Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 220, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 September 1912 — Earning Money [ARTICLE]

Earning Money

“I never before realized how rich I am!” declared the little stenographer. "Last Wednesday evening. I discovered, to my amazement, that Croesus and I are In the same class." “Tell me about it," said the bookkeeper. “The firm profits so greatly by our invaluable services that we are entitled 7 to relax a littie in busines hours.” "It was the Ladies’ Aid society,” explained the little stenographer. "About a month ago the president requested each one of us to bring five dollars to be earned by our individual efforts. The money was to be provided in one month from that day. It was for a special purpose and we all promised that we’d do as requested. “There aren’t many other girls in that* society. They’re mostly married women. So they talked and talked and wondered how on earth they could earn five dollars apiece. They went on that way for two hours after the meeting was over. You see, they weren’t supposed to bring any money that was given them —so they couldn’t' ask their husbands to help them. "Well, last Wednesday evenlng the month was up. Of course, I just took a five dpllar bill that I’d saved from my last check, so I was perfectly safe. If I hadn’t earned it myself I wouldn’t have been able to bring it! “We got there rather early—every one was anxious to see if every one else had brought five dollars. And oh,. they looked so worn out and tired, and some of them even looked cross! "When the meeting began we all -began to tell how the money was earned —and that’s what gives me my wealthy sensation! “You know Mrs. Ward. Her husband owns nearly half the city, I believe, and she has all sorts of motor cars and wears orchids all winter! Well, she brought only $4.30! She was almost in tears about it and she offered to give the other 70 cents, if they’d let her, out of her husband’s money. Everybody was anxious to hear why she’d failed to earn the full amount What do you suppose she’d done ? Pressed her husband’s trousers! "She said she had started right in —tor she could charge only ten cents a pair—and she knew there were only thirty days in a month. So she hunted up all the trousers her husband owned and pressed them the first day. Then each day she pressed the pair he had worn the day before —and then she tried to persuade him to change his trousers at noon sometimes so she could press two pairs a day, but he refused. She was counting up the days, and at the rate she was going she couldn’t possibly get the five dollars before the month was up! She made him pay her each day. Finally, near the end, in despair, she took all the pairs of trousers out of the closet again and, finding, she said, that they were a little wrinkled from hanging so long, she pressed them once more. It was that performance that ended her earning powers. Her husband said that a tailor was cheaper and did the work better. “Mrs. Cullen —you know, she gives presents worth hundreds of dollars to the church every little while. She fairly keeps it running at times. Well, she sold magazine subscriptions! She said that she found all her friends already were subscribers for all the magazines she had for sale. Finally she had to canvass the streets, andyet in order to make up the five dollars she was compelled to sell three subscriptions to herself and then give away the magazines! We couldn’t decide whether that was fair or not. “Mrs. Briggs painted place cards! She said she spent most of the month in wondering what to do, and just a few days before last Wednesday she learned that a special friend of hers was giving a luncheon. So she told the friend that she’d paint place cards at 25 cents each! In ignorance, her friend took her offer, and she brought the place cards to show. She had to laugh at it herself, for she’d never painted a thing in her life before and she thought those simple little things would be awfully easy! There was a little red hill—she had Just three color paints' and didn't know what to mix for other colors — and on the red hlll was a yellow house with blue trimmings. Those were the three colors —and all the embellishments were of the same colors. They were really unique. "Mrs. Bradway is a dear little old woman who just drives around and looks sweet and dainty and goes to church. She made a contract with her son to weed his whole lawn for five dollars! "Actually, when it got to me to tell how I earned my five dollar I really felt ashamed that I'd done it so easily —it didn’t seem right! So Miss Brown, who Is studying music and has a time making ends meet, and I went Into a corner and hid while we listened. For she had earned her money easily, too —just took the five dollars paid her for one Sunday’s singing In the choir! "I wonder If all rich people feel sort of mean and Incapable when they see other people working!”—Chicago Daily News. v