THE INSTALMENT PLAN.

Observer, Volume 9, Issue 530, 16 February 1889, Page 11

THE INSTALMENT PLAN.

A CHRONICLE OF MODERN DOMESTIC

LIFE.

And in these days the young man who clerketh in the store taketh counsel with himself and sayeth : 'I will go and take unto myself one of the daughters of the city to wife, and we will be one, for verily it is not meet that man should live alone.' And he goeth to and sampleth the maidens of the city, and he sampleth many who be as cheap as they make them, even as cheap as old plain s pine ; 'howbeit he findeth one who is of the tribe i of Asthetes, yea, even as fine gold dust, and he taketh her to himself for his wife and thinketh it bully. But the end is not yet. For behold the wife of this young man who clerketh in a store, even the wife of him who clerketh for one hundred trade shekels a year, sayeth to herself, ' I will also go to.' And see goeth to and 3he walketh up and down the chief mud gutter of the city, and she setleth her eyes upon a suite of furniture and it findeth favour in her sight. And behold the suite of furniture is decorated after the manner of Asthetes to decorate, for hath it not a sunflower on the panel of the wardrobe and a bit of brass here and another bit of brass there, yea, even a suite of furniture that looketh like unto Oscar Wilde broke loose, or even as South Kensington on a spree. And the cost of that suite of furniture is fifty trade shekels. And she entreateth her husband that he buy it. And at first he maketh answer and sayeth unto her : 'Go to now. Thinkest thou that I am of the tribe of Daniphules, or even that I am a bank cashier who hath the handling of the cash and the keeping of the books. Verily I have but one hundred trade shekels a year ; how then shall I do this thing ?' But I say unto you that woman who is of the tribe of Asthetes taketh her lord, yea, even her husband, by the near ear, and she leadeth him to the place of sale and she sayeth unto him : ' Seeth thou not this sunflower and beholdeth thou not that lily. Behold this thing is exceedingly too, likewise it is exceedingly utter, and verily cannot thou buy it on the instalment plan'?' And that young man who clerketh in a store for one hundred trade shekels a year is persuaded by his wife and he hearkeneth unto her entreaties and likewise he hearkeneth unto the entreaties of the man who selleth on the instalment plan, even unto the entreaties of Humbug and Co., and he buyeth that suit of furniture. And behold the wife of his bosom is exceedinglyglad, likewise is Humbug and Co., but the end is not yet, for verily I say unto you that the instalment plan is a plan that hath much innocence of countenance, but when it getteth its fine work in it is even like unto a ravening wolf. For that young man who clerketh in a store for one hundred trade shekels a year payeth fifty trade shekels for the suite and then faileth to pay more. And behold Humbug is exceedingly glad, and he scoopelh down on that young man, likewise upon that sunflower and that lily and those bits of brass. And he raketh them all in again and selleth the furniture yet again to one of the tribes of Damphules, howbeit, he heedtth not the entreaties neither the tears of that young woman, and returneth unto her not one trade shekel, yea, not even one brass knob. Therefore, throughout the land let there be glory and great praise unto tne sunflower and the lily and the brass knob, and moreover unto all things that are consummately too-too and exceedingly utter. For verily 1 say unto you the multitude of fools is not diminished. Selah ! And now also are the days come when the young man taketh counsel with himself and he wondereth how he is going to raise the wherewithal to buy a waterproof. Yea, even he wondereth if the old one will stand dyeing, and how many days he may wear his summer hat. — ADunediu money-lender, Henry Benjamin hight, sued James Morrison the other day i'or £10 on ap.n. The facts of the case are instructive. Morrison went to Benjamin for a loan of .£lO. He save a p.n. for .£lO and received £7 7s 6d cash, £2 103 being deducted for interest and 2s 6d for other charges. .£6 was to be paid m two months, but Morrison paid 25s a month for ten months, £12 10s in all, for a loan of 7s 6d. Benjamin, being still hungry, now sued tor J&3 per month interest, and £10, the full amount ot the note. Judgment went for the defendant, with. £1 Is costs. How these poor money-lenders manage to make both ends meet is what gets us.