Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-05-27
COULDN'T Draw HIS MONEY
Because Wis Signature Differed From
Thai When lie Was a Roy.

Because Wis Signature Differed From
That when He Was Boy.
The conversation turned upon early
struggles in life. All Of them had
had hard times, but each Of them had
managed to start bank account in
his first days of earning money. and
to add to it from time TO time.
And the only time in my life"
said one Of them. that | had money
and yet did not have it was when /
had worked long enough and hard
enough to feel that ! was justified in
making what TO me was considerable
o. an Investment Years before this
had begun a modest little account in
the -- saving bank. When | first
made my deposits they were not big.
and they were not frequent but I
kept on making them month by
month and year by year and in time
they began to count for something.
Il had mover allowed myself the
luxury of Withdrawing a single cent
from that bank. not even when felt
that it would be one of the keeuest
pleasures in the world to swagger up
and draw from big bank some OF my
own money and spend it, had
reached the limit which | had set for
myself in that bank and had ceased to
deposit there. l was perfectly con-
tent to let my money remain there.
But the time came when | was to
make my Investment | looked over
my assets get ready to turn them into
cash and found that | should have to
go to my first savings bank. | hated
to do 1t then. But | marched down
and presented myso'f at the window.
l hadn't been there for long time.
/ had grown up had added to my
face beard. and | was as far from
being the boy who had formerly been
there as a man well could be The
first thing | was asked to do was to
write my signature. / wrote il as |
had learned to write it in the recent
years with slapdasn rush
The teller looked at mo scrutinfz-
ingly, and then asked me to write it
again. | dashed off another He
went off second time and came back
with little deprecating smile
"'Thc signatures are not the
same. he said.
''BuL great Scott! I'm the same
l said.
but how do l know thatP" he
said, with his provoking smile
"You don't expect do you,
jerked out impatiently, for | wanted
that money and wanted it quickly
| that Id write the same hand now as
l did when | was a fourteen year old.
and made my first doposit?'
" No, he said still smiling.
We'll I'm in a hurry for that
| money | said, CURLY. I've got to
use it right away, aud I'd like it right
| away.
m very sure, he said that you
are the man from the story you tell,
but how do know it? | can't let
man have money when | do not
! know him. and when his signature
does not agree with the one we
I have
What in the world am TO do?" |
said.
You will have to be identified
But ! haven't time
You will have TO take it or
, else sign like your old signature
! your old one ," he added with a
smile is good deal better than the
| one you write now
But | had to hurry out and find
some one who could identify me be-
fore | could draw the money which /
myself had deposited. When | had
drawn it my boyish signature WAS
shown 10 me. 1t was round and clear.
but a little trembling, and when /
looked at it for the first time in q
good many years rush OF memories
came over me. and recalled how I
! had felt on the first day that had
ever gone into bank to open an 40.
count for myself"