People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 June 1893 — DAD AND THE DOLLAR. [ARTICLE]

DAD AND THE DOLLAR.

; Results of Bad Financial Teachings—Only Sixty-four Cent*. Eh?—Lesson on Silver Enforced With Fists. [Enter boy with badly bruised face and eye swelled shut] “My son, what on earth doe# this mean?” * “It means that Tom Jones lied to me.” “But you should never fight I must punish you severely.” I “He hit me first and called you an old turncoat, and “Called me an old turncoat?” “Yes. It was this way, pa. He told me he would give me a dollar to saw a cord of wood, then when I got it dono he would only pay me 64 cents ” “Only 64 cents!” “That is all he would pay me.” “Perhaps you misunderstood him, my Bon.” | “No I didn't I guess I know 64 cents when I see it” "I mean about the price.” “No, sir, he said he would give me a dollar. ” | “Well, put your hat on, my son. I’ll go over and see that he pays you a doli lar, according to contract." Going they meet boy (badly battered) accompanied by his father. | “There's Tom, pa." Jones —How’s this? Your son assaulted mine, and I've come to demand satisfaction. I Smith—Yes, and so have I. Your lazy runt of a boy can’t hire my boy ! and agree to pay him a dollar a day j and then only pay him 04 cents. Besides, lie assaulted my boy first. Jones—You’re a liar, you son of a [They both clinch and so do the hoys.] For a few minutes the air is blue with profanity and hair. Then the crowd, which has assembled, separj ates them. [Bystander picks up silver ; dollar and hands it to Smith’s son.] “Here’s a dollar dropped out of your pocket during the scuttle.” | [Boy takes it.] “That is the same dollar I paid him for sawing wood—-boo-ho!” Smith boy—’Tain’t a dollar. It’s only 64 cents Smith —Is that what the Jones boy paid you, my son? “Yes, pa, it is.” Smith—Mr. Jones, I beg your pardon I see through it all now. “My son, that is a dollar. How ridiculous you have made me appear.” “Pa, it was only last week I heard you argue for an hour that silver dollars are worth only 6* cents, and that it is a disgrace to coin them, and ” “Oh! Ah! Well! you see—a—” “No I don’t see Ah! with both eyes about swelled shut, now. I’ll lick h—l out —” “Sh! my boy—a—yon must beg his pardon—” “What! Be swindled out of 86 cents, then be pulverized, then ask pardon— I’ll be ramshackled if I’ll do it —I —” “My son. it is all a mistake. That is a dollar and will buy as much as any other dollar and is just as good as any other dollar.” “Then why did you say last week it it is a dishonest dollar?” “Oh! I—ah; well, Pye been taught by the politicians newspapers and office seekers to say so, and —” “Is that all the reason you had for saying so?” “My son, you are a fright.” “Pa, you look as though you had been through a thrashing machine.” Jones —And it’s all on account of the tariff. Smith to Jones —Don’t you think it’s time to stop this rot about a silver dollar not being worth as much as a gold one. “You’re right; I do. Let’s give the boys a dollar apiece and go and join the populists.” “Agreed.”—Nonconformist.