The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1902-02-04
PELTS AS CURRENCY
MlNKs AND OFFERS WERE LIKE UNTO
GOVERNMENT BONDS.

Tine DAYS When Muskr0fS ana CO0nE
and Foxes and wolves and Bears
Were the Peoples Money, SO to
Speak, In New York State.
The man Of leisure from New York
city who had been lazing away a
fortnight or so of his not particularly
valuable time at Kyserick, in Ulster
county, N. T., had made up his mind
to return to his haunts in the metropo-
lis and nonchalantly tossed the tavern
keeper a one hundred dollar note out
of which to take pay for his BILL The
landlord could not change the note
Neither could Deacon Blimber. who
was by.
1t was not until it had been sent all
about the neighborhood that any one
was found with currency enough on
hand to break" the bill Farmer
Beacks had just received pay for his
seasons later crop and had change for
more than 500.
"It beats all, an it's singular" said
the landlord as he counted out the New
Workers. change, what folks goes an
does with all their ready money There
don't seem to be no currency no more
no currency a-circulatin' at ALL
This seemed to be Deacon Blimber's
opportunity.
you orto ben here, then" said he,
"when my folks settled. somethin' like
seventy-five years an more ago. There
was currency enough then, l want to
tell We. 1t want silver. though. Nor
it want gold. Nor it want paper. II
was pelts.
'The circ'latin' mejum o. the deestric
in them days run from muskrat clean
up to bar. There was minks an there
was offers, an the man that could
manage to harvest plenty O. them crit
tiers was the man that stood way uI
In the money market. But it want ev-
cry one that could gether in minks an
offers, an so muskrats an GOODS an
foxes an wolves an Bars was the rea
circ'latin' mejum in them days.
"Minks an offers was what you
mowt call Cover ment bonds Muskrats
an coons an foxes an wolves an bars
was the peoples money. so to speak
If you went to the tavern an planked
down your muskrat skin. you'd git your
snifter O. rum and tanzy, but you
wouldn't git no change. If you planked
down a coonskin, though, you'd gil
your snifter an two muskrat skins
change.
"a Teller that went in with a coon
skin he was tol'able well fixed. but
with a foxskin or a wolfskip he could
shop around quite some A man will
b'arskin-oh, WE'LL Nobody didn't ask
no questions about man that had a
b'arskin with him when he went trad
| in!
1T didn't seem pertic'lar queer In
them days the way things was run or
that pelt currency, but I've an idee ito
strike folks leetle singular nowadays
Pears to me I'd have to snort oui
laughin' my own self if Teller should
come to me an say:
deacon, I'm leetle financially EN-
barrassed today. Ken you lend me O
foxskin for a couple O days or soY
"That surely would make me smoker
| If heerd it now. An to hear some
shoppin' goin' on today like use t.
hear it many a time ! bet would SCI
me to gigglin' like all possessed Some
thin like this. fer instance. over yendel
to Uncle Sile's store:
"'How much fer them air cowskir
boots. Uncle SileP
Then? Why. fox an coon.'
"'Leetle high, Silas. Can't STAN 1t
Give you three coons fer EN-
No. Can't be did nobow. Best
ken do is three coons an a muskrat.'
''That'd be funnier to me than mig
ger show now An somethin' like thi:
would bust my buttons, | know Il
would:
deacon. ken you give me change
fer wolff
eyes. but I'll have to give you al
muskrats.'
"But we didn't think nothin' O. it il
] them days, cause it was regular bust
ness. That circ'latin' mejum was lee
tie onhandy in one way. though Folks
had to carry their currency around II
bushel bag if they was out to d.
much cash business. an if they wa.
b'arskin men. why. Judas preachin'
they had to carry it in wagon.
'But them days O pelt currency wa.
the good old days. | tell you STILL" sale
the deacon after pause Il dunno bu
/ ken manage to slide along jest al
cheerful in these days O. gold an silvel
an paper currency. even though it il
all pervadin' skeerce." : New Yorl
Times.