Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-05-26
COULDN'T Draw HIS MONEY

Because His Signature Differed From
That When lie 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
OF 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 |
kept on making them month by
month and year by year and in time
they began TO count for something.
Il had never allowed myself the
luxury of Withdrawing a single cent
from that bank. not even when | felt
that it would be one of the keenest
pleasures in the world to swagger up
and draw from a 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. | was perfectly con-
tent to let my money remain there
But the time came when | was to
make my investment | looked over
my assets, got ready 10 turn them into
cash and found that l should have to
go to my first savings bank. hated
to do it then. But | marched down
and presented myself at the window.
l hadn't been there for long time.
l had grown up. | had added to my
face beard. and | was as far from
being the boy who had formerly been
there as man well could be- The
first thing | was asked to do was to
write my signature. | wrote it as I
had learned to write it in the recent
years. with slapdasn rush
The teller looked at me scrutiniz-
ingiy, and Their asked me TO write it
again. | dashed off another. He
went off a second time and came back
| with little deprecating smile
THE signatures are not the
same, he said.
But great Scott. I'm the same
! said,
But how do l know that?" he
said with his provoking smile.
You don't expect do you I
jerked out impatiently. for wanted
that money and wanted it quickly,
that I'd write the same hand now as
/ did when was a fourteen year old,
and made my first deposit?'
=" No he said. still smiling.
We'll Pm in hurry for that
money | said, CURLY. I've got to
use it right away, and I'd like it right
away.
I'm very sure be said that you
arc the man from the story you tell.
but how do know it? | can't let a
man have money when | do not
know him, and when his signature
does not agree with the one we
have
What in the world am to do?" I
said.
You will have to be identifed.'
But | haven time
You will have to take it or
else sign like your old signature
your old one. )" he added with a
smile, is a good deal better than the
one you write now
But [ had to hurry out and End
some one who could identify me be-
fore | could draw the money which I
myself had deposited. When | had
drawn it my boyish signature was
shown to me. 1t was round and clear.
but little trembling and when |
looked at it for the first time in
good many years a rush Of memories
came over me, and recalled how l
had felt on the first day that | had
ever gone into bank to open an ac-
count for myself"