Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1921-02-03
PAYING FOR DEAD
HORSES BAD HABIT
Charge Accounts at the Dry Goods
Store Tends to Demorallze the
Family Financial System

... ~ Ss"} ~fSsC
Mrs. Blake 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 ex-
animation todayr"
"Oh, mother, something better than
thatw returned Betty. "Tve found a
way to get that new silk dress I
wanted. You remember when I spoke
to you about it you said things were
SO high that I couldn't have 1t for Q
long, long hme-that I'd have to make
my old one do for quite a whileT
"Yes,I remember and I am wonder
ing what fairy god-mother has ap-
peared to change things" returned her
mother smiling.
Nothing wonderful at all about 1t,
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 1t is just as easy as
can be.
"They all run charge accounts at
Linsey-Woolsey & Co.'s and SO they
can buy whatever they want whether
they have the money to pay for It at
once or not. 1t doesn't make any diff
ference about the money, just pay it
later, and some Of them tell me their
mothers pay $40 Q month on the bill
if 1t is large, until they get it paid.
"And any one can open a charge ac-
count. Won't you go down with m
Saturday and open an account and let
me get my dress2 1t won't cost a
cent"
"Well Betty dear. I thought you
knew better than that. But since you
don't 1 am glad you spoke to me about
it, for / 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, Bet
ty, don't you think / would have done
1t long ago? You know ] never buy
or credit, don't you2a
eyes, mother"
swell the reason ! do not Is be-
cause 1t is very bad business. Now,
suppose you go to Linsey-Woolsey &
Co. and get the dress and have 1t
charged. I told you I could not pay
for 1t 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 clothesf
"And suppose something would hap
pen that I could never pay for 1t after
you had worn it so that it would be
worthless to the ownerl How would
you feel then?
"And then again, supposing a long
time from o you would need shoes
or something and I would tell you that
l 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 then?"
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, it is hard to pay
for anything that is worthless. Most
people feel pretty fine when they are
dressed up, and it is a 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"
II see you are right, mother, but SO
many people have things charged
fwhy nearly every n does It'll"
"a great deal Of it is done, I know ;
it is almost a national vice. But 1t
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 forgot for the moment
that the day Of reckoning is sure to
come.
ITO sensible people, my dear, you
will look prettier in cotton that Is paid
for than in Ssilk that isn't. And I'm
sure you will feel lots better. If you
never spend your salary until after
you have earned 1t you will be more
careful in spending it; you will man.
age to save little, and, incidentally,
you will be able to keep or buying
your War Savings Stamps.
II don't really need q new dress,
mother. I just wanted 1t because the
other girls buy them. But I'll crow
over them when I show them my
Thrift cards."