The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1868-09-23
THE sKRoGGs PAPERS
Mrs. SkrGggs Faulfs her Hus-
band for Nanting 10 Nor
tgagethe Homestead of Old
Jones.

49, - 1890 h"N
in half as many hours. He seemed so
mighty anxious about seeing you that l
thought it 10 harm for me to inquire
his business. This I did the last time
he called, and he answered me SO eva
siviely that l concluded there was mis-
chief bodir 6 somewhere.
You knew, Skroggs, he never calls
anywhere but when he has a monied
interest at stake. Nor was he ever
known to attend a party of any kind,
whether moral, religious or intellectual,
when a penny would be required OF
him.
The old devil has some malicious de-
sign upon US. l know, and what it is I
am determined to know, before you
sleep this night.
You say he wants his mortgage re-
newcd aud rut upon the homestead,
Amt he secure now, and have you
cot kept the interest fully paid?-
What more does the old thief want!
and take u little less iR.crcst do you
say that-
Well, that appears CT its face rather
generous, truly but then it don't
C, mprrt with the true character of the
nj II, and [ can't help regarding The
proposal with some scspicion, and shall
do so until I understand the matter
more fully New. Skrorgs, what is
there about it? Why this generosity
on the TART Ct this man Was HI
ever known to do anything but drive
sharp bargains, and Cypress those in
absolute need
You say he generous cane forward
and loaned you tie money 10 hire q
substitute for john?
So he did-so he did-but then you
paid Kim mighty well for it, and no
hanks to him Now, how much was
it? Just $1,000 in paper! and what
did this 81 600 in paper cost Tie old
D-l? Why you know he told you
himself, that he had just sen, $500 in
gold 10 Chicago, whore he sold it for
two and half times its face So the
$1,000 lie loaned you just cost hin:
$500 ia god, and you agreed to pay
him ten rer cent interest on his green
backs, 500 interest, each year, or that
which is ez actly equal to twenty five
per cent on his gold! Now, air't that
epongh in all conscience?
What! What q! ! do l ~misunder-
stand you? Repeat hat again! ]
certainly misunderstood you!
You say he now wants the principal
of the mortgage, made payable in god.
and the interos, the same Is that it
Is hat 1t?
Tell ne. Skroggsl tell me,-did the
Oh villain dare have the face to make
such a proposition :?
He did, you say,-h he did! Then ]
begin to understand yes, l begin to
understand-vcry clear. Indeed its
very clear; $500 in gold, sells Tor S. 600
in papcr,-loaned to Hczekiah Skroggs,
at ten par cent. interest, payable five
years after date, In the sane kind OF
money.
This was your bargain If 1 under
st: cd it, at the time, and L think l
did.
lie new wants to change the cen
tract to extend the time of payment,
and The kind of money, fr m paper to
gold. Skroggs, what's gold wclth to-
day?
You say one dollar and forty cents
That is, say, $40 on every $lQ0, or
$500 on the $1,000. Now, that makes
some difference, don't it? &C."
Well skroegs 1 don't pretend to be
much in figures, but il | was, l would
try my hand at it. and sec for my own
satisfaction, just how much money it
would tnAe to ray the deb, according
to this plan.
And did you agree to this rrarg e
Tell me- did you agree to 1T
You did, you say! Well. ~Skroggs, sou
are a natural born fool. You haven't
the sense Of a last years turnip.
Why did you not propose to put off
the payment 100 years-you would be
ust as likely to live and pay it then as
at tho expiration OF the 20,
You say the boys will grow up and
help pay it by that time. How did
you come in possession of this proper.
ty?
Was it..all plastered over with mort
cages, to the Joneses, OF anybody else,
when 1 took you and made a man of
you
No, sir, Mr.. Skroggs No sir-you
took me and went into possession of
this property free aud unencuubered-
no mortgsses-no leins-no judge
1t was free, and free it shall go
to the children.
But then, Skrosgs, what right have
you to saddle your debts unto anybody
else, and especially on onr children?
Yes-I suppose they would thank
you, for a legacy of this kiud-espec-
tally would they feel under obligations
to you, when they ird out that the
property came to them through their
nother-and that you never made one
lollar in your life-No sir, you never
lid-Nary a dollar did you ever make,
1 knew you. Its been nothing
spend ! spend Ard now you
rant to mortgage the homestead, for
Yearly four times as much as you got of
lin. And did you suppose that l
would sign his mortgage !?
If you did, Mr.. Skroggs, you are the
fool l ever seen with breaches
for L shall just do no such thing
Never, never, Mr.. Skroggs-not while
keep my senses.
Let old Jones just poke his pate in
ide of my door, and ask me to sign his
old mortgage, and if [ don't set his