[Diary] March 17.
Harry, Mr. Pierce’s old guide, — or rather his first guide, for Harry is not old yet, — wanted very much to buy a place called “The Inlet” on Ladies Island. He thought he had money enough to get it, it being a plantation of three hundred acres. He was thinking of bidding for it at the sale, when Mr. Philbrick heard of his plans and counseled him not to buy it himself for fear of risk, but to let Mr. P. buy it for him. Harry listened; he did not like risk. Mr. P. offered to take it for a year and let Harry work it for wages, the profits of the crop to be Mr. P.’s, and the expenses and risk to be his. Harry came to me to ask advice. I told him he had better hold the land himself if he wanted to make money. He consulted also Captain Hooper, telling him of my advice which was as above, and also that the risk of losing the price of the land was something; but if another man bought the land and afterwards did not chose to sell, he would lose the land itself. Captain Hooper was indignant, Harry tells me, at the terms Mr. Philbrick offered, and he told Harry that he would bid and if necessary help to buy for him. So the Inlet was bought by Captain Hooper for Harry, costing about three hundred dollars. Harry had not so much money, and Captain Hooper lent him what he needed, and also more to stock the place.
Harry has gone to work his plantation and we do not see him here much. Harry professes himself everlastingly grateful to me for “incensing” him as to his best interests about the place, and warning him against trusting to Mr. Philbrick to buy for him. I warned him against letting any man buy for him in that man’s own name.
