The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-09-24
Borrowing
By THE GENTLEWoMAN

.'Who goeth borrowing goeth a
Borrowing. wrote a sixteenth cen
ttry scribe. md the same opinion
seems to have been held by wealthy
american who died recently, and who
enjoined his daughter in his will Ito
lend no money 70 Others nor endorse
for others. RathSr give what YOU can
afford" ne advises, and let IL go at
that" More than one great man has
dictum on the subject is well known
and Ruskin held very strong opinions.
"S:arve and go 10 heaven, but don't
borrow" he said. In our own time.
George Bernard Shaw said. Imagine
being married 10 borrower as if no
worse fate could me conceived.
1t may perchance be that none OF
these gentlemen was ever in their
extremity, that they had never been
reduced TO their last farthing On
by borrower they mean the habit
ual aneXer Of other peoples money,
the Individual who, though unable TO
dig. and ashamed TO beg. is never
backward In borrowing, while payment
never enters into his calculations.
The borrower is born, not made. He
knows, by some subtle intuition,
when he has the time and. the place
and the leader all together. The un-
sophisticated borrower never knows.
In bad temper or in all Impoverished
condition, or when they are engaged
In Interesting conversation. AS con-
sequence he is hardly ever successful
The astute borrower. having ffsi put
the prospective lender in a good tenn
per by wiles known only to those whom
practice has made perfect, ascertains
sstutely that his victim has in his
possession the sum desired, then de-
Scends upon him suddenly, metaphors
cally pinions him to the spot. leaving
no loophoies for excuses or denials
OF course. there are less direct ways
of borrowing than this. Generally
speaking women adopt more round
more addicted TO borrowing 'uncon-
Eidered trifes'-pencils. pen-knives
hatpins. and little things which they
cannot be bothered buying for them
selves. Charles Lamb detested the
hook borrower, perhaps because of ali
the specials he is least likely to re-
turn the loan The loss of a book that
one has treasured for years IS like
the loss az e dear friend Nothing can
ever replace IL.
Ire late Judge Bacon. keen critic
q human nature. was OF opinion that
Sometimes they are. There are born
Lenders Just g there are horn borrow
ers- people VINO insist on lending YOU
thar hooks their hats. their rings and
off their backs. Try on my hat" the /
lender says. placing a horrihc erec-
t.on Of tulle and tinsel on her friend : |
hssd. Ny dear. YOU look lovely
tn it You positively must wear 1t to
sne garden party tomorrow" The /
horn lender generally has will of
iron. and the result is that her friend, |!
nolsus volens- goes TO the garden party
in hat that completely extinguishes !
all her personal attractions. Thus
friends"
However, borrowing and lending are
not to be condemned on all occasions.
There are times when a loan of money
may save a soul from despair: when
1t may tide an unfortunate person over
2 critical period. This is very diff
ferent matter TO lending money TO the
hahitual borrower. who is thereby en-
couraged to be idle and careless, and
whose self-respect diminishes with
each loan vouch safed to him.