The Carlisle independent., 1920-03-25
PAYING FOR DEAD HORSES A
 HABIT
Charge Accounts at the Dry Goods Store Tends to DemoraIize the
 Family Financial System

n1fS. biake was out sweeping the front porch when she saw Betty and Bobby coming home from school. She knew by the eager, excited look on Betty's face that the little girl was pleased about something.
 "Well, Betty, you look so pleased, guess you made perfect in your exami- nation today"
 "Oh, mother, something better than that returned Betty "I've found a way to get that new silk dress I wanted. You remember when 1 spoke to you about it you said things were so high that I couldn't have it for a long time-that I'd have to make my old one do for quite a while ?" "Yes, 1 remember and am wonder ing what fairy god-mether has ap- peared to change things, returned her mother smiling.
 Nothing wonderful at all about it, mother. It's awfully funny that we did not think of it before. Several of the girls were telling me how their mothers did, and it is just as easy as can be-"
 .They all run charge accounts at LinSey-W oolSey & Co.'S. and so they buy whatever they want whether they have the money to pay for it at once or not. It doesn't make any differ ence about the money, just pay 1t later and some of them tell me that their mothers pay s10 month on the bill if 1t is large, until they get it paid. And anyone can open charge ac- count. Won't you go down with me Saturday and open an account and let me get my dress? It won't cost a cent
 "Well, Betty dear, thought you knew better than that, but since you don't I'm glad you spoke to me about 1t for 1 want to teach you better"
 "Oh, mother, do you mean you won't? Why it's no trouble at all all the girls say so"
 'If that were a good way to do, Betty, don't you think I would have done it long ago? You know never buy on credit, don't you?" 'Yes mother"
 "Well, the reason I do not is be- cause it is very bad business. Now suppose you go to Linsey-W -Woolsey & Company and get the dress and have 1t charged. told you I could not pay for it for several months. But you would be wearing it-wearing clothes that did not belong to you for the dress would really belong to Linsey & Woolsey until it was paid for. Do you think you would feel just right, wearing their clothes?
 And suppose something would hap pen that 1 could never pay for it af- ter you had worn 1t so that it would be worthless to the owneri How would you feel then?
 And then again supposing a long time from now you would need shoes or something and I would tell you | that I must first pay for the dress you had bought so long ago and you would tell me that the dress was worn out-was in rags? How would you feel them"
 Betty hung her head and Mrs. Blake continued.
 It is the hardest thing in the world to pay for clothes after they are worn out or for a horse after it is dead. In other words, Betty, 1t is hard to pay for anything that is worthless. Most people feel pretty fine when they are dressed up, and it is proper feeling but I hope my little girl will never learn to enjoy being dressed up in other peoples clothes. Pay your way as you go is the only safe rule'
 see you are right, mother, but so many people have things charged why nearly everyone does it." "A great deal of it is done, know 1t is almost national vice. But it leads to extravaganza and waste and sometimes to dishonesty, nearly al- ways to poverty. People with charge accounts are always tempted to buy things they don't really need, or can't afford, and they forget for the moment that the day of reckoning is sure to come. To sensible people, my dear, you will look prettier in cotton that is paid for than in silk that isn't. And 1 am sure you will feel lots better. If you never spend your salary until af- ter you have earned it you will be more careful in spending it, and will manage to save little, and inciden- tally you will be able to keep on buy ing your War Saving Stamps.
 T don't really need a new dress, | mother. 1 just wanted it because the other girls buy them. But Iii crow over them when 1 show them my