MYSTIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS.

Colonist, Volume XII, Issue 1175, 29 December 1868, Page 3

MYSTIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS.

To the Editor of The Colonist. Snt,—Why do you consent to insert in your raluable paper mystified advertisements, purporting to contain advice for the general good. Being a constant as well as a careful reader of your newspaper, my eye of course dropped on this in your last issue—" A word to the wise is sufficient." Well, everyone knows it is so; but then those figures which followed quite overcame me, and placed me, under the necessity of going to my wife for an explanation. She is a downright clever woman, and a thoroughly good-hearted soul, taking a great deal of trouble about those who are not wise enough to take care of themselves; it is not the first time I have had to apply to my wife ;' I placed myself under the shadow of her' wing some time ago, because I just thought I was one of those who could not take care of themselves. Well, Mr. Editor, what do you think ? I went to her with your paper, making a complaint against your evil practices of putting anything and everything into print, clear or not clear, and then telling us it is^ro bono piiblico. I put my finger on the advertisement, and waited a minute for tho explanation. This wa9 what I got — " Monstrous! " —I immediately felt alarmed, especially in these days when we are expecting a little more taxation. " Fifty-four per cent.!" that will never do; my salary will be all gone, and my bairns crying for bread; however, she went on to explain that you meant to convey was this: —" Tljat money was to be obtained, —that the wary and those who understood figures could easily see in a very short time that a few pence per week interest does not appear at first sight anything to take notice of, — but that in reality it amounts in a year to a considerable item; —but that the more illiterate and unwary are not so easily able to compute a snm so difficult, and therefore without thought pay for accommodation at such a rate as will ultimately end in ruin." Now, some will say, why all this ? has not a man a right to do with his own what he Hke3 ? I think he has not, sir. In a certain sensa we are only trustees of that we possess, for the use and good of our families, or those connected in somo shape or form with us, and anyone knowingly to pay 54 per cent per annum for money, no matter how hard .he maybe pressed, is guilty of as great immorality as he who takes it, and both area nuisance to society. ,To. the working-man moi'e especially-;-! -woiijd say,Beware! never for a moment seek even temporary ease at such a cost; if misfortune overtakes you, and you have to succumb, do so with an honest face and heart, and this you will dc. by keeping quite clear of any transactions with 54 per cent attached to them. My wife hopes good may result, di ar Mr. Editor, from her thoughts upon that paragraph, whicti. till explained was, at least to me, very mysterious. Yours, &c, A Working Man's Friend.