Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1914-10-01
Nell;s financial
OrlSlS

you?"
It's something you did to me-"
she said coldly. Il must see the
cashier"
The teller sent a messenger to see
the cashier and Nellie sat down to
wait, her head held very high. and
an angry flush on her pretty face.
Presently the boy came back and
she followed him into the glass-par
titioned office.
What can l do for you, Miss Beh-
man." he asked, rising. I'm difficult
ties already?"
MY credit has been attacked by
this bank" she said heatedly. Your
clerk would not pay my check my
very first check. and after l had told
all the girls how nice 1t was to have
bank account. They we're all going
to open accounts with this bank. but
they won't now"
Il am sorry there has been trouble"
he said Dramatically. Perhaps
there was some trouble with the sig
nature. 1t sometimes happens with
new accounts"
But isn't your clerk supposed to
know my signature?" she persisted.
Il thought they had to know the
signatures.
"Jordon is very clever chap he
said. Suppose you let me have the
troublesome check"
It's the one l gave Berth Seymour
for my club dues. Berth was over
for lunch yesterday. l had the five
dollars In my purse, but l thought it
would help advertise the bank If l
gave her check
Very thoughtful, I'm sure" he said
gratefully, though his lips twitched a
bit
Well you see, father being a direc-
tor, l ought to do all l can to help"
she explained Berth stopped in to
get 1t cashed and the man said he
couldn't pay it,
Stockton took the check and
through the glass Nellie could see
him comparing 1t with the big book
in which she had written her sigma
ture the day before. 1t was with a
IT back to her.
1T seems that you signed the reg
lister as Helen Behman," he ex-
planned This is signed Nell Beh-
man"
Helen is so formal to your friends"
she said. Berth would think | was
angry with her if l was to sign it
Helen I'd hate to hurt her feel
ings"
"J ca0 uDdarctand ba opraod
But business has certain stern laws
that must be obeyed. One of these
is that checks must always be signed
in one way You cannot even change
the style of capital letters you use.
Had the teller cashed that check it
might have cost him his position"
Are they as mean as that" she
cried in surprise. Il think it's hor
rid l sign my letters all sorts of
ways"
Checks are not quite the same
thing" he reminded. "If you will
draw another check I will get you the
money and you can mail it to Miss
Seymour"
"I'll mail It in one of your enve-
lopes." she decided. Then Berth can
see how we'll stand with the bank"
He escorted her to the door when
she was through. but all the afternoon
he could see the golden head bending
over his desk and when Richard Beh-
man. few days later, extended him
an invitation to dinner, he was
raised to the seventh heaven of de-
light.
That dinner was the first of many
Behman had always liked the young
cashier. and was glad to have him at
the house. If Nell shared the senti-
ment she did not give such open ex-
preston to her views. but Stockton
went away with happy heart. and 1t
is to be inferred that he was reason
ably sure that she did not dislike him
Then came the financial crash Mel
lie burst into his office one morning
and raised her veil to disclose a tear
stained face.
What are they going to do to me?"
she demanded apprehensively. 81
have the money.
ward him.
Did you steal IT. he gasped
II stole It," she sobbed. that is.
guess | did. ! overdrew. | made the
bank give me more money than
gave them and they wrote me about
IT,"
She held out the blank notification
of an overdraft of five dollars and
watched him while the smile crept
over his face.
That's all right he explained.
1.-The bank knew you were good for II
and they paid It out to save your
check from protest It's done every
day Your father put some money
over to your account this morning
and you're all right again"
And they won't arrest me-"
It's not crime. II we chose to
hot