The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-08-15
EUening Story
Her First Case.

Nora frowned. The long line be-
fore the cashiers window was the
last and worst of her morning be-
devilments. She had hoped to be al
most first in such a line, but waiting
for the necessary check had consumed
; a precious half hour, then she had
been buttonholed in the office by a
woman with a mission, exc a grew
ance, from whom she had escaped by
the skin of her temperate same
| being pretty badly frayed. To find so
many folks ahead was distinctly ag-
gravating. 1t was nearly noon-her
breakfast had been mcager. Having
cash assets of less than two dollars
besides the precious checF, she had
tried to content herself with oatmeal
and black coffee. Now healthy APP
petite was strongly rebellious
The line moving jerkily, hating now
and then, at last brought her to the
window. She thrust in her check, and
almost Immediately there was a filter
of green paper on the glass shelf. With
and ran over the bills with family
tremulous fingers. At the last bill the
fingers actually shook-iI was double
instead of one ten she held two. I'm
pulsively she crushed back to the win
dow, saying: There is a mistake"
Before she could say more the su-
perior being inside the cage flung at
her frowning: Madam. this bank
never makes mistakes-it wishes you
woman could or would learn to count
money!
Pardon me! We so lack practice"
Nora retorted. turning toward the
street entrance, then suddenly wheel
ing about to see down the long vista
"a sign at the end reading "Presi-
dent"
Half a minute later she faced the
president, grim, gray, and reputed a
tartar-but that she did not know.
She flung at him: please. sir, Is it
true this bank never makes mis-
takes?" her voice steady enough tho
her knees shook a bit.
IT am not rash enough to say
yes nor foolish enough to say no."
the president answered. rising from
'"This-these, rather" Nora re-
torted, laying the two bills in front
of him. Just now I presented at
your second window a check for SIS,
drawn by Cross & Leroy to order of
Elinor Maxwell. 1t was overpaid,
as you see when I told the man there
was mistake he waved me away
insolently."
HIM! Not like Weston. He's a
careful fellow" commented the
grudge?"
No more than. as a cad. he in
suits me by existing Nora flashed
back, her head going up. The banker
smiled grimly, asking: well, then.
why didn't you pocket the money and
go along rejoicing?"
mot enough of it. I hate cheap
ness, tho my hat does shout So cents,
marked down from dollar" Nora
countered, her eyes beginning to
lion, or even half one
What would you have done?" the
gray man asked. A younger man at
a window beyond Nora's purview was
smiling outright, evidently restrain
ing laughter.
BEAT 1t for home and my poor
niggers," Nora cried joyously, ''as
fast as I could co.
Where is homer" from the in
quisitor.
Alabama" from Nora. "Grandpa's
land has had no other owners than
Maxwells since the Indian times. He
just managed to keep a little ahead
of the factors mortage till scent cot
ton came-in 1914, you know. 1t
ruined him-and worse.
Half the land went to settle with
the factors; the other half barely kept
US and our people from starving. You
see, the niggers had been in the fam
lily since there was a family. 1t was
hard, hard TO see them go hungry and
ragged: but we didn't let them quite
die. When read of all that was done
sick to think plain American suffering
went unheeded-"
'Suffering?" the banker broke in
She nodded. "If you call a Christ
mas dinner of plain ashcake, without
even a scrap of meat or moIasses,
good food, perhaps there wasn't any;
but, take my word for 1t. all that fall
and winter persimmon bread was our
greatest luxury"
The younger man stirred and
started to speak. His elders eye COM
PEELED silence. $50 you would take
your loot and squander it in charity"
he said.
Nora faced him dauntlessly. an
IF the bank stands to its cashier
that it makes no mistakes where
would the loot come in, especially
after it had been warned of a mis-
take?"
'It wsnldhft come in. I'm a law
yer-I Now" the young man said.
forward.
Nora smiled at him roguishly. 81
am not-only hoping to be, some day,
she said. That's how I'm here"
you've won your first case. Miss
the banker said. bowling. |
But I'd pay you good fee If you
hadn't made the case. 1 hate like
everything to dismiss Weston. He is
newly promoted; think it must have !
gone to his head"
Then don't fire him." Nora said
compassionately. Job hunting is SO !
I know"
May I ask what your job is?" he |
said.
She answered gravely, tho with |
eyes: I'm the original |
candy girl; get twenty-five a week for /
making models warranted to fetch the |
flapper and equally engage her elder |
sisters"
you study" the banker began.
Might school," Nora interrupted. |
HAS to be that or nothing. Pity |
[ wasn't born a boy, I love law SO |
we'll, and then there have been such |
lawyers in our line. If only can
make good grandad will be so happy. |
Even heaven wouldn't be all right for |
him If he had to know that the last /
of us was a rank failure"