Story Teller's Story

"Stephen Rowland, president of the Bank of Chester, did not look his 45 years, even though he had enough on his mind to have made him appear 60."

So began a recent short story by gaunt-faced Clarence Budington Kelland in the Saturday Evening Post. It was one of a series, all dealing with Banker Rowland. Readers found them good yarns accurately portraying the small-town banker. Banker Rowland, cautious and clever, had once been mocked for his conservatism, later became the seer of Chester. People believed him when he said: "The times are tough, but every day brings us nearer to the end. The country has not and cannot go to blazes in a baby's blanket." Chesterites came to him with their troubles, marveled when he achieved seemingly impossible solutions. "Man," exclaimed a fervent friend, "it was magnificent but it wasn't banking. . . ." Stephen answered, "In times like these, anything is banking that saves the bacon." What few readers knew was that Story Teller Kelland had practical banking experience, that he was a director of The Bank of North Hempstead in Port Washington, L. I. (pop.: 3,000). Last week Mr. Kelland and his co-directors were frantically trying to "save the bacon." But, lacking Hero Rowland's financial wizardry, the bank failed, tied up $2,100,000 belong ing to 7,500 depositors. "I don't see any possibility for a short story in it," snapped Banker Kelland.

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