Red Lodge picket., 1902-01-31
PEL1's AS CURRENCY
M,NKs AND oTTERs WERE LIKE UNTO
GOVERNMENT BONDS.
che Days When Mu.lrnts and Coons
and Foxes end Wolves and Dears
Were the Peoples Money. So to
Sneak. In New York State.

Were the Peoples Money, So to |
sneak. In New York State.
The man Of leisure from New York
city who had been laZing away II
fortnight OF so of his not particularly
valuable time at kyserick, in Ulster
county. y. y. had made UP his mind
to return to his haunts in the mctropo-
lis and noncilalantly tossed the tavern
keeper Il one hundred dollar note out
OF which to take pay for his bill. The
landlord could not change the note.
Neither could Deacon Rlimber. who
was by.
1t was not until it had been sent all
about the neighborhood that amy one
was found with currency enough on
hand. to ..brcak" the bill Farmer
Beacks had Just received pay for his
seasons tater crop and had change for
more than S1OO.
'.lt beats all. an it's singular" said
the landlord :ls he counted out the New
Workers. change. what folks goes an
does with all their ready money. There
don't seem to he no currency no more
no currency a-circulatin' ut ALL
This seemed to lie Deacon Blimbcr's
opportunity.
"You orto ben here. then.' said he,
when my folks settled. somcthin' like
seventy-five years am 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 pelts.
"srhe crc'latin' meinm d the deestric
in then, days run from muskrat clean
lp to bar. There was minks am there
was offers, an the man that could
manage to harvest plenty o them crit
tiers was the man that stood way nr
il the money market. But it want ev-
cry one that could gethrr in minks an'
offers, an SO muskrats an cooDs ar
foxes an wolves an bars was tile real
circ'latin' mejum in them days.
..AIinks an offers was what you
mowt call COVER ment bonds. Mnskrats
an coons an foxes an wolves an bars
was the peoples money. 50 70 speak.
Ii you went to the tavern an planked
uON u .yOll lIluSAtul SNlA. y Ou ee'A y SaA
sniftcr q rum and tanzy, but you
wouldn't git no change. II you plankcd
down q coonskin, though, you'd git
your snifter am two m,iskrat skins
change.
"A feller that went in With Il COON
skin lie was tolable well fixed, hut
with Il foXslin or Il wolfskin he could
shop around quite some. A man with
b'arskin-oh, we'll! Nobody didn't ask
no questions about II man that had Il
b'arskin with him when lie went trad
| in!
1T didn't seem pcrtic'lar queer in
them days the way things was run Oh
that pelt currency. but I've an idee it'd
strike folks a lcetle sing'lar nowadays.
Pears to me I'l have to snort out
laughin' my own self if IL feller should
come to me an say:
'.Deacon, I'm Il lcetle financially EN-
barrassed today. Ken you lend me a
foxskin for couple O days or so?'
"That surely would make me snicker
If | heerd it now. An to hear some
shoppin' goi,' on today like use tc
hear 1T many a time | bet would sci
me to sigglin' like all possessed. Some
thin like this. fer instance, over yendel
to Uncle SHE'S store:
".How much fer them air cOwski!
boots, Uncle Slc?'
"'Them? Why. fox an Il COON
".I.eetle high. Sias. Can't STAN it
Give YOU three coons fer EN-
NO Can't be did nohow. Rest
ken do is three coons an Il musErat.'
..'rhat'd be fnnnier to me than o mig
ger show now. An somethn' like this
would bust my buttons, know i
would:
...Deacon, ken you give me chang,
fer Il wOfy'
Yes, but I'll have to give You al
j, nluskrats'
..Rut We didn't think notkin, q 1t II
. them days, cause it was reg'lar busi
ness That circ'Iatin' mejnnl was Il Ice
tie Onhandy in one way. though. Folk!
had to carry their currency around II
u busl,el bag il they was out to d'
much cash business. an il they w;.'
b'arslsin men. why. Judas prclchin'
, they had TO carry it in a wagon.
'.Bnt them days O. pelt currency wa
. the good old days. tell you. Still" sai'
, the deacon after Il pause. Il dunno bu
| ken manage to slide along jest ~
cheerful in these days O gold an silve
an paper currency. even though it j
all pervadin' skeerce." - New YOr
, Times.
Tastes Differ.
People have different tastes. DO no
grumble at your neighbor because Ii
does not accept your opinions an
does not like your amuselnents. Th
rpri+ar nf this does not like football