The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1892-08-27
SHE LACKED a PENNY.


How a Lady with Bank Account Had TO
Act as Newsboy.
There are some things more embar-
RAISING than to simply be without
money, says New York paper. One
of these is to be a Harlem lady down
town with four cents. Nine miles
from a seventh floor nest and short
one cent is worse than Sheridan 20
miles away on Thoroughbred horse. A
lady who lives in Harlem and is accus-
toned to spending her small change in
contiguous shopping districts found
herself in this unfortunate predica-
ment day or two ago, She didn't
make the discovery until she had
reached the platform of the elevated
railroad TO return home then she al
most tainted She had purchased an
evening paper as she came up and was
short just that one cent. She had over
traded, The amount was small, but
the deal was quite as disasterous in
her case as if she had been short 500
shares of Reasing when the coal com
bine got hold of it, She felt through
everything composing her costume
likely to contain money, and added
and subtracted and multiplied and
divided, but only the four cents re.
manned. Conscious of the scowls of
the cold, synical gateman and the Curl
osity of those who noticed her at all,
she modestly withdrew from the stair,
not however, before a gentleman lifted
his hat politely and inquired if she
had lost anything.
"N-no; oh, no!-thank YOU she had
replied confusedly, and got away.
She was neither good-looking nor
young. 1t is painful to admit this, but
it is necessary for the truth of history
and to show why she didn't go right
along through and have dozen gen
men to assist her. Being neither good
looking nor young and accustomed to
the seclusion of Harlem, she was eX-
ceedingly timid of the world that roars
and seethes in lower Broadway. 1t was
after o'clock, and few acquaintance
she could think of had gone home, she
felt certain. When she paused at the
bottom of the elevated steps her knees
knocked together SO violently She
could hardly stand up. Her first
thought was the boy who sold her the
paper-perhaps he'd take it back.
"Awe wat are We given me ?" said
the boy when this was suggested.
I'm giving you the paper, if you'll
give me back that cent n-need it tC
go home and"- (Oh, the humilatinG
confession ,
"Rats Come off yer perch now, ole
woman ! amt no chumpw
"Old woman !" Gracious heavens
All for one cent, too-and she with {
bank account and husband with ,
bank account and three children viii
a bank account. 1t was dreadful, bu
she was desperate. Ifthis boy wouldn'
take back the paper she would have {,
beg one cent of somebody, and that
oh, dear Such horrible people do tina
every day and nobody woald belieyI
her So she pleaded with the boy t.
buy the paper.
'IIere give me apaperln said MAJ
of the crowd grufiiy showing cent in
to her hand. He had just come alon
and caught at the first paper extende,
as he made for the stairs; but as he pu
the penny in her hand he noted, hal
blindly, that the hand was white an
soft and the fingers wore handsom
rings. He had reached the secon
step before this got lodgment in hi
busy brain, and then he looked bac
and said:
"Well, I'm dashed ! didn't kno'
there was so much money in the news
paper business !"
The poor, blushing lady, clutenin
her cent, hurried across to the othe
stair and reached home to fall int
a Mysteries when she told her husban,
y And he, the brute, almost has hysteriC
every time he tells of it.