River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-06-17
WOMEN HE HAD MET.

Il have learned there is no such
thing as a business-woman," said a
New York insurance adjuster the other
day. The term is misnomer.
Some women may possess a degree
more of business knowledge than
others, but the wisest of them is a tyro
before the youngest clerk in our office.
but they don think so; o, no. I'm
a reel bizness woman, said the thin
wife of fat Third avenue butcher to me
the other day when went into her sit
4 tng-room. There had been a slight
| lire, and hole about two feet square
had been burned in her carpet. I'm
a reel bizness woman, as soon as
babe her good-mOrning and told her
my GRAND, and | want damages for
this carpet It's no good any mora
1 big hole burned right out of the mid
/ die The floor was bare-the carpet
/ rolled up in one corner. | unrolled it
and looked it over. 1t was common
tapestry carpet, fairly good, and it had
q considerable hole burned in one
/ breadth. You see,' she began, when |
/ had done, the carpets no good at all.
/ l ii have to get a new one, and it'll
take good $50 to do it
Il politely acquiesced, and asked.
'How long ought such carpet 70
wear?'
"She fell into that little trap with
what you might call a dull thud. Six
years at the very least, and I've only
had 1t three, she snapped out.
Again | politely acquiesced. And
such carpet costs about $I25 per
yard, | went on.
Yes and it takes forty yards for
this room, she broke in. Fifty
dollars, | assented. Then madam,
\ by your own showing the carpet at
/ the time of last weeks fire was half
worn out, worth accordingly S25,
there was a silence. But shortly the
woman of 'bizniss' recovered herself
| We'll, if it was, she said: 1t did me
as much good as if it was new, and
now it's only fit for junk cart. faint
worth anything to me-
- 1t is to me- | interposed quietly
i will take the carpet and give you
$25 for it.
But that wasn't what she wanted.
Her idea was to keep the carpet,
which she knew was perfectly good
with little turning, and to get besides
all the money she could. In the end
she took just what she was entitled to
about 50.
Yet women are persistent insurers;
and how they treasure their policies!
Why, out in a Connecticut farmhouse
one day last summer. while | was
waiting in the best room, what should
/ see hanging over the melodeon
framed and as companion-piece to the
marriage certificate but an insurance
policy, That was an idea, wasn't it?
''And it was coming away from that
very house that yonng girl well on in
her teens waylaid me near the gate
she was as pretty as a picture, and /
stopped readily, of course. She was
very bashful, and twirled an end of her
apron-string with one hand while the
other was hid in the folds of her dress.
After staring at me for a moment she
finally found speech before my very en-
couraging smile.
. Are you the insurance man@
" Yes, l told her.
Z" About fire, is it?'
q Fire only L assented.
W. ell. L want you TO write me out
a paper like mas that'll keep some
things I've got from being burned up.
I'll pay you myself she added. more
confidently, producing a small leather
purse.
What are the things?' / asked, not
fully catching her meaning.
= Letters she said; 'Jim's letters,
and he's gone to sea.
1t took me a moment or two to quite
comprehend that girls simple faith and
several more to show her that / could
not insure her letters against the actual
flames.
''She was immensely disgusted
Money wouldn't be of any account if
them letters were burned, she said,
turning away from me. i s'posed YOU
could do a deal better than that And
Jim's sweetheart marched off to the
house in indignant disappointment