The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-05-16
An Innocent Granger.

be known at least by reputation, to many
Of our readers were his right name given
But the incident we now relate, though |
coming tous in reliable way, was known
to few outside of his neighborhood Far
mer Smith lived in quiet way, and was
supposed to have accumulated something
ahead besides having pretty good farm.
After his second son had been married
about year, he concluded to settle near
the old mans if he could rent place.
Hearing of this, Mr.. Thompson--again
we withhold the true name--thought there
might be chance to sell certain place
on pretty fair terms. Mr.. Thompson was
money-loaner, and nothing suited him so
well as good interest, backed by good Sc
curity and he was moreover generally con
sidered pretty shrewd trader. He rode
over to see old man Smith, but the farmer
said he did not feel able to buy-he might
buy on a credit If the price was low enough
and the interest was not too high. His
son "Jackey,' he said, would have to pay
for the farm himselfifthe trade was made,
but his son was good farmer, and, he
thought, It would be all right--at least the
land would be there, and would be good for
what remained unpaid ifhis son should fail
What seemed to startle the old fellow was
twelve per cent. interest that Thompson
wanted.
Finally, however, after great deal of
talk, the price was agreed on at twenty
thousand dollars, one-ffth cash, aud notes
at one, two, three, and four years, with
twelve per cent. interest from date for the
remainder. The contract was drawn and
they were about to sign, when the farmer
suggested that If he should at any time get
any more money than was due on the notes
he wanted to be allowed to pay il, and
count of twelve per cent. The PROPOSE
tion seemed reasonable enough to Thomp-
son, and he could not object to its inser-
tion in the contract, aud so the document
was signed in duplicate. The deed was
to be ready, the notes drawn, and the first
payment made on the following Saturday.
When the time arrived, both were pune
tualy on hard, the first $1,000 was paid,
and the notes were ready for signature,
"Mr. Thompson said Farmer Smith,
GIVE been thinking about that interest,
and it seems skeery, so | thought I'd geth.
er in some little money | had out, and pay
part of il, and'-pulling from his breast
pocket roll of fmoney--"Just count that"
The money was counted, and with twelve
per cent. of, the first note was paid
When Thompson had pocketed the mon
ey, again Smith said; "Pye got a son
livin' in Missouri, Mr.. Thompson, aud as
soon as he heard l was buyin' farm for
Jakey, he sent me little money pulling
a roll from his right side breeches pocket
sand so whatever it is Wen credit it on
the next note, if you have no objection y
Again the money was counted, and with
the twenty-four per cent off just paid the
note to q cent
"Well, that's luck, resumed the old
man; ''and now, Mr.. Thompson, the old
woman has been selling right smart of
butter and aigs, and some chickens now
and then, when they come round the coun-
try buying, and she told me this morn
in that better take what she had, and
may be it wouldn't come amiss" A roll
was produced from the left side breeches
pocket, and when counted, just paid the
third note after the thirty-six per cent. was
deducted, and Thompson said not a word.
Smith seemed to be considering for some
minutes, and then, raising his head, said,
as though sudden thought struck him :
"You knowed my darter, Sal, didn't yc?
Leastwise you've seen her Sal was fine
gal About five years ago, at hog-killin'
time, one o my hands tuck sick, aud what
does Sal do but turn in and help us, and,
4 | tell you, she could sling hog across bor
shoulder equal to any man on the ground
Well, you know, Sal married year before
last, and her husband Hibbell---you know
Hibbell-is doin, they tell me, as good a
grocery business as any man in Kirksvillc
Jakey he went over to see Sal and Hib-
bell the other day, and they was talkin
about this here interest business, and Sal
says to Hibbell, says She
"Neyer mind what they said, Mr.. Smith," :"
broke in Thompson, 'just hand over the
money you were going to say they sent
you And sure enough the old man pro-
duced still another roll from some secret
pocket which, when counted, proved to be
the exact amount necessary to pay off the
last note when the forty eight per cent.
had been duly taken of. Thompson
pocketed the money, went straight to the
court house, acknowledged the deed, and
handed it over with only this remark
"You are the greastest old rascal | ever
saw l'-Leringtoa (Ky.) Gazette
REMARKABLE LAKES. -On the top of
a ridge of mountains in Portugal, called
Estralla, are two lakes of great extent and
depth, especially one of them, which is said
to be unfathomable. What is chiefly re-
markable in them is, that they are calm
when the sea is so, aud rough when that
is stormy. II b, therefore, probable that
they have subtcrranean communication
with the ocean; aud this seems to be con-
| firmed bv the nieces of shins thev throw