Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-08-07
Keeping the Ledger
/: of Life !:
BY BEATRICE FAIRFAX.


Charge it. please" is easy TO say. Ana
when we pronounce those magic syIlabIos
that bring within our grasp the pretty
possessions that were unattaInable IL thew
had to be paid for at the moment of pur-
chase. too many of US forget that there 70
day Of reckoning in every department
Of life.
For all We get we must pay. There S
price attached to everything. Life
giVes nothing for nothing. II at the
moment you want a certain possession
ana you have not the means to pay for
it-dont buy 1t. / have never seen tho
fun OF paying for pair OF shoes the day
they arc sent to be resoled. II for some
now and brightly desirable possession you
arc compelled TO pay bit more than you
can afford, if its purchase means going
without a few other things, the fun Of
owning that delightful new thing will
cheer and compensate you for the taxing
price you pay.
But when it is worn and useless, when
you are in need Of new possessions, there
is the "Old Man Of the Sea" OF your debt
to haunt you II at the time of purchase
you pronounce that magic formula
Charge it, please"
Pay for what you get-when you get IT,
That will bring in its wake many habits
OF frugality. No one can be extravagsnt
who never goes into debt. The most
seemingly extravagant person is likely to
be guilty OF nothing worse than deciding
which of several desirable things is most
desirable and purchasing that which
makes going without the others seem q
worthwhile sacrifice-if he has the habit
OF paying as he coca
Habits are not particularly hard to
form--and good habits are just as easy
TO get as are idle, useless ones. 1t Is
generally a matter OF personal choice
whether one forms habits Of extraYa-
gance and waste or Of common-sense fri
gality. And no step will insure your be-
coming a sane person who is good man
ager and a wise purchaser than that OF
paying for what you get when you get u.
Naturally YOU cannot then get what
you cannot pay for. And 30 you modify
your purchaFes TO your purse and your
needs come into the seeming OF matching
your justifiable power to crafty those
needs.
So she got the Charge IT, please
Maitland as her bills mounted kept tell
ing herself that she would retreneh next
month and pay when her expenses were
less. But her expenses grew greater-not
smaller. And she began TO borrow from
a wealthy man Of her acquaintance. Her
idea was stin the Charge 1t, please one
She meant TO pay him back-and 1t
seemed simpler to owe him than dunning
dressmakers and irascible department
store managers. And in the end her debt
70 him actually swamped her on the
reefs of her own weakness.
All through nature the same principle
is illustrated. You have to pay for every
thing you get from life. II you go out
in rainy weather in pumps and thin
stockings and seek idly TO charge up
YOUR damp feet to the seemingly endless
account of your youth and health you
are laying up debt you must pay-and
nav when least you are In the mood OF
condition TO discharge past indebtedne. Sc.
For the penalty OF Charge 81 Is that
YOU must discharge your debt when it
has mounted 10 huge proportions Of pay
ment for what seems In retrospect a
little. trifling. silly purchase.
That IL the horrible part OF the charge
Il" business The price always seems un-
forgettsbly heavy-and the thing for
Tor which you are paying 30 light and
Uncomfortable a thing as 70 have its
vane forgotten.
Pay as you 80. This IL the only way 70
keep books with life.