“No, I’d quit the business altogether if I were you. I’m going to myself.”
“Oh, we all know that. You’ve been going to quit for the last twenty years. Well, I’m going to quit, too, but not just yet. That’s what they all say, of course, but I mean it.”
In the early and crisp winter air Pony Rowell walked to the Metropolitan Hotel and to bed. At 3 that afternoon the man he had an appointment with, called to see him.
“You wanted to see me about an Insurance policy,” the visitor began. An agent is always ready to talk of business. “Now, were you thinking of an endowment scheme or have you looked into our new bond system of insurance? The twenty-pay-life style of thing seems to be very popular.”
“I want to ask you a few questions,” said Pony. “If I were to insure my life in your company and were to commit suicide would that invalidate the policy?”
“Not after two years. After two years, in our company, the policy is incontestable.”
“Two years? That won’t do for me. Can’t you make it one year?”
“I’ll tell you what I will do,” said the agent, lowering his voice, “I can ante-date the policy, so that the two years will end just when you like, say a year from now.”
“Very well. If you can legally fix it so that the two years come to an end about this date next year I will insure in your company for $100,000.”
The agent opened his eyes when the amount was mentioned.