A ritual for writing checks

Writing checks is never much fun, and luckily, electronic payment systems have lessened that burden.

Elsie de Wolfe, who created the art of interior decoration and who promoted the beauty of French fabrics and French design, added interest and drama to her life's daily events that would otherewise be mundane. Her dramatic ritual for writing checks appeared in a small note in the January 9, 1926 issue of The New Yorker.

"Elsie de Wolfe makes rite of writing checks. The check book is kept on a rare Italian piece, elevated as an altar. The book is bound in rich leather. Miss de Wolfe mounts the altar, draws on her slender hands a pair of gloves which match perfectly the shade of leather binding the book, and proceeds to pen the document to order of whoever it may be."

Voilà. Extraordinary.