THE SOCIAL BORROWER.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4869, 19 March 1887, Page 3

THE SOCIAL BORROWER.

The social borrower calls at all hours asking , tho favor of the use of your friends, servants, money carriage, books, games, dress, cooking utensils, prescriptions and recipes—in fact, anything and everything you possess she in turn requires. " Would you mind lending , mo so-and-so fora couple of days ? I know you will let me have this, that and tho other for a time. You are always so s?lad to bo useful." These and other formulas she employs for her purpose. "Doar Mrs Brown, who really is ever desirous of obliging '' — thereby ignoring that he who lendeth to all that will borrow shows great goodwill, but little wisdom" —is despoiled to-day of her bodice to the . rery costume sho was to have worn at the ffite next weok. " Your dresses are excellent patterns; they fit mo so well," is urged by our special borrower. Tomorrow, maybe, it is n, preserving pan—" You shall havo it again before you are ready to make the apricot jam " —is promised; but neither ro-appears. So, too, with a volume, the loss of which just spoils tho set or book that it is impossible to roplaco. It has quite escaped tho memory of the borrower. She will 'bo sure and remember it, , but she never does. You remind her again and again at intervals, with the final rcult that sho feels injured at your imagining sho ' ever had such a thing belonging to you.' Tho truth is tho social borrower being in the habit of having a continual supply of articles not her own, really forgets whose they are, or perhaps she loaves town hurriedly, and thus omits to rest re what is lent, and, if remembered after tho lapse of months or years, is ashamed to call her remissions. Yes, the social borrower i rarely systematic in the matter of returns. Still, she is honest, for in borrowing she has had no intention of permanently retaining, and oftentimes, to tho best of her belief, she has only what is her own.

Then there arc the delightful people who press loans upon the social borrower. They feel honored if she will use or cody anything they may possess. Imitation, in their eyes is the sxirost flattery. They beg her to let her cook come and mako certain dishes, so much enjoyed at their last dinnerparty. They insist upon driving her or sending her ■ wherever she may require to go. They entreat her to employ their dressmaker, tradespeople, and charwomen. Thus we sec the social borrower is not without temptations. Little wonder is it if, with favors thrust upon her, added to a penchan^foraccepting, that she becomes the unintentional purloiner of other folks' goods. The social borrower frequently forgets her purse, or is without change. She would not for the world accept as a ju-esent the smallest coin or even a penny stamp, but a temporary advance, under the circumstances, is unhesitatingly asked for and as readily given. "With equal readiness does the occurrence vanish from the mind of the one obliged. It is no international debt, therefore quite honest. An oversight of this kind may be inconvenient, but is not to be met with severe censure. The lenders who suffer mostly are those Who arc always to pay what they owe, that they may know what is their own. To them this half-loan, half-gift principle is positive agony. Delicacy of feeling , prevents their asking , for a return of the loan; indeed, every cai - e is taken not to hint that aught is owing, as to the sensitive individual, the apology which is most unpleasant. Again, others who are too meek to refuse a request, see their favorite songs borrowed and sung before their own special audience, or their particular friend monopolised, their guests weaned away for the summer months. Croquet, tennis, archery, are all borrowed at the same time, in order to provide amusement in the home of the social marauder.. In the house of the social borrower may be found the den of Oacus, but it is of all honest accumulation. As to baskets and shawls, they are too unimportant articles ever to receive the attention of the borrower, so she pays her evening visits unprovided with an oxtra wrap; goes for the express purpose of receiving some dainty for home consumption without ever a thing to fetch it in, satisfied that friends have always at hand something they can lend.— The Queen.