The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1899-04-11
NOTHING PER CENT.

in no way different from those surround
ing it, save hat the down stairs front
window bore the legend, LOAN Office, -
in large black letters on a white
ground. A quiet, orderly, middle aged
man was Mr.. johnson, and people who
met him in the street and did not know
him would have taken him for any
thing rather than a man who put out
his money to usury.
Certainly there was nothing Of the
Shylock about him as he sat one spring
morning in his dingy Office going over
a much thumbed account book. He was
a tall, spare, loosely built man, with a
pale face and a thin, struggling crop of
beard and whisker that always looked
as if it had grown in patches. Usually
when he was not talking to his clients
he carried a quill pen in his mouth.
which gave him the appearance of an
distracted poodle carrying a stick.
MI. johnson was deeply engrossed in
the consideration of a certain entry in
his account book when the door of the
loan Office opened very suddenly and
set the bell ringing with sharp disco
nance. He heard a light step in the lit
tie lobby which was partitioned off
from the rest of the room. For a mo-
ment he did not answer the summons
of the bell. 1t was never wise to be in
too much haste to welcome callers. But
presently he rose and opened the door,
the quill pen still retaining it's horizon
tai position in his mouth. He lifted his
eyes carelessly from the little swing
counter to the person who stood behind
it. He was not easily surprised, for he
had seen many strange things in his
time, but what he now saw surprised
him into a vague, uncomfortable 81
lence.
Behind the little counter stood a
young lady-nay, a girl of some 1S or
10 years, ~fashionably dressed, evidently
of good position and palpable refine
ment. Her pretty, fresh face, revealed
itself to Mr.. Johnson's astonished eyes
from beneath the ravishments of a
much befiowered picture hat and seemed
strangely out of keeping with the dingy
color of his little lobby.
"Oh-er-you are Mr.. William John
son p she said.
eyes" answered Mr.. johnson.
IL want to borrow some money,
she said, looking out of half averted
eyes at the money lender.
Mr.. Johnson's first impulse was to
stretch out his hand for one of the
application forms which stood ready in
a small box on the counter, but upon
reflection he lifted the swinging shelf
and asked this new client to step inside.
When she had passed into the office, he
closed the door and Joined her, and
from sheer force of habit he restored
the quill pen to his mouth. The girl
saw the resemblance to the distracted
poodle, and a smile rippled over her
face. Mr.. johnson did not observe it.
He indicated a chair at the side of his
desk, and when the girl had taken it
resumed his W seat and looked at her.
"What amount did you wish to bor-
row., ma'am?" said Mr.. johnson.
"Wh-ah-well, e20."
Now said Mr.. johnson. 81 sup
pose you could furnish good security2 p
81 thought that you-it says in your
advertisement, you know, that you
lend money on borrowers note of hand
alone-I think that's how it's put,
isn't it-and no inquiries and no sure
ties-isn't that it?"
"To approved borrowers-yes," an
swered Nh. johnson.
"Oh," said the girl. "Oh, then
YOU
"We don't lend money without Sc
curity, said MI. johnson. "Of course
if we know the party and know that
it's all right and safe. why, of course,
in that CASE
81 see," said the girl. "Yes-of
cours you don't know anything about
me. How silly of mel l thought one
had just to come and get the money
and sign a paper or something"
The girl looked up from her parasol,
with which she had been tracing mag
mary patterns ON the floor.
perhaps I'd better tell you all about
it, she said. "Of course you won't
tell anybody, will your"
"Never divulge professional secrets"
said Mr.. johnson.
"Well, l want to borrow ego to
buy a bicycle. Therel' said the girl,
with a decisive tap of the parasol upon
the floor. "You see, I've spent every
penny of my quarters allowance, and
there's still a month before I've any
more due-and 1 simply must have that
bicycle, and l looked over all the adj
vertisements about money and l saw
yours, and SO I came to you"
'Might 1 inquire what name,
ma'am p said Mr.. johnson.
"OL. I'm Miss Lattimerl Of course
you know my father, Mr.. Robert Lat
timer ?"
Certainly, replied Mr.. johnson,
more astonished than ever. ''I've no
doubt that he'd buy you a bicycle
now"
mo, he won't. He thinks two hun
bred a year quite enough for a girl to
spend. No; l shall have to buy my own
bicycle"
Mr.. Johnson took the quill pen out of
his mouth and scratched his head with
the feathered end Of it.
'I'm afraid your father wouldn't APP
prove. ma'am''- he began.
sob, but he's not to know, you
know. This is a little deal just between
you and me. After all it's not getting
things on credit. is itf Because the
money will really be mine when you've
lent it to me, won't it,"
"Ye-es," answered Mr.. johnson.
"Ye-es."
"That's all right, theni' said Miss
Lattimer triumphantly. "Well, have 1
got to sign any papers or anything,
Mr.. Johnson ?"
at is usual to make inquiries before
completing"
"Oh, but I've no time for inquiriesl"
exclaimed Miss Lattimer. Eve got to
meet a friend at the cycle agent in an
hour. Oil Look herel III leave you my
card, Mr.. johnson, in case you want
my address.
Mr.. johnson looked at the bit of
p%asteboard and then at Miss Lattimer.
Something impelled him to rise and I'M
lock a safe which stood in a corner of
the office. He fumbled about, and final
ly produced four 95 notes, new from
the Bank of England.
"Well, ma'am," said Mr.. johnson,
"it isn't my usual way of doing bust
ness, but"-and there he paused, utter
ly unable to explain matters to himself.
"When did you say you could pay it
back. ma am2'
"Oh, on the 1st of July" replied