Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 May 1890 — Not Sugar, but Meat. [ARTICLE]

Not Sugar, but Meat.

It “was settling day” at a. general store in a Louisiana hamlet. Between sixty and seventy negroes were on hand to see how iheir accounts stood, and the proprietor and his clerk were very Busy with the books. As the name of each was called he came forward, and the conversation ran about thus: “Well, Henry, you have had 100 pounds of meat, 300 pounds of meal, 60 pounds of Hour, 20 pounds of sugar, a pair of shoes, a pound of tea, and a hat. Deduct from this your cotton and I owe you ten dollars.” “Yes, sah.” They had got to the tenth: man before any one kicked, and then it was an intelligent-looking black who-had a memorandum book in hiis fyand, and who said: “I hain’t dun had no sugar of yon, Mars’ Thompson.” “You haven’t?” “No, sah. What’s the date of it?” “The 17th of last month.” “We all was dun gone away from home from de 15th to de ‘2oth, an’ dat charge haiu’t right.” “ What! Do you dispute my books ? a “I has got to, sah,” “Then I’ll ! Hold on, William; lam wrong. Yes, I have made a mistake. It isn’t sugar, but meat. That makes—let’s see—that makes forty pounds of meat instead of twentypounds of sugar, and you owe me so.” He had scratched out the false charge and falsilied the amount of meat to offset. it, cheating the man out of $4, but William turned to his companions and proudly waved the book on high and said: “Haven’t I dun stuck to it dat eddeeasliun puts money in yo’ pockets ?” New York Sun.

We need to consider the old elements and the new in every question. Thei-e is danger of that 100 cautious spirit which resists all change because "the past has been good enough.” The past has held many errors which modern thought is bringing to light, and, as higher aims and better methods are coming t 6 the front, they rightly claim our assistance and influence. - / ; Compliments which we think are dt served we accept only as debts, with indifference; but those which conscience informs us we do not merit we receive with the same gratitude that we do favors given away. A flatterer is said to be a beast who biteth smiling. But it is hard to know them from friends, they are so obsequious and full of protestation ; for a wolf resembles a dog, so doth a flatterer a friend. Many a man is ready to raise an objection who couldn’t raise a cent.