Evening star., 1925-02-14
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES Z. TRAcEwELL.

is that he never means to pay IT
back at all, and you know that quite
as we'll as he does. Yet, II you were
to announce that fact, he would be
terribly indignant. This is one time
when the truth does more than nurt
Probably out. OF 10 borrowers
never have the slightest intention Oh
returning your money IL they can gel
out of doing SO. Some men nave tne
thing down almost to an art.
Seeing you off guard, with the light
Of human kindness in your eyes, tney
rush you for the sum they want, iit-
orally surprising it out of you. Down
in your heart you know you have no
business letting the man have ft-you
have a wife and child at home-Du1
the first thing you know you are ex-
| tracing the bills, earned by you with
much labor, and turning them over to
| this bird who has not earned them
and certainly does not deserve them
The thing that hurts about the pro-
ceeding is that the borrower does NOT
give you credit for q gift 1t 10 al
ways Joan" in his phraseology
yet in truth it is a gift. Yet instead
of panhandling you, as the honest
beggar does, this chap mouthea
around to save his pride.
Here, old man, take this $40, and
that, you would not mind so much to
part with the iron men. Then you
could have some satisfaction In doins
! good deed.
But the borrower deprives you OF
| the right to feel good. then goes
away-and avoids you. Usually he
adopts one of two courses-sneaks
out of your path, Apologies every
time he sees you, until both OF you
Snt n &
boldly ignores you. He may be right
in the same office with you, but he
conveniently looks the other way. He
saw you easily enough but a short
| time beforel
1t was not for nothing that money
was called the root Of all evil. From
! the standpoint of lending to others
| money Is an evil-when you lend 1t
| because it tends to create feeling
Of restraint between two persons.
| This does not apply. of course. be-
| tween two good friends or aoquaint.
ances. both of whom have the high
ect conception of borrowing and
lending 1t is a genuine pleasure to
loan money. up to the limit OF your
| ability. to the friend whom you
know will absolutely pay the money
| back at the time he says he will.
| To loan money to others, however
| merely depletes your own pocketbook
| and introduces a feeling Of distfus'
| against the man to whom you have
given the money.
Even happy-Eo-lucky fellows.
have noticed. are quite put out wher
| some one to whom they have loaned
| money does not return 1t. There IL
| lot of bunk" upon this subject
many men would not agree to wha,
| am saying here for fear of not be-
| ing considered good sports
| But down in every mans heart
there is a recognition Of the evils
| of borrowing and lending. Every
man knows that II you want to re-
| tain the friendship of friend, dc
not lend him money.
The psychology of the thing is that
any decent man abhors being under
obligation to another. My friend does
me the favor of loaning me money
| Immediately, from a plane Of equals
| l am lowered to the plane OF one
| upon whom a favor is conferred.
! Say not that this does not apply
| Human nature is human nature
| There are thousands Of men and
women who have sworn they could
| not be entangled in a quarrel ovei
will. only to become hotly involved
| later on.
The safest policy, II one can ad-
| here to 1t, is never to borrow and
never to lend. A man who never bor-
rows from -others-except his very
| closest friends-will be respected by
1.-THE chronic borrowers, even when
| they find out he. will not lend.
And IL you borrow-even from a
| close friend-jot the sum and name
| down, and go without food first until
you have paid 1t back. That way
wisdom lies