Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-01-09
.PELTS AS CURRENCY
MlNKS AND CTTERS WERE LIKE UNTO
GOVERNMENT BONDS.


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. Y, 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.
| It was not until 1t had been sent all
about the neighborhood that any one
was found with currency enough or
hand to 'break" the bill Farmer
Beacks had just received pay for his
seasons tater crop and had change for
more than $100.
''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
10 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, 1 want to
tell ye. 1t want silver, though. Nor
it want gold Nor it want paper. 1t
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 otters, an the man that could
manage to harvest plenty O them crit
ters was the man that stood way up
in the money market. But it want ev-
cry one that could gether in minks an
otters, an so muskrats an coops an
foxes an wolves an bars was the real
circ'latin' mejum 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.
If you went to the tavern an planked
down your muskrat skin, you'd git your
suifter O rum and tanzy, but you
wouldn't git no change. If you planked
down Il coonskin though, you'd git
your snifter an two muskrat skins
change.
"a feller that went in with Il coon
skin he was tolable well fixed, but
with Il foXskin or a wolfskin he could
shop around quite some. a man with
Il b'arskin-oh, we'll! Nobody didn't ask
no questions about man that had a
b'arsl;in with him when he went trad
in!
"It didn't seem perticlar queer in
them days the way things was run on
that pelt currency, but Eve an idce it'd
strike folks a lcetle sing'lar nowadays.
Pears 10 me I'd have to snort out
laUshin' my own self if a feller should
| come to me an say:
"'Deacon, I'm lectle financially en-
| barrassed today. Ken you lend me a
foXslzin for couple O. days or SO?
'Ihat surely would make me snicker
if I hcerd it now. An TO hear some
shoppin' goin' on today like | use to
hear it many time l bet would set
me TO gigglin' like all possessed. Some
thin like this, fer instance, over yender
to Uncle Sile's store:
"IEow much fer them air cowskin
boots, Uncle Sile|
"Thcm? Why, fox an COON
"LeetIe high, Silas. Can't stan it
Give YOU three coons fer 'em.'
".No. Can't be did nohow. Best |
ken do is three coons au' muskrat.'
"Thatd be funnicr to me than Il Mig
ger show now. An somethin' like this
would bust my buttons, know it
would:
"'Dcacon, ken you give ME change
fer wolfT
yes, but I'll have to give you all
musErats.'
"But we didn't think nothin' o. it in
them days, cause it was reg'lGr busi-
ness. That circ'Iatin' mejum was lee
tie onhandy in one way, though. Folks
had to carry their currency around iii
Il bushel bag if they was out to do
much cash business, an if they was
b'arskin men, why, Judas preachin',
they had to carry it in Il wagon.
But them days o pelt currency was
the good old days tell you. STILL" said
the deacon after pause, II dunno but
| ken manage to slide along jest as
cheerful in these days o gold an silver
an paper currency, even though 1t is
all pervadin' skeerce." - New York
Times.
F-oStoa