Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1874-05-30
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 to us in reliable way, was known
to few outside of his neighborhood. Farmer
Smith lived in quiet way, and was sap
posed to have accumulated something ahead
besides having pretty good larn. Alter
his second son had been married njout
year, he concluded to settle near tho old
mans. il he could rent place
Hearing of this. Mr.. ThompSou-,sni
we withhold the true name--,hought there
might be a chance to sell certain p,ace on
pretty fair terms. Mr. Thompson WAS u
money loancr, and nothin. suited him SO
we'll as good interest, backed by good >ccur-
ity; and he was moreover generally cun-ii-
cred pretty shrcwd trader. He rode over
to see old man Smith, bat the farmer said lie
did not feel able to buy-hc might buy on
credit if the price was low enough and the
interest was not too high. His son "Jakey,"
he said, would have to pay for the inrm
himself if the trade was made, but his son
WAS a good farmer, and, he thought, it
would be all rish,-at least the land would
be there, and would be good for what re-
mninci unpaid if his son should fail
What seemed to startle the old fellow was
twelve per cent. interest that Thompson
wanted.
Finally, however, after q great deal of
talk the price was agreed on at twenty
thousand dollars, one-!iith cash, and 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 ut any time get
any more money than was due on the notes
he wanted to he allowed to pny it, and
count off the twelve per cent. The propo-
sition seemed reasonable enough to Thonp-
son, and he could not object to its insertion
in the contract, and so the document was
signed in duplicate The deed was to be
ready, the notes drawn. and the first pay
ment made ON the following Saturday.
When the time arrived both were pune
tuaiiy on hand, the first 81 900 WAS paid,
and the notes were ready for signature
"Mr. Thompson, said Farmer Smith. "l'ye
been thinking about that interest. and it
seemed skcrry, ST. | thought Id gether in
some little money had out. and pay part
of it, and''-puiling from his pocket roll
of moncy-''.jist count that"
The money was counted, and, with twelve
per cent. off, the first note was paid
When Thompson had pockctcd the money,
again Smith >aid-'I've got son li,n' in
Missouri. Mr.. Thompson. and as soon us he
heard was buyin' farm for Jakey he
sent me Il little money '-pullinsa roll from
his side brcecheS pocket-"and 50 whatever
1t is We II credit lit on the next note, if you
have no ohjection.'! Again the money was
counted, and with the twenty-iour per cent.
off just paid the note to a cent
''Wcll, that's luck, >" resumed the old man:
''and now, MIR. Thompson, the cd woman
has been selling right smart of butter and
aigs, and some chickens now and then,
when they come round the country buying,
and she told me this mornin that | better
take what she had, and maybe it wouldn't
come amiSs.' \ roll was produced from
the left side breeches pocket, and when
counted just paid the third note, after the
thlrty-six per cent was deducted, and
Thompson said not word. Smith seemed
to be considering for some minutes, and
then, raising his head, said, as though a
sudden thought struck him :--"You know'd
my dater Sal, didn't ye? IcuStwise you We
seen her. Sal was Il fine gal. About five
years ago, at hog KILN time, one o my
hands tuck sick, and what does Sal do but
turn in and help us, and tell you she could
sling log across her shoulder equal to airy
man on the ground. Well, you know, Sal
married year before lust, and her husband,
lllbbcll-you know Hibbel-is doin', they
tell me, as good u grocery business as any
man in kirksville. Jakey he went over to
see Sal and Iiibbcl the other day, and they
was Il talkin about this here interest b,lsi-
ness, and Sal says to llibbeil, says She
"Never mind what they said, Mr. Smith,"
broke i'll Thompson, lust 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
iastnotc, when iorty-eight per cent, had been
duly taken off.
Thompson pocketcd the money, went
straight to the court house, acknowledged
the deed, and handed it over with only this
remark, "You are tile d-st old rascal
ever saw !"
Entirely unmoycd by this last parting
compliment. Farmer Smith pocketed his
! deed. well satisfied with his bargain.
TLn Wnnnn AunufinI, A.r,iu