Birmingham age-herald., 1895-03-31
scanned and gloomy face of a weathsr-worn

seameu anu gioohiJ iaee oi "oa'nol WI" rock.
 In the light of that expression l read t'the short and simple annalsp of miser- able existence, and to cheer up the spirits of the bitter hearted unfortunate l said lightly:
 t'Well, sGppose you have heard the good newsf Cotton has gone up.'
 But bless me if the opposite effect was not producedl Bitterly, almost angrily he retorted:
 ter noe or ther tother poor farmers ez had to sell ourn at four an CT half cents ter pay our rints and store mortgagesY Now that ther cotton's all owned by the rich uv corse hits gone up; but hits all ther wus fer tber poor that them whut munipulates ther prices has got little more power in their hands. ''
 Was there no hope to tighten that heavy bosom? In spirit of genuine compassion l tried again.
 said: s.There is an extensive effort among cotton growers to reduce the acreage of this year's crop and thereby raise the price of cotton per pound. Ifyou will all reduce your acreage of cotton the future will be bright for you"
 The farmer was not to be cheered. Gloomly he answered.:
 "Let them what are free men reduce thar acreage eff they wants too; but hit takes all ther cotton me an ther tothers in my fix kin raise ter pay rints an keep ther mer-
  bari. Thar be them what mout reduce ther acreage an raise ther price uv cotton fer ther benefit uv ther poor man, but they haint been CT minded that CT way before, an l reckon they'll look out fer umaeives once more. '
 Verify to this embttered mind the uses of diversity were as mythical as the jewel in the toad's head, to which they have been compared, and nothing ''sweet' was even possibly result therefrom. But to frv infalljhia free ajIVar happiness restorer-the heartsease that glads the wayfarer's eye-the star whose silvery ray glitters and beckons on the heights of prosperity.
 ''We are going to have free silver, old man, and that will raise the prices of everything, and money will be plentiful in this country.'
 .Free silver be damnedl' was his de- vout imprecation.
 ..Great heavensi My friend, free silver will start the factories, open up the mines, lift the mortgages and relieve the country generally.p
 It was no use.
 ''Tbar' 's s.siIverian' gold an paper money enough now fer them ez wants to use 1t. Fl they wants to build up this country, why can't them northern capitalists buy ther stocks, an railroads, an mines an' farm lands au'aput um allE ter some use. They can git um now fer little CT nothin' why don't they invest. Thoy don't invest case ther free silver agitators has scured um out uv ther country by ther stuff they talks about, poor folks all bein' made rich out CT some lawmaker's mouth. How's ther poor farmer gwine ter get any uv ther silver kings moneyf Through ther loan companies? Look at that thar house uv mine, sir. Hit never want no palace; but before the owner uv that thar land guy mortgage ter furreign loan company fer money ter pay old debts he kept this place up some. Now he knows ther loan com pany has got ter take ther place he's so far behind, he lets hit go to rack. Whats ther good of furreign loan companiesf Men payin' interest year after year ter folks way off wonder. Uv course, ther currency is gwIpe ter keep on contractin', but that's nothin' ter me. haint got nuthin' ter mortgage ter a furreign loan company ter git no free silver. Whenever any free silver gifts among ther poor folks hit will be somewhar whar they don't have ter give mortgages.
 My rival drummer called me into the store at this point, and gave me send-off to the merchant with Q cordiality which seemed to come from his heart, and the merchant, having just ordered, politely gave me a send- off which had just as well have come from the bottom of his shoes, 50 sore did it make me.
 JOUR GENIAL FRIEND.