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is your face.
A cheque is a draft or order upon your bank, and it need not necessarily
be written in the prescribed form. Such an order written on a sheet of
note-paper with a lead-pencil might be in every way a legally good
cheque.
[Illustration: A carefully drawn cheque.]
Usually cheques should be drawn "to order." The words "Pay to the
order of John Brown" mean that the money is to be paid to John Brown,
or to any person that he orders it paid to. If a cheque is drawn "Pay to
John Brown or Bearer" or simply "Pay to Bearer," any person that is
the bearer can collect it. The paying teller may ask the person
presenting the cheque to write his name on the back, simply to have it
for reference.
In writing and signing cheques use good black ink and let the copy dry
a little before a blotter is used.
The subject of indorsements will be treated in a subsequent lesson.

IV. BANK CHEQUES (Continued)
The banks of this country make it a rule not to cash a cheque that is
drawn payable to order, unless the person presenting the cheque is
known at the bank, or unless he satisfies the paying teller that he is
really the person to whom the money should be paid. It must be
remembered however, that a cheque drawn to order and then indorsed
in blank by the payee is really payable to bearer, and if the paying teller
is satisfied that the payee's signature is genuine he will not likely
hesitate to cash the cheque. In England all cheques apparently properly
indorsed are paid without identification.
[Illustration: A cheque drawn so as to insure payment to proper party.]
In drawing a cheque in favour of a person not likely to be well known
in banking circles, write his address or his business after his name on
the face of the cheque. For instance, if you should send a cheque to
John Brown, St. Louis, it might possibly fall into the hands of the
wrong John Brown; but if you write the cheque in favour of "John
Brown, 246 West Avenue, St. Louis," it is more than likely that the
right person will collect it.
If you wish to get a cheque cashed where you are unknown, and it is
not convenient for a friend who has an account at the bank to go with
you for the purpose of identification, ask him to place his signature on
the back of your cheque, and you will not likely have trouble in getting
it cashed at the bank where your friend keeps his account. By placing
his signature upon the back of the cheque he guarantees the bank
against loss. A bank is responsible for the signatures of its depositors,
but it cannot be supposed to know the signatures of indorsers. The
reliable identifier is in reality the person who is responsible.
INDORSING CHEQUES
In indorsing cheques note the following points:
1. Write across the back--not lengthwise.

2. If your indorsement is the first, write it about two inches from the top
of the back; if it is not the first indorsement, write immediately under
the last indorsement.
3. Do not indorse wrong end up; the top of the back is the left end of
the face.
4. Write your name as you are accustomed to write it, no matter how it
is written on the face. If you are depositing the cheque write or stamp
"For Deposit" or "Pay to _____BANK____," as may be the custom,
over your signature. This is hardly necessary if you are taking the
cheque yourself to the bank. A cheque with a simple or blank
indorsement on the back is payable to bearer, and if lost the finder
might succeed in collecting it; but if the words "For Deposit" appear
over the name the bank officials understand that the cheque is intended
to be deposited, and they will not cash it.
5. If you wish to make the cheque payable to some particular person by
indorsing, write "PAY TO ____(NAME)____ or ORDER," and under
this write your own name as you are accustomed to sign it.
6. Do not carry around indorsed cheques loosely. Such cheques are
payable to bearer and may be collected by any one.
7. If you receive a cheque which has been transferred to you by a
BLANK indorsement (name of indorser only), and you wish to hold it a
day or two, write over the indorsement the words "PAY TO THE
ORDER OF (yourself--writing your own name)." This is allowable
legally. The cheque cannot then be collected until you indorse it.
[Illustration: A cheque payable to order and a blank indorsement.]
8. An authorised stamped indorsement is as good as