Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1909-10-21
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. "Whos coming to
see your"
Nobody, thank goc lness! We can
make out our accounts tonight. Hon
estly, am SO mixed up that l 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
1T was $6.57 for two weeks, so you
owe me So and-what's half of 81
| cents?"
Goodness! Wait till put it down."
said Mabel. "It's-it's 231s cents"
"All right. Then you owe me $3.231s.
Let's get that down. Say, Mibs, 1
think you're cheating me, because two
rs 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 7 cents is 31a
cents. Say, it's good there's mathe-
matician present. I did that just as
easy!"
Honestly, Mabel, 1 have to marvel
at you. Now, 1 couldn't any more
have done that simple little problem
than anything"
well, 1 owe you s3.2s1a. Call it 80
cents. Now, let's go on
"All right. I'm glad that's done.
Now, paid the milkman, too"
Say, Hazel, two 80 cents make go
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"
well, If anybody gets cheated in
this crowd I'm of the opinion that l
generally do"
Let's not fight about it or we'll new
er finish"
I'm glad you won't fight. Honest
ly, feel SO cross and wicked when
we make out our accounts"
Hazel, have an idea. / used to be
awfully good in algebra. l hated arith-
metic, but after l had taken algebra
the second time I really knew some
thing about it. Now, we'll let X equal
what you owe and Y what 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 s6.57. Just tell me
that don't know something about al
zebra. Now, if OK equals-oh, say.
we've got to divide 81 by 2 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!"
Pm thinking. Don't bother me
Now l have it. owe you 2S1s 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
So"
Then owe you 81. Say, did tina,
like lightning! Let's get it down
quick!"sdJ
I'm going to get up early to-mor
row and embrace the n,ilkman for ma
king it an even number"
Hazel. paid the grocery bill, and
that was more than you paid. 1t was
let me see-$1731. So guess yor
, owe me more"
But I paid the rent and the gas
bill. They come in this time"
"Oh, dear! But you owe me 9;
cents for those chamois gloves and
owe you cents on the lunch this
noon
And you owe me the $1.25 that lei
, you take"
when did you let me take s1.25:
What did / buy?"
Il don't remember, but lent it te
you"
: IN bet paid it back"
/ "I'li bet you didn't l know. It wal
) for pair of silk stockings"
oh, yes and they were a poor bar
gain, too. They're all worn out.
} just feel as If were giving you thai
| money. Well, let's go on. Half of SIP;
is"
why should I pay half for your sill
stockings?"
, "Haz, know I'm going crazy!"
Il don't see why girls ever have t.
make out accounts. l could just cry!
There goes the telephone"
"Oh, that reminds me that there's
| the telephone bill. Ye gods!"
Hello! Yes. Oh, Billy, can vol
come over? Say. put on your life pre-
server and come in hurry. We're
, drowning in bills and
, Yes stuck again. You'll simply have
to make I'D your mind To fipura ~,