Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-10-05
Faith in Paper Money.
BY KATE w. HAMILTON.


Maggie, till get 1t out"
Maggie put down the basket they had
been carrying, carefully righted its con.
tents-a few small parcels In brown paper
and then, seating herself upOu the dry
grass by the roadside, she leaned her ell
bows upon her lap and settled her round
chin between pair of small brown hands,
resting and watching while her brother
removed the offending stone. 1t was no
wonder the pebbles got in where there was
such wide door left open for them in the
poor worn shoe, and whole row of little
bare toes looking out, as if to give an in
vitation
And when get this one out therell
another get in pretty soon-ever so many
others and I'll just have to take em ont
all the time, pursued Bob. growing still
more despondiug at the prospect. ~
wish had whole, new shoes. Faint nice
to be so poor.
NO. said Maggie reAectively; not so
drefful poor. It'll be worse when winter
comes, cause then the cold can get in
your shoes. as well AS the stones. Do you
guess you'll have new pair by thenP"
pose so-nebby; but then something
elsell be worn out. 1t always is"
II wish," said Maggie, slowly. "that we
could lind some money right when we're
walking along to buy you some
shoes and a nice warm shawl for grand
ma to wear when she sits by the window
and sews. Aunt Prissy has to take the
gray one when she goes out to carry home
the work and the other old one is SO thin.
lust wish we could find some"
"We'd better be careful we don't lose
some,' said Bob growing practical. "Have
you got it, MaggicP"
DAMNED clear down in my pocket,
tight us ii can be, exclaimed Maggie after
a moments examination.
1t was very small sum that the little
pocket held, part payment for the basket
of eggs Aunt Prssy had sent to the store.
The remainder OF the price was in fine
paper parcels. The children took up the
basket again. carrying it between them,
and trudged on down the sandy road.
Aunt Prssy had particularly charged them
to look carefully upon and down the track
before they ventured to cross the railroad: !:
50 the bright eyes under the old hat and
under the faded sun bonnet discovered, at
the same instant, something unusual at
the station. A crowd had collected, and
as they drew nearer, barred their way.
Just then Il train of cars came up and
stopped, amid great burst Of cheering.
"Oh, know what it is exclaimed
Bob. "The governor! Some man in the
store said he would pass through here to-
day"
pleasant-faced gentleman came out
on the platform, and acknowledging the
greeting he had received. began to speak.
WHAT'S he talking SO long forp" ques
TONED Maggie, presently. "ls he making
a speechpn
=" Hush, - responded Bob, "He just said
he could tell them the cause of the hard
times; and want to hear. cause ours are
awful hard. Let's listen"
So the two children pressed to the edge
of the crowd and stood soemnly still,
catching an OCCASIONAL glimpse of the great
man through the swaying figures before
them, but hearing only few disconnected
words. and those not very Ineligible
something about "specle," TREASURY"
currency" and redeemable." Then
the engine whistled, the governor with
drew, and as the cars sped away the crowd
dispersed.
81 could't tell anything about it after
ALL" said Bob, in disappointment. "Only
the folks seemed to like it, by the fuss
they made. | wish we could have heard. y
There's Mr.. jerry" suggested Maggie,
pointing to u figure little in advance of
them. :" 'speot he could tell us all about
it,
"Mr. jerry as Maggie politely called
him, was "Old Jerry Harker to every
body else-a man who sold veg getables, and
delighted in displaying his opinion along
with his potatoes and his cabbages; not
particularly sensible, but greatly admiring
his own wisdom. He was climbing into
his wagon when the children reac ed him.
"Mr. Jerry, please, what's curfency"
asked Bob almost breathess from his eff
forts 10 reach the wagon before it drove
away.
"Currencyp So you've been listening
to the speech, have youP' observed Jerry.
"Well, twas toll able good one -tol able
though there's some p'ints where me and
the gov nor differ. low he means right:
but he amt Just posted on some things.
Currency? Why, see here jerry drew
fifteen cent piece from his pocket and
began to wax warm. That's currency
HIS dDlt l'hpSl tilol "S NOW W. etsN' N'N~sSS
We &&p't do no better"
"Oh! it's money? But about the treas
ury and rcdeeming it, and all that?' pur'
sued Bob.
"EhP OH You've got some that s used
up pretty bad, have youP OF course that's
what happens with such stuff. Well it's
this way. If you save the pieces of the
rag money, an send 'em on to the treas
ury, they II send you II lot more of the
same KIND of paper rag money. An a
pretty kind it isr'
Thank you, sir" said Bob, rather
blankly.
Welcome, boy you're welcome" and
Jerry drove grandly on, while Bob looked
dejectedly after him.
II don't see how that will make hard
times any easier" he said; land don't
know what he meant any how
son! | do" cried Maggie, with dan.
cing eyes. II do. just as plain as any hing
He said that was paper rag money.
don't know why no didn't like it. | should
think it was just as good as money for
squashes and apples. Aunt Prissy saves
lots of paper rags from all the sewing she
does for folks; don't you knowP And he
said If we sent any paper rag money to the
treasury, they'd send back lot more
money for it,"
so he did" said Bob, with Frightening
face. do you s'pose that's what he
meant? Must have been, for he did truly
say so didn't hep Wen tell Aunt Prissy
about it."
mot Just at first, Bob; not for little
WHILE" pleaded Maggie. Cause her big
rag bag won't be full for ever so long. and
it would be so nice to s'prise her and
grandma. There's lots of rags we can find
in the roads and alleys and places, and
we'll do the first all ourselves"
"Yes, we will" agreed Bob, captivated
at once by so grand an undertaking.
We'll pick 'em and sell 'em, and
write the letter to the treasury folks all
by our two selves. Nobody shall know
anything about it until we give 'em the
money"
"And we'l begin to-day rs soon as we
get home," added Maggie.
They did not wait until they got home,
for futtering fragment of cloth by the
roadside soon caught Maggie's eye, and
then Bob espied small piece of jacket,
that some marauding boy had left on a
| fanco NJ II ,uhan ha climhe1 into n NEIGH