The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-01-16
THEN AND NOW.
A St3ry With an Application.
a tho Editor of tha SaDtiuaI.

To the Editor of the Sentinel:
SIR-Just after the October elections of
1S5- was notified by the sheriff of Henry
county that certain John Smith had COM
planned against me, and that was expected
to appear before the court within month
and defend, if l could. The next day ]
called upon a promising young lawyer of
New Castle to see what could be done in the
case. "Ehjah," said l, ~ voted for thee
last week, but all in vain. Gooding beat
thee, thou know'st. Now it was no fault of
mine that thee is not judge instead of that
man over in Greenfield, but perhaps it is all
for the best, for l can now secure thy SER
vices In case / am to have in the next
court. What will thee charger" Charged
said Elijah. ga very little, in consideration
of thy services in the late campaign. 1t is
worth a hundred dollars, but l will charge
thee only fifty" But, Elijah" said l, Il
have no fifty dollars; but am putting in
bushels after next harvest-wheat is worth
dollar bushel."
Every WELL William said Elijah and he
drew a note for fifty bushels of wheat, to be
delivered on or before the succeeding Octo.
Der LIST, and the trial went on and went off
The evidence in the case prejudiced the
court against me. and lost it. But If I am
anything am honest, hence l looked for
ward to the payment of my note to Elijah
according to promise. The season was IN
usually favorable, and my crop was double
the average all of which l construed into a
favoring Providence helping me to pay my
debt to Elijah, who had seen me mulcted
into heavy loss according to law.
Late in September, aud before the note
was due, l drove to Elijah's office with fifty
bushels of as good wheat as ever went into
New Castle, expecting. OF course, TO be COM
plimented upon paying before the time.
But alas! Elijah was not all smiles, IS he
had been a year before when electioneering
or even as when he took my note for fifty
bushels of wheat. Il have thy wheat,
Elijah,' said L. How much?' said Elijah.
Fifty bushels-just what the note calls
for" said l. Fifty bushels Only fifty
bushels? Don't thee know that wheat is
depreciated2" said Elijah. 'Depre-
ciatedw said L; ''thee must be
lot of better wheat brought to New Castle
II is fully up to the standard, If not above"
''Oh, said Elijah, 1.-The wheat may. be good
enough, but wheat is much cheaper now
than it was when the debt was MADE. IL is
not worth more than ninety-twO per cent
of what it was then. Now thee will not pay
| thy debts in deprecated wheat will thee@'
| And he let out on honesty, paying honest
| debts with honest wheat until became i'm
patient. Finally, when be stopped to take
| breath, said /, ''Elijah. if heaven had not
smiled on the farmers this year and If the
| crop had been short, and wheat was now
| worth one and quarter, would thee scale
thy note and take less than the fifty bush
| els?' ''That settles the case" said Elijah.
Afterwards Elijah moved TO Indianapolis
and became a great creditor. He took many
notes, not payable in wheat, but in dollars.
Heaven has smiled on the poor debtor as it
smiled on me, and silver has yielded the
most abundant harvests and now the poor
men are ready to pay, but Elijah says, BE
/ honest nav in honest dollars great big dol
| lars, for the old dollar has DEPRECATED
worth only nine-two cents" 1t is thus that
circumstances alter cases, and the ruling
passion is strong in old age.
WILLIAM STARMAN.
Greensboro, Henry county, Jan ID.