The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1892-06-16
JUST ONE CENT SHORT.
Not Much, but 1t Caused q Lady "a Lo
of Trouble.

Not Much, but 1t Caused q Lady u Lot
of Trouble.
There are some things more embar-
RAISING than to simply be without
money. One of these is to be a
Harlem lady down town with four
cents. Nine miles from a seventh
floor nest short one cent is worse
than Sheridan twenty miles away
on a thoroughbred horse. A lady
who lives in Harlem and is ac-
customed to spending her small
change in contiguous shopping dis
tricts found herself in this unfortu-
nate predicament day or two ago.
She didn't make the discovery until
she had reached the elevated plat
form 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
overtraded. She felt through every
thing composing her costume likely
to contain money, and added and sub
tracted, multiplied and divided, but
only the four cents remained. Con
scious of the scowls of the cold, cynical
gateman and the curiosity of those
who noticed her at all, she modestly
withdrew down the stair, not, how
ever, before gentleman had 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
half dozen gentlemen to assist her.
Being neither good looking nor young
and accustomed to the seclusion of
Harlem. she was exceedingly timid
of the world that roars and seethes
in lower Broadway. 1t. was after
4 o'clock and the few acquaint-
ances she could think of had gone
home, she felt certain. When she
paused at the bottom of the elevated
steps her knees knocked together sc
violently she could hardly stand up
Her first thought was the boy who
sold her the paper-perhaps he't
take it back
Awe! wat are ye given me?" sale
the boy when this was suggested.
| I'm giving you the paper, if you'll
give me back that cent? n-need il
to go home, and"-(Oh, the humili
ating confessionD
Rats! Come off yer perch now, OLD
woman! l amt no chump!"
'Old womanl" Gracious heavens
All for one cent too-and she with q
bank account and a husband with q
bank account and three children
with bank accounts. 1t was dread
full, but she was desperate. If this
boy wouldn't take back the paper
she would have to beg a cent O.
somebody, and that-oh, dear! Sucl
horrible people do that every day
and nobody would believe her! Sh,
pleaded with the boy to buy tn,
paper.
''Here-give me paper.'' said :
man of the crowd gruffiy showing d;
cent into her hand. He had jus
come along and caught at the frs
paper extended as he made for the
stairs; but as he put the penny il
her hand he noted, half blindly, thai
the hand was white and soft and the
fingers wore handsome rings He
had reached the second step before
this got Judgment in his buSy brain
and then he looked back and said:
well, Tn dashed didn't know
there was so much money in the
newspaper business
The poor, blushing lady, clutching
her cent, hurried across to the other
stair and reached home to fall into
Mysteries when she told her husband.
And he, the brute, almost has hys
terics every time he tells of it.-New