Year: 1877


I.yet my salary was sufficient to supply Al
my reasonable wants.


But did not take to the change kindly
ard nv mind was constantly on The
search for some way out Of the difficulty
took in the situation as q speculative
study, aud undertook to analy ze The hard
times aud find the cause and remedy
ard before was aware OF it was deep'y y
b,orbed in mental speculations.


Everyone was crying hard times. 1t
echoed from every part OF the country,
invading every department OF business,
and everyone, from the lowest street
laborer to the priucelY merchant. was
weighed down by it.


With this condition of things in view
the Presidential campaign of 1876 found
me, and opened up wide field OF inves-
tigation.


/ What was the matter with the country
that business should not be so good as
| formerly? What was the cause OF all
this distress in the land?


Like a sick man, who catches at every
quack medicine, | caught ut every ism
that came along and tried lis taste.


| soon became convinced that the
trouble was political one hich must be
changed by legislative influence. There
wss something The matter with tue Gov
ernment machinery, which was doing
great wrong TO the people.


The first outside enlightenment re-
ceived was from Republican political
orator. lie told US that the country
would find prosperity only in the success
OF the Republican candidates. lie was
somewhat indefinite as to specific RENE
dies for our troubles. but he abounded in
positive generaiiIies.


was surprised at the interest | was
beginning To take 10 politics. This lee
ture gave me food for thought till few
days afterwards. when l-attended meet
Ing where a prominent speaker clearly
demonstrated that no prosperity could
come TO the country without radical
political change through the election OF
M Tilden.


This somewhat upset my former iT.-
proSSious. There was a show OF plausi-
biiJy in his arguments. inasmuch as the
hard times had come 10 Us under Repub-
licin rule.


The reader will readily understand
that was novice in politics or should
never have given these things second
thought,


\ lew days later received another
view of the times from the address Of Mr.
Wendal Philips in The interest OF the
P.0AjbitiJais.s. Il cjlld 10. be denied
that enough money was annually paid
ou, Tor lQlor 10 pay the whole National
deoi, aud it this could be applied to the
rc.i,t of the people We should have good
times.


Ny next research led mo to Investigate
our national finances. | read treatise
Oh The subject by learned westerner,
who talked of grcenbacks and bankers
til thought had found The key to the
whole difficulty.


was after night spent in profound
meditation on this subject, il when it
appeared that the bankers and rich men
were thriving at the expense OF the poor
mAn and that q Change in our financial
system alone would relieve the people,
that was informed. or entering the
store one morning, that, in consequence
OF business depression, the salaries OF all
th! clerks would he cut down; and SO
u.iue was reduced about one-third.


This necessitated still further reduc-
tion in my expenses. | went 10 my room
Ihst night in anything but an enviable
mood | felt that was oppressed by
tbs monied power oil which | had been
reading, and it was question how
coald get along with less than | had been
having. Why should others enjoy lux
uIies and not. when my services were
so valuable TO The world.


The sight OF letter lying on my desk
changed the current Of my thoughts. and
the post mark, which it bore OF my ma
tive village. had welcome look which
was pleasant aud soothing.


Now had always made it rule to
write home once week, and had always
conformed to that rule, no matter how
busy, although | had drited far away
from old-time associations and sometimes
paced the scenes of home in far-away
corner OF nv memory. Aud every week
brought me letter from home. telling
me all the little affairs OF interest in the
qIiet village that nestled far away among
the hills of Maine. And this one, COM
ing to The under my depression OF spirits
and anxiety Us to how | should be able
10 get along, seemed like = friend in
need, which diverted my thoughts from
ny own difficulties into q more loyal