Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 66, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 November 1911 — Who Pays [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Who Pays

Habit of Borrowing Is to Be Frowned On

By JOHN L. GEHRING

IE habit of borrowing is something to be frowned upon, chiefly because borrowers rarely have good memories. In large cities one escapes the borrowing neighbor because there is little or no acquaintanceship between families which are no farther apart than the thickness of a wall or floor and ceiling, but in small communities there is a temptation to remedy the shortcomings of one’s household or wardrobe by the loan of articles belonging to neighbors and relatives. Borrowers have few scruples concerning the value of anything they may desire.

There is no doubt that there are times when the temporary use of articles saves trouble and discomfort. In the neighborhoods where card parties are frequent and everybody borrows extra tables because it is understood that nobody cares to own more than one or two at the most. But invariably articles are promptly returned and the borrowers stand ready to take their turn at lending. That is simply an arrangement where everybody shares alike, and not a bit like borrowing eggs and butter and sugar, postage stamps and small sums of money, and forgetting to repay them.

Fine-minded women are rarely content to rest under an obligation of any description. They accept favors graciously, even ask for them, but in some way or other each is repaid. To pay in kind is the preferred manner, but that is not always possible, save in borrowing. It is strange that women will be so punctilious in the matter of car fare and forget to repay postage stamps —we meet cases of that kind frequently. Two women will argue for more than two minutes over the payment of car fare when it might be easily adjusted by a simple little scheme which is having some vogue among some women. Take a pair who are going to a matinee—before boarding a car one will ask: “Odd or even?”

The answer settles the question of payment, for tbe the loser pays for both. The expense of lunches and teas is shflred nowadays because the opportunity for payment does not always materialize. Of course, this plan is only used by women who are in the habit of going about together, when payment by either one all of the time would be manifestly unfair. When spending money is limited, what is known as “Dutch treat” is common. It is a custom with college boys as well as girls and finds favor with wage earners. It allows one to shoulder no more than personal expenses in any kind of recreation.