The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1900-09-13
A STORY OF COUNTRY LIFE.
BY ALMA /. PARKER, GUIDE ROCK, NEsB.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

enough for the purpose. It was not a
conspiracy against the United States.
We had at that time more gold mines
than any other country" n
"But we haven't enough money;
that's the trouble" interrupted Simon.
"The quality of money is vastly more
Important than the quantity. If money
were too plentiful it wouldn't be worth
as much. We would have to carry
more in our pockets to buy the same
things we buy now with less, SO 1t is
unnecessary. What we need is to have
the money we have to circulate, which
it won't do while there is fear of free
silver. Times are hard because of the
fear Of its success, but suppose it were
a reality; why! there'd be the worst
panic ever known in the history of this
country"
Simon and Ezra Grey now arrived ut
home, and there was no more said on
politics for a while. Political Simon's
family-Cynthia, Jimmie and Johnny
and the girls-were all delighted with
Uncle Ezra.
The day wore away; chore time came,
and the family scattered, to do the
work assigned to each one. Ezra Grey
was now left alone with Cynthia and
the little boys, and he determined to
have a conversation with his sister-in-
law. /.
what do you get for butter out here,
Cynthia?' Ezra ventured to ask.
about 8 cents, or near it. Gettin'
lower every year. Eggs have been SO
cheap it don't pay to keep chickens any
more. The Lord only knows what will
become Of US IL McKinley's elected
President. Simon says We'll all go to
the %poorhouse, but I don't see how
Marble County's goin' to provide a
poorhouse large enough to hold every
body that would have to go there" "a
Ezra Grey could not help but laugh at
Cynthia's idea of Republican times, and
he wondered to himself If this was a
fair example of the Populist sentiment.
"Uncle Ezra" said Jimmie, ""you must
be sure to vote for Bryan. Money will
grow on trees, I 'spect, If he's elected.
My pas goin' to vote for him all right.
PAS President of the Farmers Alliance
in Marble County, and President of the
Bryan Club in B%oonsville; and l ,'spect
his vote will count a whole lot. Before
you are here very long you'll hear pa
and Winnie quarrel, Winnie has a Re
publican Teller, and he's runnin' agin
her for Superintendent, and pa a
political opponents should be enemies,
and that she mustn't even speak to
him. But she does speak to him, in a
loving way, too, and goes to church
with him, in spite of pa. My! but pa
gets mad sometimes. I guess he'd like
Glen Harrington all right If he was a
Populist, but he says Republicans are
either ~scoundrels or they lack sense"
It's hard to tell how much more Jim
mie would have told his uncle had not
Cynthia hustled him out doors in
hurry.
Uncle Ezra had now been at his
brother Simon's for a number of weeks.
Many arguments they had had, and all
were in good humor, which was rather
singular, considering Political Simon's
disposition. Winnie had listened with
keen interest to their long discussions,
and had just acknowledged to Uncle
Ezra that she believed his side of poll
tics was right, but as she had said be-
fore, she intended to let time prove
all things to her.
One evening as they were seated at
the supper table Jimmie, the boy ora
tor Of the family, blurted out: "Say,
pa, Vinnie's gone and turned Republi-
can. What do you think about thatY'
"What-do-I-think : about that?"g
Simon repeated slowly, while a look Of
horror was depicted on his counter
nee. IT don't believe 1t. Vinnie's too
smart a gal for that"
"Ah, pa, but amt Uncle Ezra smart.
and amt he Republican,
"Yes, my son, he's smart; but he has
not yet seen the light"
"Ezra," he said, II dare say, when
you do see things as they are you'll be
a bright and shining star for the silver
cause"
Ezra laughed, and so did Winnie,
which Political Simon was quick to OBJ
serve
"Ezra," he said, II hope you haven't
been stufing Winnie with any Of your,
Republican doctrines"
"I dare say, Simon, that Winnie has
enough mind Of her own not to be
stuffed, as you call it"
"WelL, Vinnie," said Simon, 81, have
this much to say to you. If you ever
take such q ridiculous notion as to turn
Republican, don't you ever mention it.
After all your raisin' and home trainin';
after all the Populist party has done
for you-if you-after all that has been
done for your benefit, turn and say you
are a Republican; have your name writ
ten with the Goldbugs-Vinnie Greyi
I'd be ashamed Of you"
"Simon," said Ezra, "did 1t ever Occur
to you that you might be mistaken
These Populist papers and speakers
tell you that the Populist party is the
party for the poor man. They are ar
raging capital against labor, and they
tell you they are IN the side Of labor.
But, Simon, didn't it ever occur to you
that they might be false friends-that
they are not telling you the truth"
10 be continuedJ