The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1919-08-30
Borrowing and Not
Returning Is
Stealing
BY
NORA COLE SKINNER

~ acted ugly yesterday" an ac-
quaintance confided 10 me, "and
I've hated myself ever since"
She looked so distressed about IL
tha, | Insisted upon knowing OF
me das,ardly deed. This was the
trouble
Three delayed copies OF her
home paper reached her at one
time just IA "A friend from the
same town dropped In for a visit
she showed such an interest In
the papers my acquaintance con-
tnncd, that suggested she take
them home with her but TO return
them 10 me the next morning |
explained that | was leaving the
city the day following that and was
especially anxious not to miss
reading certain articles. with much
eifus!on she thanked me and left
with many promises OF heir re-
turn on the morrow
The next day she dropped In
again and as soon AS she saw me
exclaimed at her neglect and for
Rettulness In coming or without
those papers but she'd surely
bring them the next morning
I was all graciousness and told
her not TO worry over it-I could
read them on the train the next
day n she'd get them to me be-
forc 1880. or course she promiscd,
and that's the last I've seen or
heard of her since
"iut where did YOU act ugly"
| asked. indignant for her as she
had warmed again" again IN Jcll-
She flushed at the recollection
"Oh. | sent her "A piece Of my
mind by mutual friend At the
time | was eXasperatcd with her.
for ! knew she had no excuse other
than thoughtlessness and neglect"
And who would blame herl
rs "A harsh word. but. absolute
ly, borrowing and not returning
is nothing less than stealing.
For some reason books and um-
hrcllas are treated so lightly when
borrowed that "A request FOR them
Is generally Joked about. | can't
Sc" why for certainly nothing Is
more valuable than mans best
fricnd--a good book, and nothing
is wanted harder when wanted nt
an than an umbrella. have known
broken by "A borrowers never re-
turning one OF them. And In those
csthctic and remote days when
parasol was considered a more
elegant gift for a lady friend"
than a pair or two OF silk hose,
I've known them TO take the wings
ot the morning In cases where they
were valued highly because OF the
a
person who was caught In the
rain"
There are some loans that one
can hardly inquire about. and II In
the careless manner with which
some people treat these that marks
the borrower as uutrustworthy in
bigger things A housewife hates
- ask her neighbor to return two
cups OF flour or an egg or few
pInches OF cayenne pepper, but
N she returns II Of her own ac-
cord somehow /, has the effect OF
showing that her Johnny" Ia
all right for "our Jimmy to play
with, An acquaintance will pay
the car far for another half n
dozen times when taking n car to-
Eether. hut II II happens that meet
inR on tke street laughing re-
quest comes for the loan OF a
nickle because the last purchase
took the last cent that same friend
drops peg or TWO in ones esti-
nation N an offer To pay Is not
made at the next meeting.
It's often little thing. but II
stamps one. And II ism, that your
benefactor Is parsimonious- Its
merely matter related 10 that
abused thing called principle"
ana the slip Is seldom forgotten.