the person to whose order
it has been drawn has indorsed it by writing his or her name on the back
and the bank will be responsible for the correctness of the indorsement.

If you make your check payable say, to William Armstrong or order,
nobody but William Armstrong, or some one to whom he indorses the check,
can collect the amount, and if through fraud or otherwise some one not
entitled to it gets the money which the check calls for, the
responsibility is not yours, but the bank's. It is for that reason that
bankers and business men use such great care in accepting checks.

[Illustration: A Check Carelessly Drawn. The text and numbers for the
amount is in the center of their fields, leaving of space for extra
text.]

[Illustration: The Same Check "Raised". The amount has been changed from
One Hundred/100.00 to Eighty-One Hundred/$8100.00.]

For the same reason you should never accept a check from anybody whom
you do not know as responsible, and you should not be surprised or
angered if some one else should hesitate to take a check from you.

Checks or drafts received by you should be deposited as soon as
possible. Should you receive a check for a considerable amount and have
no convenient bank account, you should go to the bank on which the check
is drawn and have the cashier certify it by stamping "Accepted" or
"Certified" across the face over his signature. That formality makes the
paper as good as money so long as the bank accepting it is solvent.

It sometimes happens that a check drawn in good faith by a responsible
party is withheld so long by the person receiving it that there is no
money to the account when the check is finally presented.

Paying Notes and Acceptances.

Make your notes and accepted drafts payable at the bank where you do
business. Whether it or other banks hold them for collection, they will
be presented to your bank when due.

Pay your notes, etc., on the day they fall due, and early in the day if
convenient, or leave a check for the amount with your bank on the day
before your paper matures. Banks will not pay notes or drafts without
instructions.

Keep a careful record of the days of maturity of all your paper. Banks
usually notify all payers a few days beforehand when their paper
matures, but this is only courtesy on their part and not an obligation.

Exchange.

"Exchange" means funds in other cities made available by bankers' drafts
on such places. These drafts aff