The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1901-10-10
A TEN DOLLAR BILL.


y
Mrs. Caleb Brown reached her little North
eide apartment after a round Of calls TO find
her mother there looking somewhat faint
and MORE than somewhat worried. The
mother lived in southern suburb and the
daughter was not expecting Wait from her
that day.
What's the matter. mammal " said Mrs.
Brown, anxiously. You are looking ali used
up"
"0h, there's matter enough, Phyllis, I'm
always unfortunate. never seem 10 be able
TO do anything right, and then just because
I'm nearsighted everybody imposes upon
me- came IN 10 do some shopping at
Meadow Clara wanted me to buy some
lace for her and she gave me tea.dollar
bll You know George has been out 81
work for a month ana we've had to econo'
misc dresdiully. didn't bring another
cent with me, just bill. had my eommu
tation ticket When Clara put the bill In
my purse she told me i, was ten and said
that she'd rather give me something small
sr, but that she didn't have it. Well,
reached Meadows and went straight to tho
lace counter, where ! bought a collar for
Clara. IL cost $50. l gave the clerk my
;en.dollRr bill. and in few minutes he
gave me the lace collar and 50 cents IN
nIanse. just think Of that
II told tho man that | had given him
ten-dollar bill. lie declared that had Civ
en- him = two.dollar bill aud nothing else.
told him knew better, and that il was i'm
possible there was any mistake about IT,.
he was almost rude and looked at me as
though he suspected me Of trying 10 rob
hun. People began TO gather about, and
got weak aud nervous, and so came away.
We can't afford to lose that eight dollars,
and | don't know what 20 do. Clara will
scold me, aud will say that ought to have
impressed on the man that it was ten-dol
lar hill. feel absolutely III over the mat
Ter"
Mrs. Caleb brown is the wife OF the head
Of the advertising department Of one Of
ChicsEo's great daiiics, Her husband knows
the controlling spirit Of every department
IN every b.g store in the city hrs. Brown
knew that Il she introduced herself to the
manager at Meadow he would take her
word for the ten.doliar matter.
Never mind. mother. III hx the thing up
Tor you in a jifiy," she said. lite & perfect
outrage You 60 to sleep TIL ! come back.
Then Mrs Caleb Brown PIT on her bonnet
and went scurrying downtown. Arrived at
Meadow. she went directly to Mr.. Hign
ridge. who holds the stores drstinies IN the
hallow 81 his hand Mrs. Brown told Mr.
n ghridgc who she was, Then she o1'
planned the ien.dnllar bill matter to him.
waxing indignant at the carelcssncss, u u
were nothing worse she said, Of the clerk
WHO could causc an elderly and near'sighicd
woman to lost eight dnllara. which meant
40 nuci 10 her under the present cundi'
ton OF household AFFAIR.".
NJ Ilghridge was politcness itself lie
fai llat the affair was truly unfortunate,
hit was It not barely possible that Mrs.
Brown. mother was N error herself.
Not a bat Of o.. said Mrs Brown As a
natter Of TACT. she almost snapped II, for
bic Ni. p, indignant that che vas half ready
tu believe that the whole store had entered
utu q conspiracy against her mother. Nj
n gtridgc my sister Clara put the money
ln.r molacr's purse, and said that II was
lontullar bill and that It was all the cash
i.,' lfcfc was IA the house Mother knows
%, her own knowledge that there was just
ten dollars left last night after they had paid
to .tAl hill II is utterly impossible that
rte should be any mistake The fault lays
here
Sir HsaridEc looked a Mrs. Brown and
ON Jed a little indulgrHtly Il am very
sorry That YOU have had this trouble, Mr,
Brown. ! will give You an order for eight
4 lars You can get It dashed at the win.
1rn tlcrc let me say, however, for the
.lke of the establishment that It is utterly
impossible under our system Of caange max
ag that q mistake Of this kind should oc'
car
Mr. Browns eyes snapped ut can. be
Impossible. Mr. Hlghridgc Here j. a per.
fretiy plain case Of error You study up
y1ur system little, and you will lind that
there /. room somewhere Tot lots Of mis-
takes" Mr.. Browns temper was making
her forget herself little because she was
20 absolutely certain OF the ground upon
wairh sac stood.
Mr. ilghridgc made out an order for eight
dollars and handed it 10 his visitor. She
forgot 10 say: Thank you" bfeauso bis last
words were, though given IN tone OF kindly
consideration: Mr. Brown, assure YOU
that under our system Of change making
mistakes are in possible
Phyllis Brown shot ono indignant look
into the managerial face. cashcd her order
and went home
The look Of relief in her MOTHER face A.
she handed her the eight dollars amply re.
paid Alrs. Brown for the unpleasant ten
minutes she had spent at Meadow. That
afternoon the mother went home.
Two days later Mrs. Brown received Q
letter that sent a flush Of blood up into her
face, and then left her feeling as III as did
her mother two days before. Tins was the
letter
Dear Phyllis: You can't imagine my
modification and almost horror when, on
arriving home and telling them Of my city
experience and Of your visit 10 Meadows,
Wlen clara broke in with: Well mother,
1t was two dollar bill and not a endoIlar
bill that | put in your purse. was certain
that 1t was ten dollars myself until after
you had gone Then Geraldine told me that
SIC had taken the ten dollars abou, an hour
before you left, and had paid the butchers
bill Elth il, receiving two.dollar bill in
change. which she put back into the drawer.
Clara did no, look at the bill when she
put 1t into my purse, and, OF course, thought
It was ten dollars. Isn't II awiuly How
can You ever face Mr.. HiEhridge. But, OF
course, 1t must be done. Take the eight
dollars back right away. and viii repay you
the next time | come in. Your loving and
mortified MOTHER"
Phyllis brown put on her bonnet and
went downtown again. She walked around
Meadows store three times before she final
~ screwed up her courage 10 go in. She
went to Mr.. Highridgc. He saw her com
ing. and half.amused smile spread over his
face.
Il am sorry, Mr.. Highridgc. can't ex
press my modification in words sufficiently
strong II was a two-dollar and not ten
dollar bill that my mother gave your clerk
Then Mrs. Brown explained matters, and
gave back eight dollars into Mr.. High
ridges hand
He thanked her, and. as she was about q
leave, twinkle came into his eye aud hi
said: II assure you, Mrs. Brown, that un
der oar system Of making change mistake.
are impossible"
And then when he saw the tears which
had gathered in Phyllis Browns eyes Mfr
HighridEe wished he hadn't ssid IL Chisagt
Record Esrsld.