OCR Text |
Show I cREVELL days: OFTENTIMES people wonder just how these discreetly-expensive little lit-tle shops, tucked away in odd corners on the Avenue, manage to erist. And the answer is charge account. Without With-out credit there would be very little business transacted anywhere and there is hardly a person who does not have a charge account some place. Not long ago there sat by my bedside bed-side a gentleman who congratulated me sincerely on my returning health. My reply was that I really should b felicitated on having been 111 In the first place, and allowed to recover In the second; that it had all been actually actu-ally a double blessing. The conversation conversa-tion took a sudden turn to his own -affairs and he made me a confidant of the unhappy period he was going through, due to an estrangement from one of the members of his family and what he would give if the whole misunderstanding mis-understanding could be wiped away. Then It was that I asked him If h had a charge account. "A dozen," was his answer. "1 couldn't do business without them." "You liquidate your accounts every month?" I said. "Absolutely. Otherwise my credit wouldn't be good for very long." He recognized every obligation of. credit, for he is a good business man and good business men are honest and punctilious. He knew that If he saw a hat in a shop-window and was Induced In-duced to purchase It, sooner or later he would have to give up something in exchange. He could not have the hat and his money also and without thinking much about it he realized that such an arrangement was only equitable. But he was unprepared for my next question. "Have you ever thought of opening a charge account with God?" He had never explicitly considered God as the source of human happiness and blessings, nor that in return for what God gives us we must give something. some-thing. It had never occurred to him that if he 'wanted a reconciliation with that member of his family he must deprive de-prive himself of something else. He had not until then caught the idea that only by giving of our own love generously and without stint can we merit the love of others. As we talked I told him of the time when I was working on a Chicago newspaper and as a matter of convenience con-venience opened a charge account with a department store near my office. of-fice. For three months I paid my bills promptly when they were rendered. ren-dered. The fourth month I was out of the city on an assignment and did not return for several weeks. When I did get back I found a rather curt letter let-ter on my desk from the credit man of the store, asking me to kindly remit. ! Then It was I realized that God as j the most lenient creditor I had. My account witn tne score was uui a ic weeks overdue, and I had been reminded re-minded of It at once. But my bill with God had stood for years and He was still patiently waiting for nie to pay something on account. I knew of course that I could never redeem the principal, but at least I could have kept up the Interest on it. One of the reasons for my reco'-ery, I am sure. Is the charge account I have had with God. I knew that what He gave me would come when I wanted it, I knew It would not he shoddy nor second-rate, I knew Hint He cared for my Interests, but I realized, real-ized, too, that I must give Him something some-thing In return. So I have done the only thiii I could do to pay that debt. I have endeavored en-deavored to have nothing but love in my heart, to come as close to the spirit spir-it of the Sermon on the Mount us my limited powers would permit; and for loving a great many people He has sent a great many people to love me. He has given me returning health, tlie strength to write a book, the friends to help me sell It. My charge accnun' wllli Ood has not been unavallinS- Al Jolson Included this story In recent letter to me : "Whal's de cognomen of dis chile" asked the colored preacher who was doing the honors at the christening of Mandy's latest offspring. "Her name am Opium Bryant," was the reply. "Opium ain't no fit name for a e1' was the reply. "Well, It fits dis gal," answered mammy, "for dey say opium come from de wile poppy and Us chile poppy shuah was wile." Irvln S. Cobb recontly acquired I son-in-law and before and during tn ceremony a number of questions we put up to him to settle as the nnl"" head of the family. One problem w submitted by bis (then) prosnectn son-in-law. "I don't know how to address M"-Cobb," M"-Cobb," he said. "How did you a dress vour mother-in-law?" "Well," replied Mr. Cobb. "It w" (his way: For the first year I cn her 'Say' mu! nfler that we it" her 'Griuulina.' " The nearby horizon bus slg "s J" plenty, but (he one ihut ltd I'll-'1109 most is the one which rends I" P ; "The first cost Is practically I can't sec what article It lv"rl ,,, for (he roof hides Hint fr"' "10; there's only one thing I "' op. whose first cost Is less than t M l,(Ti. The sign must be advci'tIM funeral. !.' Cum i Ik lu by the MrNnush sv"'"1 |