The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-02-28
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 represented
as asking Il e privilege OF presenting a
certain lady who did business at his
bank with bouquet at Christmas.
Surprise amounting almost to indigna-
ton 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 mat
ter to the signer, but of great impor-
lance to the man who handles bundle
of checks. We have all smiled and hall
resented the story Of the women who
few in indignation to the bank when
informed she had overdrawn her &C
count while there were leaves in be r
checkbook I'VE have smiled again at the
woman travelling in Europe who wrote
to her husband for SIC, 900 to meet hel
expenses, and, in response to his denial,
wrote demanding letter Of credit, say
ing it was pretty state of affairs if hit
credit was not good for SIC, 900. Women
may laugh at these hits, but we know
that many women and girls know alb
solutely Dothing of what might he cal
led the language Of the commercial and
banking world. This reflects discredil
on the men of the family, who certainly
are most careless 10 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
tifty-cent edition, paying the author ten
per cent royalty. The young lady except
ed the offer, while she said she had
hoped for better terms. But she
added, thoughtfully, III it costs much
to make the book | should not think
twenty-five cents would lesve you a
great deal profit Twenty five cents!
repeated the publisher, not at all under
standing. Why explained she, there
are five of US girls who wrote this to-
gether. Ten per cent of fifty cents is
five cents, and five times five is twenty
five. II 1t takes quarter of a dollar to
pay US five girls our royalty, that leaves
you the same amount" Naturally the
publisher was amused, and replied" But
Of course you can see that we shall not
lose so much as we should if they had
been ten of you. for then we should
have to make the book for nothing and
lose the booksellers discount besides,
Really, though, | fear you will be oblig-
ed to do with a cent piece" This
offer was Indignantly rejected. The
young lady SAID that ten per cent was
ell right If they 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, i
painful enough, but that she should
udNc uttu Selt Cttu db Iue DuSlDtb5 rep
resentatIve of the other four, who Ger
talnly must have been intelligent girls,
is astonishing. There few simple rules,
few simple terms, with which no
woman should be unacquainted with
A want of knowledge of these terms and
rules expose a woman constantly to ridi-
cule, if her ignorance does not leave her
and easy victim to shrewd designer
Could the Women's Bank have counted
it's victims by hundreds if they had been
familiar with the simplest laws in the
commercial world? 1t is a crime to let
a girl go out into the world ignorant OF
the customs, terms and law subject to
which she must live. under which the
must act, by which she must be govern
ed, 1t would fill a fathers mind with
horror if his daughter should offend
against any social conventionality, hut
he smiles as though at the antics of a
pet kitten when in cow ersation she dis
plays her ignorance on the very subjects
where knowledge may be the only safe
guard against beggary,o or WORSE Christ
ian Union.