Smyrna times., 1902-01-22
PELTS AS CURRENC
MlNKS AND OFFERS WERE LIKE UNTO
GOVERNMENT CONDS.

and Foxes end Wolves cnd 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. V, 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. Farmcr
Beacks had just received 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
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-fve years an more ago. There
was currency enough then. | want to
tell We. 1t want silver. though. Nor
it want gold. Nor it want paper. 1t
was petS.
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 mnks an
otters, an so muskratS an GOODS an
foxes an wolves an bars was the real
circ'latin' mejum in them days.
"AIinks 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
snifter O. rum and tanZy, but you
wouldn't git no change. If you planked
down a cOonskin, though. you'd git
your snifter an two muskrat skins
change.
"A feller that went in with a coon
skin he was tolable well fixed. but
with a foxsbin or a wolfskip he cOulL
shop around quite some \ man Will
a b'arskin-Oh, well! Nobody didn't ash
no questions about a man that had ;
h'arskin with him when he went trad
in!
ut didn't seem pertic'lar queer il
! them days the way things was run oil
that pelt currency, but I've an idee it,
strike folks leetle singular nowadays
Pears to me ia have to snort GU
lauGhn' my own self if feller shoul(
E come to me an say:
, "'OeacOn. I'm a leetle financially EN-
E barrassed today. Ken you lend me
= foXskin for a couple O. days or SOP
THAT surely would make me snicke
if | heerd it now. An to hear som
|
a hear it many n time | bet would sc
p me to gigglin like all possessed. Some
2 thin like this. fer instance, over yende
D 10 Uncle Siles store:
: How much fer them air cowski
boots. Uncle SileT
: Then: Why. fox an COON
" 'Leetle high. SilaS. Can't STAN Il
Give you three cOons fer EN-
IL "'No. Can't be did nobOw. Best
1 ken do is three coOns an Il muslrat.'
n '"Thatd be funnier to ne than mis-
q ger show now. An somethin' like thi
~ would bust my buttons, | know
would:
:, "'Deacon. ken you give me chang
i fer wolfY
II "'Yes, but I'll have to give you a
1t muskrats.'
et "But we didn't think nothin' O. it
them days. cause it was reg'lar bus
ness. That circ'latin mejum was a le
tie onhandy in one way. though. Foil
had to carry their currency around
- a bushel bag if they was out to q
much cash business. an if they W;
" b'arskin men, why. Judas preachir
ls they had to carry it in a wagon.
ed But them days o pelt currency W.
ly the good ole days, tell you. STILL" sa
i the deacon after a pause, Il dunno b.
id ken manage TO slide along jest ;
10 cheerful in these days o. gold an silv
=, an paper currency, even though it
y all pervadin' skeerce." - New Yol
- Times.
FLORIDA.