The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-12
THE EVENING STORY
Her Frenzied FINANCE.

Her FrenZied Finance.
ooh. dear!'' Polly remarked to the
masculine relative as she opened ner
TOO bad he returned. sympa.-,
thetically. Cant you stave EN- on
any longer? I'd get gun and shoot
over"
What are you talking about?" she
demanded with hauteur. .
Creditors, of course. Haven't l
collectors, Polly?" This last in a con-
hdental undertone.
Polly's dignity crumbled. Eyes.
they do.the impolite thingsH
"Impolite collectors? 2" the mascu-
line relative bristled.
Mercy, no! They're too polite-so
mysterious and confidential. meant
the dry goods store were impolite 10
send the collectors
oh with amused appreciation.
I've tn ought of that myself"
Il tell you, the first of each month
vow I'll never get another thing
ly disgraceful the way little things
count up. A card of buttons. a spool
of thread and a few other trifies that
1 positively had to have-and there
you are with a bill for $37.45- OF
course. L always buy at the stores
where my account is paid up the best.
but sometimes they all get behind at
once, and then I am in mess
All? How many accounts do you
Five. So, you see, nearly always
have credit somewhere"
quite a financier! Well, Polly, hate
to see you look so disconsolate. Would
five or ten
"A drop in the bucket" She drew
deep sigh.
'tOh, never mind; I'm learning to take
care of myself beautifully. I snubbed
a credit man the other day."
Yes. You see very tactlessly
walked into the store where 1 owe the
most and asked the cashier to let me
have the money on $50 check that the
Partrite Lumber company had paid me
for the big piece of typewriting I've
been doing for them evenings. The
minute had spoken 1t popped into my
head that the cashier might wonder
why 1 wasn't applying that $50 on &C
count 1 couldn't, you see, because my
dressmaker wouldn't wait another day
for her money. Well, as luck would
have it, the cashier asked me to step
in and get the credit mans o. X on
my check, but 1 walked into his pen
with my head up, and what do you
think that inquisitive man did? He
asked what the Partrite Lumber COM
pany gave me that check for. l was
equal to it. l refused to tell him"
"Polly!"
Certainly I asked him If he consid-
and before he could say more than yes
1 reminded him that all he had right
to ask Of me in that case was iden-
LITIGATION. With that 1 pulled out my
handkerchief, my Culture club ticket,
lot of visiting cards and a letter or two,
and by the time pointed my engraved
umbrella handle in his face he said
some weak thing like That's enough
and snatched the check and wrote %.
k on it. laughing all the time
mo wonder" chuckled the mascu-
line relative. 1.-THE wonder is that he
thought you looked honest. Why, his
question was perfectly proper. It's
often asked. If you're all right you'll
probably answer it in matter-of-fact
way, but if you've come by the check
dishonesty the chances are that you'll
get Mustered. See ?"
"Of course I see If 1 had realized
that he was insinuating that l stole
that check 1 wouldn't have accepted
his old %. X at ALL 1 declare, If 1
straight back to his old cashier. But
1 haven't-that's the point. I'll have
my revenge on his collector, though,
when he comes around. I'll be colder
than ever to him.
"Oh, there's where you make mis-
take, Polly. I always keep friendly
with the collector
you may-if you can. I can't. AS
a class they're detestable; as indi-
viduals they're intolerable. I freeze
them
even when you have money to
give them?''
do you suppose 1 give them mon
ey? If had the full amount of my
bill right in my hand when the collec-
tor rang the bell I'd turn him away
coldly and take a trip downtown to
pay it rather than do anything that
might encourage him to call again.
"Pshawi A collectors got to live,
and If the bill has run until he has to
come. anyway. you might as we'll
mo, sir! They'll never get one cent
from me, I hate them
Polly. that's feminine. Listen,
mo, use You can't make me give
them money, if you talk all night.
Why, 1 haven't any money to give
them. If I had, don't you suppose I'd
pay it at the store and keep the hate
full collector from coming? Do you
imagine that I keep wealth in a tea
NOT lust for the fun of having collec.