The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-02-13
Ignorance Not Bliss.

The funny columns of the newspapers
rarely lack at least one paragraph that
is hit at woman's lack of business
knowledge. Not long since cashier
of one of the large banks was repre-
scented as asking the privilege of pre-
senting a certain lady who did business
at his bank with bouquet at Christ
mas. Surprise amounting almost to in
dignation was expressed, when the
cashier fastened to explain that she
was the only lady doing business at
that bank who Endorsed the check at
the right end-the end held in the left
hand when looking at face of check-a
small matter to the signer, but of great
importance to the man who handles a
bundle of checks. We have all smiled
and half resented the story of the
woman who flew in Indignation to the
bank when informed that she had over
drawn her account while there were
leaves in her check-book We have
smiled again at the woman travelling in
Europe who wrote to her husband for
$4,000 to meet her expenses, and, in
response to his denial, wrote demand
ing letter of credit. SAYING it was a
pretty state of affairs if his credit was
not good for $4,000 Women NAV
laugh at these hits, but we know that
many women and girls know absolutely
nothing of what might be called the
language of the commercial and bank
ing world. This reflects discredit on
the men of the family, who certainly
are most careless to leave the women
whom they love so entirely untitled to
meet possible contingencies. A most
amusing display of ignorance is given
by the Boston correspondent of the
Book Buyer. A young lady presented
the manuscript for book to a Boston
publisher, who, after reading, decided
that he would bring it out in paper
htty-cent edition, paying the author ten
per cent royalty. The young lady ac-
cepted the offer, while she said she had
hoped for better terms. 90 But she
added, thoughtfully, If it costs much
to make the book l should not think
twenty-five cents would leave YOU a
great deal of profit TWENTY-FIVE
centsH repeated the publisher, not at all
understanding. Why explained she,
there are five of us girls who wrote
this together. Ten per cent of fifty
cents is five cents, and five times five
IS twenty-five. If it takes a quarter of
a dollar to pay us five girls our royalty,
that leaves you just the same amount. 20
Naturally the publisher was amused.
and replied: But of course YOU can
see that we shall not lose so much as
we should if there had been ten of YOU.
for then we should have to make the
book for nothing and lose the book
sellers discount besides. Really.
though, fear you will be obliged to
do with a cent piece" This offer
was Indignantly rejected. The young
lady said that ten per cent was all right
if there had been but one author, but
anybody could see that it would not
amount to anything among five. That
one young lady should have made such
an error, should have been so dull, is
painful enough, but that she should
have been selected as the business rep
resentative of the other four, who GER
tainly must have been intelligent girls,
is astonishing. There are few simple
rules, few simple terms, with which
no woman should be unacquainted. A
want of knowledge of these terms and
rules exposes woman constantly to
ridicule, if her ignorance does not leave
her an easy victim to shrewd de-
signer. Could the Woman's Bank
have counted its victims by hundreds
if they had been familiar with the
simplest laws in the commercial world?
1t is crime to let a girl go out into the
world ignorant of the customs, terms
and laws subject to which she must
live, under which she must act, by
which she must be governed. 1t would
fill fathers mind with horror if his
daughter should offend against any So
cial conventionality, but he smiles as
though at the antics of a pet kitten
when in conversation she displays her
ignoran ce on the very subjects where
knowledge may be the only safeguard
against beggary, or worse Christian
Union.