The San Francisco call., 1903-12-20
BANK TELLER'S
MANY WOES
Difficulties That Beset the
Man Who Receives the
Money of the DepOsitOrs
LEADS A STRENUOUS LIFE
Wonderful Sight When This
Member Of a Financial In
stitution Plies His Trade

had occasion TO make a deposit in
/ local bank. Seeing the various types
! of people standing before the window
Of the receiving teller he scented a
story and forgot his mission. 1t is a
wonderful sight TO watch a receiving
teller Of a big bank plying his trade.
Wonderful that men can acquire such
facility in the intricate ways we have
Of doing our business and wonderful
none the less the GOODNESS with which
foolish questions are always asked
What interest do you pay on de-
pOsits?" asked a grandmother dressed
in grav colors.
Three per cent, madam"
What Only per cent? Ny friend,
Colonel Brown. tells me you pay 4 per
cent. Don't deceive me, young man"
NO, madam. We pay only per cent.
Formerly all banks paid per cent,
what we give"
We'll, 1 expect I'll have to go some
where else"
Teller, let me see my deposit slip for
May :. My balance is short SO Is.
You've made an error, and see what
trouble it is giving me-"
What do all these marks mean
alongside Of every item?" said the de-
positor when the slip was handed him.
That shows that the ether teller as
we'll as myself has verified this
amount"
4 want to deposit the interest on
this account for the last month" you'll
hear some fellow say
GO down to the passbook clerk at
the window TO the right"
Here's half a dozen blank books with
some deposits. Write them up as soon
as possible. I'll be back after lunch,
remarks the 15-year-old office boy.
Hes got his nerve with him all right.
all right" comments the fat man from
the rear of the line.
After you balance my book and en-
ter this deposit" said lady. send it
to Cumberland Cottage, De Lancy
street, New
"I'I enter the deposit" said the teller,
but you'll have to leave all instruc-
tions with the passboOk clerk"
I can't take these, sir" said the
teller TO a gentleman. These cou-
pons don't mature until November
Let me see, is it possible. I cut the
wrong coupons? Yes did, for fact.
But, say, teller, you know me. Can't
you fix this up anyhow"
NO, sir; it's utterly impossible"
None Of these checks has been in
dorsed," said the teller handing the
bank book back to the clerk.
Take this deposit. will you?" said
a smart old man Of business, in a
check suit and wearing white mutton
chop whiskers. The sign CLOSED"
was staring him in the face as he
passed the money under the barred
gate of the receiving teIler's window,
but the long suffering man said: III
accommodate you this time, sir, if
you will make it a rule in future to
come before 3 o'clock" Very well"
said the old fellow in a tone that
clearly meant "all that I want is to
get this money in the bank"
THE MAN AT THE WINDOW.
When the rush was over the re-
porter went up to the window to
pass a word with the man who is
tired out every day counting money.
Did our ancestors ever think such a
thing possible? Does the old lady
with a morsel o. siller in the toe of
an old sock believe that it is possible
for a strong man to earn his bread
and butter by counting dollars?
"You must have had a hard day."
said the reporter, noticing the worn
| expression on his face.
No" he answered, "this is an or
| binary mornings work. It's 3 o'clock
/ now, and I haven't had bite to eat.
I go to lunch whenever there is a lull
| in business. There isn't much work
! there" said he with smile, as the
reporter glanced at the pile of bills.
notes and coins on the counter. cit
! doesn't take long to balance the cash
and then I'll check up all the notes
! that have been paid in to-day, assort
/ the money and then I'm through"
do you ever have any trouble in
! striking a balance?"
Not often, and 1 pity the receiving
! teller who does. The layman has no
| idea Of the vexation of the reviewing of
accounts. It's the most fatiguing work
/ in the world. It means a constant men
tai effort. Have you ever noticed how
few men there are in banks with full
thick suits of hair? 1 haven't any au-
/ thOrity for the notion, but 1 believe it's
due more or less to worrying over ac-
counts and books that refuse to bal
ance. OF course, a man is often out a
1 few dollars, but that does not give him
a great deal of annoyance. It's the big
sums that bring the headaches and
/ the breakdowns.'
What do you do with the dirty mon
/ ey and the defaced money!"
why, there's a knack Of picking out
the old bills as you count a lot of
money. You get on to it after a little
/ and il becomes mechanical. The Gov
ernment gives the bank new bills for
old"
DISPUTES FEW.
do you ever have disputes with Gus
| tomers?"
Not often. I have only been through
one embarrassing situation of the kind.
/ A gentleman discovered after having
his book balanced that he was short in
some way 20 the amount of $500. He
] declared to the cashier that his clerk
had deposited a New York draft for
the sum of $500. He insisted that the