Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-07-18

happily survived, and now for ten years
have been struggling as much to keep the
policy as myself alive. But the appetite
of this policy, l observe, does grow by
what it feeds on, and the danger is that it
will shortly exceed in its demands my
ability to answer, and l shall see it die on
my hands. The steady and constant in-
crease in the amount of the premium on
this policy began to excite my curiosity,
not to say my admiration, several years
ago, The agent to whom | applied for
enlightenment-I have passed through the
hands Of five or six, each of whom has
amassed Il competence and retired-so
overwhelmed me with mathematics of the
most mixed and abstruse character that |
fell back from the investigation greatly
Inundated at my own ignorance, and pro-
foundly impressed with the resources Of
either the company or the agent, | could
not decide which. | think realize, and |
hope appreciate gratefully the benelicent
operation of this steady progression in
cost of the policy. 1t makes one contem-
plate death with resignation, and to look
upon that consummation as II checkmate
to the company. Did you ever think how
Booth or John Mccullough might improve
IIamlets soiloquy and thrill any ordinary
audience by just holding up one of your
life insurance policies us suiting the action
to the word, at the passage: There's
the respect that makes calamity of so long
life?n
But | fear | trespass on your time. Is
it true that insurance officials, noLwilh-
standing the meagreness of their salaries,
are overworked? | will come at once to
business. ! need not trace the steady, up
ward progress of these premiums. Sufi-
cient that last yearI paid SIP Is, and this
year you call for $l47 .03 upon policy the
annual premium on which was $l32 ten
years ago. At this rate of increase. and
with my discouragingly sound health, |
cannot undertake to compete with the
company. | am aware, of course, that II
poicy-holdcr who has paid ten annual
premiums can hardly expect the consider
alton due those who, not being insured,
seek information. Being fish in the
basket, do not expect the consideration
due one in the sea, and yet | would like to
know whether policy No, 43,369 has any
surrender value. Can you give me any
information on the subject? | am already
in possession of II considerable accumula.
ton of tracts, pamphlets, circulars, alma
macs, calendars and extracts from religious
newspapers which afford abundant knowl-
edge as to the facilities and methods for
getting into life insurance; what l now
seek is information how to get out.
Pardon me, sir, if have used too great
familiarity in addressing man whose aC-
quainance with logarilhms and mortality
tables and the dl1erential calculus entities
him to the name of benefactor and the
salary of actuary. | am not ignorant
what is due the representative of $27 ,000,-
000-if that's the tigurc-of assets. | adj
dress you because your name appears on
the seductive postal card which invites me
to add Sl47 .03 to the S27 100000. | pre-.
sumo you are no stranger to the complaints
of disappointed policy holders, and it is
not improbable that you dismiss them all
with the remark of the Apostle Paul upon
returning box of DR.. Ayers celebrated
compound cathartic pills to the elders o
the church at Ephesus, None of these
things move me-" But there may be some
one in your employ who can show me th(
cheapest way out Will you please refer
me to him, that may present my policy
and receipts and things with the conun
drum, which at one time staggered the in
tclligence of such IL statesman rs DAME
Webster, " What is all this worth?" But
then Webster knew scarcely anything
about life insurance. Yours, very respect
fully.