right-just 50
a word and refer to anything you lii
about me-"
give them the letter then unsealet
aud, though of course they're not SUI
posed to read it. have reason to thin