The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1924-03-13
Teaching Him
9 Lesson i'm
Saving
BY JOHN PALMER

paying teller, had had his applica-
ton for a raise turned down.
You're getting two hundred, Cliff
ford" the president said sharply. 1T
should be more than plenty for a
single man."
I'm going to be married, SIR"
Il congratulate you, Pm sure, Cliff
ford" The president extended lis
hand.
and that's why l hoped"
Look here, Clifford, if you can't
get married and live on two hundred,
in these days Of falling prices, l adj
wise you to postp'1e the wedding"
Until when, sir:
Il car hold out no promise of an
increase, Clifford. The banks are not
raising salaries" the president an
sWered.
That was bad enough, but there was
worse to come. The president came
into the large double cage and had
a long conversation with Ashford, the
assistant and receiving teller, that
morning. Several times Clifford caught
the president looking at him. Was
he thinking Of superseding him? Ais
ford was willing to work for much
less. Ashford had no ideas of matri-
mony.
And that night Clifford found him
self short just nine hundred dollars.
It was incredible, it was monstrous.
But the money had somehow disap-
peared, and the only possible suspect
was Ashford. Clifford could not be-
lieve his assistant had taken it. But
where had it gone? Next morning, af-
ter a heartbreaking search and re-
computation, he confessed to the presi-
dent, and waited for the decision.
you must be a little off your head,
Clifford" said Conover caustically.
"You know the rules of the bank. How
much can you payT'
Fifty a month, sir, I suppose"
Eighteen months to clean yourself.
Well-I'm sorry, Clifford, but you'll
have to take your medicine"
And Clifford took it. He talked
things over with Mary. Would she
wait eighteen months for him, or was
it possible for them to get married
a hundred and fifty? Mary de
cided for the latter course.
They were married next month, and
the bank gave them a present of q
hundred dollars. That should have
paid for a brief honeymoon trip. Mary
persuaded Clifford to put it in the
bank instead. They took a tiny apart
and bought installment furniture,
It was a sad come-down to Clifford's
dreams. IF I hadn't lost that nine
hundred, Mary, we could have lived
comfortably" he said again and again
He had once thought it impossible for
a married couple to live on two hun
dred, but he saw the fallacy of that
now.
1t the end Of a year there were
three of them instead Of two. Clifford
in debt to the doctor, the money
'or the nurse had had to be found
le owed two hundred and fifty dollars.
He set his teeth and started on the
gruelling job of making leeway. At
he end of eighteen months they were
lear of debt.
THANK heaven, we1l get two hun
lred now" he said to Mary. well
into a bigger place and"
"No, dear. Let's stay here and put
lie other fifty by"
Clifford suddenly saw the light. "By
you're right, Mary!" he ex-
laimed. We've struggled on and
ven go on struggling"
Conover called him into his Office
hat morning. "Well, Clifford, you've
up the debt, I see," he said.
I congratulate you. Not in debt, are
mo, sir" answered Clifford proud
ST didn't know how little it was
,ossible for three persons to live on
i'll / tried"
"And you said it couldn't be done
n two hundred" unused Conover. He
him a piece of paper. Clifford
aped at it. 1t was a check for a
thousand dollars.
whats this, sir?"
'That nine hundred I distracted
the till, Clifford, with interest.
-ou see, you had to learn your lesson,
and l guess-well, it wasn't up
D me to give it to you, but your ia
her was my Oldest friend, and knew
l didn't you'd throw up your job
nd lose your fancee and go plumb TO
erdition. Think you can make out