The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-06-20

. fOrth to mend the fences which con
/ fine his stock to a I per cent mar
gin, is the pattern OF industry held
up before the young men of the
metropolis. The frugal youth who
saves fifteen cents by eating a cheap
lunch, and then spends SII on a
dinner for two IS quite common IN
these parts, and nothing short of
the limited express for Canada is re-
garded as fast
had known Jack to have spasms
of economy before. | had seen him
buy pair OF shoes for six dollars
instead ot eight, as he had at first
intended ; and tor the next six weeks
whenever he had an inclination to
spend two dollars he did so because
after all it was only two dollars
which he had saved on the shoes
He really was frugal in that way he
could make the thought of a little
saving last through more extlava
gance than any other man | ever
saw. And sometimes he carried his
frugality into small things. He
woIldn think of smoking a twenty
five cent cigar after dinner he would
buy three for half a dollar and
smoke two of them.
Knowing him SO well, | was
anxious to hear the story of the
little bank, and | had no idea that it
would be necessary to wat a year
for it. | felt reasonably sdre that
financial panic would overtake that
institution long before its charter
ran out 1t was in Novemb,r that
had the first conversation with him
about it. Last week he came to see
me again and, with countenance
in which pride and humility strug.
gled for the mastery, he presented
first (and last) annual report of the
Leigh Han tley Institution OF Savings.
won't hear anybody say a word
against that bank, said he. 1t was
splendid idea, and the most CON
venient thing that ever was. 1t
m1a mad e NO money; too, at the start. |
made it point to have quite a 1Teot
of dimes and quarters every time |
called When happened to be
out of change | would go into a
| candy store not far from her house
and get bill broken. OF course |
had to buy some candy as a return
for the accommodation but that
didn't count. | should have spent
the money anyway.
It was awfully handy, having the
bank, because sometimes when |
called I'd be utterly busted, and
wouldn't know where | was going to
get half dollar for breakfast next
morning. Then we'd draw on the
bank, and it was great fun fishing
out the quarters with hat pin. She
was president Of the bank and | was
cashier, and we used to learn the
princirles of banking by watching
each all the time. Sometimes I'd
play that was trying to get the
money and abscond. Then she'd
have to hold my hands
Don't Jack, said l let's stick to
finance.
1t was wonderful the way the funds
held out, he continued. We got any
quantity OF theatre ckets out OF it.
She would always protest making
such an improper use of the bank
money, but would show her that
we had rafting surplus, and that
would settle it. Well, last week,
you know, was in a difficulty. |
had only twent, dollars coming to
me, and | ov ed sixty five. Payment
couldn't be put off any longer |
had tried every scheme but flight
and suicide. The case was getting
desperate when suddenly l be
thought me OF the bank. 1t didn't
seem possible that there could be as
much as forty five dollars in it, but
there was only one way to find out,
and that evening laid the case be-
fore the president. Most fellows
would be ashamed to mention such
thing, but she has always urged
me to perfectly frank with her.
The president looked serious. She
said, in hesitating way, that she
was afraid there wasn't quite SO much
money in the safe, but there were
various securities, etc.
/ knew what she meant. She pro-
posed to put the balance into the
bank herself. OF course l couldn't
permit anything of that sort. While
we were arguing the question l de-
tected her in the act of examining a
little piece OF paper on the sly. l
said What is that?
It's the presidents private &C
count with the bank, said she, hold
ing it behind her.
The cashier has right to see it,
| insisted.
Oh, no he hasn't she cried, and
made motion to throw it into the
fire. l grabbed it and took it to the
light.
Howdy, when l had digested the
contents of that document | felt
small enough to crawl through the
little hole in the top of the bank. 1t
was memorandum which the dear
girl had been keeping, and it
showed that l had overdrawn my
account s79 so Nothing bu, my
natural indecision saved my life
We were on Fifth ave. and l
Couldn't make up my mind whether