The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-01-04

is she is a most extravagant person to
be buying and c sets, whatever they
are"
Collar and cuff set' called out Wild
ly. Didn't you give somebody a col
lar and cuff set for a Christmas pres
entg"
"Of course 1 did," said she peevish-
ly. 1T sent it to masculine cousin of
mine. But why don't boolxkeepers write
out things plainly instead of abbreyiat-
ing them and giving a person a fright
like that?'
Are the other articles on your bill
right?' l asked amusedly.
NO: there is something else-one H
buckle. / never have seen an H buckle
in my life. What is an H buckle? 1
never buy buckles any way. People are
| always giving them to me. See IL you
| can make 1t out, Dolly"
| And forthwith was handed the bill
| and perusing it finally made the discov-
| cry that it was hair buckle-a bar
rette, and that was the means that
the unthinking bookeeper had employed
| to express 1t.
THAT wasn't even a Christmas pres
emit for any one," said Peggy disgustedly.
| / bought 1t, as the bill will show, on
! the Bird of the October and broke 1t on
| the 5th. (Of course the bill didn't show
| that That's the worst of three and
| four mouthS bills. The things are all
worn out and broken before you pay for
them and I just hate myself and the
4 IN 10 nm
| There's a waist on this old bill for $3.50
that I just despise and loath, and I don't
think the merchant ought to make me
| pay for 1t. Do your
| why, that isn't his fault If you buy
something you don't like I said apol-
| ogetically.
| well, he had no business bringing
on such an ugly waist" said Peggy pout-
ing Then here is an item One pair
of B slippers. No doesn't mean the
last-it means beaded slippers, and they
| hurt my feet so bad that L nearly cried
the night l was matron of honor at
Annabelle's wedding and L have great
notion not to pay for hurting shoes
| There ought to be some sort of protec-
ton against such things"
THAT couldn't have been the mer-
| chants fault" said I 'if you bought
shoes that were too tight"
well, at a church wedding when your
feet are going to be conspicuous one Is
excusable for pinching ones toes a wee
| bit, don't you thinl?' she asked inno-
| Gently.
Everybody to his taste, said the old
lady as she kissed the cow quoted.
And then Peggy began to add. Her
fingers were employed vigorously in the
| attempt to decipher a mistake of the
bookkeeepers. I fully expected to sec
her use her toes In adding the bill-but
she didn't. She went over and over the
two pages time and again.
''It was sss the first time added it,
she said snappingly. "Frhen It was s1sS
! and now its only $16l--I knew there
was some mistake and that 1t couldn't
be that large
And then she added again and found
three times in succession that the bill
| really was just as tho accurate book
| keeper had made it out-S16S
"I believe I'll make a resolution that
I'll never have another bill again as long
as I live. They are the very pest of my
existence" announced Peggy as she fold
ed up the aforesaid one and quietly re-
placed 1t in the envelope. TIL go to
| all the parties this week and start out
by having a good time when suddenly
I'll see that bill of s16s before my eyes
| and-swoon."
my dear, bills are a. necessary COM
modify In this world" said I philosoph-
ically. 'They are ono OF the penances
we pay for living, and If they did not
exist this old world would become SO
dear to us that we would wish to linger
forever and a day. And don't say that
you won't have any more bills. l Just
loathe women who boast OF such an I'M
| natural state of existence and somehow
never quite believe them. Else they
are very superior persons-and If there
Is one thing above all others that
detest and abhor it is a-superior per-
son."