The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-02-19
PELTS As CURRENCY.

The man of leisure from New York city
who had been lazing away fortnight or
so OF his not particularly valuable time
at kyserick, in Ulster county. n. Y, had
made up his mind TO return TO his haunts
In the metropolis 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.
II was not until It had been sent about
with currency enough on hand to break"
the bill. Farmer Beacks had just re-
ceived pay for his seasons tater crop and
had change for more than 500.
1T beats all, an it's singular said the
landlord as he counted out the New York
ers change, what folks goes an does
seem TO be no currency no moreno cur
rency a-circulatin' at all"
This seemed TO be Deacon Blimber's OPP
portunity.
You orto ben here. then" said he.
when my folks settled somethin' like
seventy-fve years an more ago There
was currency enough then. | want to
tell We. IL want silver. though. Nor Il
want gold. Nor IL want paper. Ii
was peHs.
THE clrc latin mejum a. the deestric I'm
them DAYS run from muskrat clean up to
bar. There was minks an there was
otters, an the man that could manage To
man that stood way up i'm the money
market. But IL want every one that
could gether I'm minks an otters, an so
anu Ssrs an e1Ons DOR re All iIHss an oiv wevT
In them days.
"Minks an otters was what YOU mowt
call government bonds. Muskrats an
coons an foxes an wolves an bars was
the peoples money, so to speak II 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. IL you planked down a COON
SKIN though. you'd git 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
toNskin or wolfskin he could shop
around qulte some. man Win a bar
skin--Oh, well Nobody didn't ask no ques-
tions about man that had D'arsk,n
with him when he went tradin.
ii didn't seem pertic lar queer in them
DAYS the way things was run on that pclt
currency. but I've an idec iCd strike folks
lcetlc sing lar nowadays. Pears 10 me
Id have To snort OJt laughn' my own
self III a fcller should come To- he an say:
Deacon. I'm a cite financially em-
barrased today. Ken YOU lend me n fox
skin for n couple o. days or so?'
That surely would make me snlcker
shoppin goin on today like | use to hear
II many a time ! bt would set nae TO
glggin Ike AL possessed. Somethin IKE
this fer instance over yendcr TO Uncle
Sllos store:
,o, ~,.ioTy yyI MUCH fer them air cowskin
Them? Why. fox an a coon.
Iscetlc high. Silas. Can't stan it.
Give you three coons fer en-
No. Can't be did nohow. Best I
ken do Is three coons an muskrat.
'"rhatd be funnier 10 me than niger
show now. An somc,hin like this would
bust my buttons. ! know " would
Deacon ken YOU give me change fer
a wolff
Yes. but I'll have~to give you all
muskrats'
But We didn't think nothin' o. IL In
them DAYS. cause ~ was reg lar busine IS
That .Circ1athf eE,ei ium was leetle on
handy IN one way. though. Folks had
20 carry their currency around IN . hushci
bag if they was out 60 40 much cash busi-
ness. an it they was h'nrskin men. why
Judas treachin, thty had to carry " In
n wug0r
"Rut them DAYS a. psit currency was
The good old ,Jayf 4 tell you. Sull.' said
the deacon sSsr IN pause. II dunno but |
ken manage to slide along lest as cheerful
In these DAYS . gold an SILVER an paper
currency. even thouyh II Is all pervadln'
skeerce. New York Times.