“All included,” said father. “And Church collection also, and ice cream and taxicabs and Xmas gifts.”
Although pretending to consider it small, I realy felt that it was a large amount, and I was filled with joy when father ordered a Check Book for me with my name on each Check. Ah, me! How happy I was!
I was two months younger then and possably childish in some ways. For I remember that in my exhiliration I called up Jane Raleigh the moment she got home. She came over, and I showed her the book.
“Bab!” she said. “A thousand dollars! Why, it is wealth.”
“It’s not princly,” I observed. “But it will do, Jane.”
We then went out and took a walk, and I treated her to a Facial Masage, having one myself at the same time, having never been able to aford it before.
“It’s Heavenley, Bab,” Jane observed to me, through a hot towle. “If I were you I should have one daily. Because after all, what are features if the skin is poor?”
We also had manacures, and as the young person was very nice, I gave her a dollar. As I remarked to Jane, it had taken all the lines out of my face, due to the Spring Term and examinations. And as I put on my hat, I could see that it had done somthing else. For the first time my face showed Character. I looked mature, if not, indeed, even more.
I paid by a Check, although they did not care about taking it, prefering cash. But on calling up the Bank accepted it, and also another check for cold cream, and a fancy comb.
I had, as I have stated, just returned from my Institution of Learning, and now, as Jane and I proceded to a tea place I had often viewed with hungry eyes but no money to spend, it being expencive, I suddenly said: