Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1909-11-25
Settling Up
Hazel and Mabel Were Strengthening
Out Their Monthly Accounts.

Anybody coming to see you to-
night, Hazel?" asked the young wo-
man artist as her chum opened the
door of her four-room apartment for
her.
NO" she said. "Who's coming to
see you?"
Nobody, thank goodness! We can
make out our accounts tonight. Hon
estly, I am SO mixed up that I don't
know whether | owe you lot of mon
ey or you owe me a lot"
Dinner over, the two opened the
desk, drew up the only two comfort
able chairs in the artistic apartment,
loosened their collars and pulled up
their sleeves
II paid the meat BILL" began Hazel
ut was s657 for two weeks, so you
owe me So and-what's a half of 81
cents?"
Goodness! Wait till I put 1t down."
said Mabel. ''Its-it's 231a cents"
'All right. Then you owe ne s3.23h.
Let's get that down. Say, Mibs,
think you're cheating me, because two
Is cents makes SO cents, and this is
more than SO cents"
That's all right I'll work it in
my head A half of so cents is 25
cents and half of Z cents is 31a
cents. Say, it's good there's mathe
matician present. I did that just as
easy!"
Honestly, Mabel, have to marvel
at you. Now, I couldn't any more
have done that simple little problem
than anything"
''WeH, I owe you s3.291a. Call it so
cents. Now, let's go on
All right. I'm glad that's done
Now, I paid the mfikman, too
Say, Hazel, two 80 cents make so
cents. There's something wrong there
! I'm getting cheated this time, and you
never notice it at all, but just. hurry
right over it as if you-'
We'll, if anybody gets cheated in
this crowd I'm Of the opinion that
generally do"
Let's not fight about it or we'll new
er finish"
I'm glad you won't fight Honest
ly, I feel so cross and wicked when
we make out our accounts"
Hazel, I have an idea. I used to be
awfully good in algebra I hated arith-
metic, but after l had taken algebra
the second time | really knew some
thing about it. Now, we'll let X equal
what you owe and Y what I owe"
But we both owe the same"
That isn't the way [ do it. Oh, yes
Well, x equals what you owe, too
Then TX equals $6.57. Just tell me
that [ don't know something about al
| zebra. Now, if TX equals-oh, say,
we've got to divide 81 by again"
This is too much!" said Hazel
/ burying her hands in her hair. 'Mibs
[ shall die before the meat bill is fin
ished. And think of all the others!"
Tn thinking. Don't bother me.
Now I have it. owe you 2S1a cents,
/ and that's right. I'm dead sure of it
because [ worked it backward"
I'm ready to take your word for
anything. I never could do fractions,
anyway. Oh, but don't forget that
there's So to be added to the front of
that"
Have you got that down? Half an
hour for the meat bill! Well be
through by a. M
''Now the milk bill. That is exactly
81"
"Then I owe you 81. Say, I did that
like lightning! Let's get it down,
quicki"
I'm going to get up early to-mor-
row and embrace the milkman for ma
king it an even number"
Hazel, / paid the grocery bill, and
that was more than you paid. It was
let me see-s17.31. So I guess you
owe me more
"But I paid the rent and the gas
bill They come in this time"
ooh, dear! But you owe me 95
cents for those chamois gloves and I
owe you cents on the lunch this
NOON
"And you owe me the s125 that let
you take"
when did you let me take 1925?
What did I buy?"
Il don't remember, but I lent it to
you"
I'll bet I paid it back"
'''Pl bet you didn't. I know. It was
for pair of silk stockings
ooh, yes, and they were a poor bar
gain, too. They're all worn out. I
just feel as if [ were giving you that
money. Well, let's 60 on. Half of S125
/ is
why should I pay half for your silk
stockings ?"
'Haz, I know I'm going crazy!"
81 don't see why girls ever have to
make out. accounts. 7 could just cry!
There goes the telephone!"
ooh, that reminds me that there's
the telephone bill. Ye gods!"
Hello! Yes. Oh, Billy, can you
I com = 0u0v7 Cav r74r+ ~ 1919, 7se -