The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1910-06-17
TO THE CHRONIC BORROWER.
A Clever Girl viii Learn TO Have a
Pride In Her Own Possessions.

A Clever Girl viii Learn TO Have a
Pride in Her own Possessions.
Kansas City Times: Bettina came
to me the other day with her face
flaming. Il think she is horrid" she
said.
"Who?' | questioned.
Penelope" Bettina answered. 81
just tolephoned to her and asked her
If | could wear her evening coat and
she said she was sorry, but she did not
see how she could spare 1t. And
know that she isn't going out"
81 don't blame her" was my rather
unexpected reply.
But | have always borrowed from
Penelope" was Bettina's explanation
1--WE have been such good friends"
II wonder that Penelope has stood
it as long as she has" said. Did
you know that the chiffon was torn on
that evening coat when you returned
it, Bettina? And the night you wore
Penelope's plumed hat, it rained and
the dampness took the curl out of the
| feathers?"
"Oh, we'll" Bettina excused, 81 lend
her my things"
But you are not as careful as PenC-
lope. If she had torn the chiffon on
your coat it would have come back to
you mended or replaced And anyhow
| 1t is best to keep to your own things.
After that we argued the question:
and gradually | broke down Bcttnas
| defenses. | showed her where she had
acquired the habit of borrowing until
it was positively undermining heI
strength of character. She is an cX
| travagant little thing, and, not content
with her own possessions, she is con
stantly encroaching upon the belong
| ings of others. She has worn my tur
quoise ring, has borrowed my watch
my fans, my gloves, and, most of all
she has borrowed money. She is sucl
a dear little maid that everyone hates
to refuse her Her requests are al
ways put so engagingly that it seems
perfectly natural to respond, and wher
she forgets to pay we forgive her be
cause of her Childlke lack of respon
sibility.
Yet Bettina, like many other girls
is, in a small way criminal. TO asl
for money and to forget to pay it back
stamps a man or woman as not trust
worthy. Gradually Bettina will flint
herself avoided by the people whom
she has cheated, though she calls he
cheating by the pleasanter form, for
getfulness.
If these girls who borrow were a
willing to lend they might be cured o
their fault, for they would find til,
drain on their resources too great Il
stand. Bettina has used my haiTpins
my safety-pins, my black pins, my cole
cream and my toilet water as if the,
were her own. Yet strange to say
Bettinas pins and cream and othe
small belongings are never at my dis
posal.
Bettina is such dear that hate t,
complain of her. Perhaps as sh
grows older she may learn pride il
her own possessions and a regard 70
the rights of others. She will learn
also, | hope, to be exact in her none,
dealings. And if she does not lear
these things she is going to be eX
tremely unpopular People will shu
her because they will be afraid tina
she may ask for a loan and forget t.
pay.
| happen to know that Penelope il
extremely proud of that evening coat
The torn chiffon caused her a pans
unknown to the careless Bettina. YC
Penelope is kind-hearted, and like my
self, loves Bettina. Hence she can re
fuse her nothing. If, however, Pene
lOpe and | were wise, we would refuse
to hand over our possessions to on
little borrowing friend. We would
seem cruel only to be kind. Some
thing of this | said to Bettina wheI
she complained of Penelope's refusal
Shakespeare says" told her
Neither a borrower nor lender be.
And it's just as good advice today as
ut was when he wrote it many years
ago"