The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1911-07-21
SHE COLLECTED
THE ACCOUNT
BY MARY D. JENNINGS
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

When Reinhart was IN business h'
sold man named Merritt some goods
that were never paid for Reinhar'
sent n collector after him, and the mar
came back with black eye. He sem
another man, and he came back WIFE
n broken jaw Reinhart found 1t i'm
possible to get any more collectors
after that, for he felt in honor bound
to tell them that Merritt was fight
ing man and sent every collector back
with some damage instead of the
amount due.
One day a young woman came into
Remnants store and asked him II he
had any bad debts to give her for
collection. She was pretty, and good
I natured smile continually played about
her red lips, just like humming bird
| fitting near a flower.
Suddenly bright thought struck
Reinhart. He would give this girl
| Merritt's debt to collect. He told her
that there was an amount he would
] like to get in, but felt bound to in
form her of the reception his men col
lectors had met and to warn her
that she would be liable to receive
some pretty rough treatment
Just the kind of man l like" she
said, with the same delightful smile.
81 have no use for these mild man
nered men-ha, ha! But you don't
think he'll really hurt me, do your"
Reinhart told her that any man
who would hurt such a charming
young woman would be brute indeed
and assured her that if she received
any bodily injury from Merritt he
(ReinharD would have Merritt arrested
and see that he was punished.
The amount of the bill was $1S5.57,
with S3S.42 for interest. Reinhart
told the girl Miss Anthem she called
herself) that be would give her half
the amount if she succeeded in collect
ing it all and so per cent of whatever
amount she did collect. He made out
a fresh bill and gave it to the collector,
and she went away smiling.
The next day Miss Anthem went to
see Merritt, with the same pleasant
smile on her face, and succeeded in
getting into his house without his
knowing her Grand He received her
kindly, but when she sprung the bill
on him be told her that if she didn't
leave instantly she would be elected.
She replied by sitting down in Mer-
ritts study-he was a literary man
and, removing her hat, let him see
that she was going to stay till she
chose to go. But she smiled on him
that perpetual smile Of hers, and the
debtor, forgetting his debt, watched it,
wondering where it came from. She
didn't seem bit afraid, paying no at
tention to his threat to have her put
out. She ratified on about various
things in a simple and childlike way,
saying nothing more about the collec-
ton. She sat an hour, after which
she arose and asked if Merritt would
take up the matter of paying Rein
harris account if the interest were re-
mitted. Since there was nothing very
definite in this, Merritt said that If
the interest were deducted he would
surely consider putting the matter in
shape for ultimate payment.
He chuckled when he closed the
door on the collector and thought
what an innocent, guileless girl she
was. Surely Reinhart had resorted to
a very stupid method Of getting his
account. But Merritt noticed that the
girl had left her smile behind her
He was writing a story at the time of
her entrance and attempted to con-
tinue it after her departure. 1t re-
fused to be continued. 1t seemed to
Merritt that his characters were
at him. He threw down his
pen and, taking up his hat, started out
to walk off this indispOsition for work
that had come upon him.
The next afternoon Miss Anthem call
ed again on Mr.. Merritt, and it seemed
to the author that q fountain sparkling
and making rainbows in the sun had
come in with her. She began by say
ing something pleasant, and ran from
that to something else pleasant, and |
then something else pleasanter still, till
it occurred to Merritt that she was
like the girl in the fairy story who |
every time she spoke, dropped a pearl |
from her lips. She made herself at |
home as before, and Merritt made no |
threat of ejectment. When she depart
ed she told him that Reinhart was
perfectly willing to throw off the in
.erest from his bill, and she wished to
know what Mr. Merritt thought of a
compromise of the account at so cents
IN the dollar.
Merritt dismissed her, saying that
he thought so cents on the dollar quite
enough to pay under the circumstances,
md Miss Author took her departure,
again leaving her smile behind her. A
fortnight passed and she had not
,alled again. Merritt missed her. One
lay he met her on the street and asked
Ter when she was coming to receive
payment for the compromise amount
If the Reinhart bill. She told him that
Reinhart wanted the full amount of
he bill, with the interest.
well, come in and talk it over" he
said.
The next day Merritt was revived by
call from the collector. 1t seemed
hat he had been living at the north
)ole in December and with her en-
rance he had been transferred to the
and of the never setting sun.
To shorten a long story, Merritt
lgreed to pay the full amount of the
recount on installments. Miss Anthem
allied for the inst llrnnntr l.i,.i.,.. % -