Evening journal., 1908-07-13
HIT THE WRONG BANK
Story Of the Man Who Wanted to
Open a Small Account.
A WALL STREET EXPERIENCE.


Millionalres--An Officials Courteous
Explanation and Advice.
When" said the man who writes
pieces for magazines and things, "by
some strange and unprecedented chance,
/ had got hold Of a matter Of $3.50 all
at one and the same time 1t looked big
to me. BY an even more curious
chance there wasn't anything that /
really needed to do with the money, 80
I decided that I'd bank It.
"Now, l knew In a general way that
In order to put money In a bank you've
got to be known and give your pedi-
gree and look respectable, and all that,
and hated to approach a bank with
out any sort Of credentials. Therefore
| went to the business manager Of a
certain magazine which occasionally
prints pieces that / write and asked
him what I'd better do.
Simplest thing in the world. said
he. I'll give you note to our bank
That sounded fine TO me. He wrote
me the note, and started for the bank
n good deal tickled over how easy the
little depositing proceeding had been
made.
"The bank to which had the note is
In Wall street. asked the uniformed
man who was standing around where
I'd find the receiving teller's window,
and he pointed that window out to me.
! got into line and watched the teller
take In money.
Il must own that was a bit stalled
to note the great size of some OF the
deposits he was receiving. Why, fel-
lows were giving the money TO him by
the satchelful But had my note in
my pocket, and l remained complacent
enough with that consciousness.
"When reached the receiving teller
I passed in my note, and the receiving
teller, decidedly civil young man,
opened II and read It. Then he looked
at me, after which he read the note
again, this time with a sort Of puzzled
expression on his countenance. i didn't
see why the receiving teller should be
puzzled over such a simple matter, but
puzzled he seemed. He rang a bell,
and the uniformed man who'd directed
me to that window appeared.
"'Show this gentleman to the office
Of the cashier said the receiving teller
30 the uniformed man. at the same
time regarding me with a pleasant
smile, and the uniformed man led me
down the passageway and took me
behind a railing where there was a
handsome gray haired gentleman sit
ting at a desk.
"rhe handsome gray haired gentle
man received me cordially and invited
me to be seated. / handed him my
note, which the receiving teller had
returned to me. and he leaned back IN
his chair and read 1t carefully. Then
he, too, looked puzzled after he'd read
the note second time. Then be look
ed at me pleasantly over the tops OF
his spectacles
"'Ahemr said the handsome gray
haired gentleman. not disagreeably, but
In a nice, banker-like way. Might l.
er-inquire, Mr. Penphist without
seeming to be unduly inquisitive, as
to how-er-large a--er-balance you
would usually be carryingr
"Well. that was a civil enough ques-
ton, nothing inquisitive about it.
"'Why, sir l said to the handsome
gray haired gentleman. I am opening
an account with a matter of some $3.50.
but shall no doubt make some addi-
tons to that within the next two
months. and probably / shall carry a
balance of-well. say. $500 or 5000 right
along
'The kindly cashier with the gray
hair fairly beamed upon me.
'Er-1ust so. just so, said he. twid-
ding bis thumbs. We feel compli-
mented, Mr. Penphist we really do,
that you should have come to us. And
1t is unfortunate.-er-rea unfortu-
nate. that we are so utterly lacking in
facilities for taking care OF accounts
Of such a character
"'You see. Mr. Penphist, our institu-
tlon Is of-er-a sort OF special charac-
ter. 1t is used as a depository by
well. perhaps l should put II In a
clearer manner. say 1t to you quite in
confidence. you understand, Mr.. Pen
phist, but we have only 1.600 deposit
OTIS on our books, and these 1,000 de
positors' aggregate balances amount all
the time to a matter Of S1100O0,000.
well, that was about enough.
saw the light then. I'd drifted into
a millionaires' bank on the careless ere.
dentials OF a business manager who'd
written me that note no doubt in q
thoughtless mood.
"rhe gray haired cashier acted bully
about IT, He recommended a fine bank
to me-'one that combines perfect re
sponsibility with the necessary facili
ties for handling accounts like-er-
yours. Mr. Penphist,' he added.
"For all OF the cashiers niceness !
walked out Of there into the cold gray
light OF Wall street feeling like a good
deal Of human caterpillar.
Il didn't so to the bank recommended
to me by the cashier; didn't have tn,
nerve to visit any more banks. Pv,
got S62 left now Of the $3.50. but Tn
going to use that as a nest egg. ant
maybe some day even yet III have {
bank account"-New York sun.
The universe is not rich enough L
buy the vote Of an honest man.-Qreg
ory.