Omaha daily bee., 1916-07-01
The Savings
Bank Yourself
By ADA PATTERSON.

A little gray woman came out Of
one of the city savings banks. 1t was
a day of rain and she shivered IN the
cutting wind that blew up from the
river. She clutched her bank book
between her fingers that thrust them
selves out of gloves that were past
mending. As l passed her | saw that
she was carelessly rather than poorly
dressed.
A rip in her sleeve disclosed sharp
elbow. For lack OF the stitch in time
that saves nine, the hem of her skirt
dragged in the mud, Her heel caught
in it now and then, impeding her walk
and adding an extra strain upon her
nervous system. A, shabby little hat,
faded as to the straw and the flow
ers on it, tilted with woeful attempt
at rakishness over her ear. Her face
had the grayish pallor one lily
nourished. She turned into factory
building and took her place IN the
march Of the army of manual labor
For how long? | wondered. En-
blowers are impatient of down at the
heels looking help" They think it re-
fleets upon the institution. And SO IN
great measure it does, But we won't
worry about the employer. Doubtless
he is we'll able to take care of him
self. Most of them are. But the little
gray woman burdened my mind.
She and her fate weighted my spir-
its, because while she had been max
ing a deposit in one bank she was
so sadly neglecting another. She had
patronized the City Provident bank
and was plainly indifferent to the bank
of Self.
believe in saving. | consider thrift
one of the cardinal virtues. A savings
| fund assumes concrete torn to me
see it as a dixie like those which the
careful men of Holland build about
their little country to keep it from
being washed away by the sea. Adver-
sity is hungry sea of mountain high
waves. The savings bank account
keeps them back.
But | fear the little woman was try
ing to build her dixie too high. Or that
it would not have needed such height
had she put more into the Bank OF
Self.
The wage earning woman should
deposit money in savings bank
against the day or days of dread. The
day of illness. The day of trouble
with the boss" The day of being
"laid off" indefinitely. The day OF
waning strength which we call grow
ing old. The day with the caprice of
commerce or the march of progress
when the demand for her kind of work
is lessened, or when its rewards dimin-
ish. To that proposition there can be
no dispute from one of sane mind or
sound character.
But consider the case of the little,
woman who gripped her worn savings
| bank with her fingers that showed
through her gloves. She did not>put
enough into the bank which is her
self. She should have deposited in the
bank of self more and better food.
That her skin should have had the
clearness and the dash of rose which
are tokens of health. She should have
made more deposits of clean, invigor-
ating air. Yes, it can be done in city
in which a quarter hours walk will
take you to one of the two great riv-
ers that hound its sides. She should
have deposited enough of time to
mend that rip in her sleeve and to
have secured that hem in her skirt,
that each step might not be jar upon
her nervous system and possibly fling
her face downward on the sidewalk
She should have deposited enough of
cheer and courage to keep her Shout
ders up and her face set bravely to-
ward the future. Yes, 1t can be done.
| have known persons but one step
above beggary who did it, and they
soon left the possibility of beggary
far behind
Don't acquire the whipped look. 1t
invites whips. Put money into the
savings bank, but don't forget to de-
post enough in the bank of yourself
to keep you solvent