Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 154, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 June 1913 — Arbitrated. [ARTICLE]

Arbitrated.

Conversation among travellers is frequently absurdly trivial. After several days together, as on shipyard, every one is idle, and talks about the most unimportant matters with the deepest interest. R. H. Milligan, In a book entitled “The Jungle Folk of Africa,” recounts with what complacency the conclusion was reached that the thirteen colonies should never have rebelled, and that the blame was all on the side of England. One man, moreover, disclosed the fact that he always wore safety-pins Instead of garters, and descanted upon his preference with such enthusiasm that he made at least one convert . One night we put in practice the at arbitration, of which we were all adherents. An argument had. arisen among us as to which was the more simple of the two currency systems, dollars and cents, or pounds, shillings |md pence. At last, the captain arriving, we decided to refer the (natter to him, and to surrender our Judgment to his arbitration. The captain, an Englishman of the very stolid sort, after a period of reflection, replied very slowly, and with all the gravity of a Judge: “Pounds, shillings and pence Is the simpler system; far, don’t you know that when you are told the price of a thing In dollars and cents you always have to convert It into pounds, shillings and pence.” There was a little objection to this theory, but in general it was perfectly satisfactory so long as the voyage lasted.