11,497. I see here an entry: 'To amount from line:' do you give lines?-I sometimes give a line to her when I do not care about entering it in the book. I should like better to pay her at once what I was due to her, if I could possibly do so.
11,498. What was the purpose of giving the line?-Just as a security.
11,499. She did not want the goods at the time, and you did not want to open an account?-No.
11,500. You would rather that these women would take the goods at once than have the trouble of keeping an account with them?- Yes.
11,501. What was the form of the line you gave?-It was just a credit note, bearing the name of the party and the amount for which they had to get credit from me.
11,502. Is the amount of that note understood to be paid in goods or in money?-It is never understood to be paid in money. I could not give the same price in money as I could give in goods.
11,503. Does the line express whether it is to be paid in goods or in money?-No.
11,504. Do you issue many of these lines?-Not many; very few require them. They generally take out goods to the full amount at once.
11,505. How did you happen to enter that line in your book?-The woman was getting fully more work from me than she could take out in goods at once, and she preferred to continue working for me and to get things for her family as she required them.
11,506. I see that the bulk of the entries in these accounts are for provisions?-Yes, and for such other goods as we keep-tea, sugar, loaves, butter, meal, flour, soda and other things.