The boy travellers in the Far East : adventures of two youths ... - Library

INCONVENIENT CURRENCY. 25
Japan you will get Japanese money or Mexican dollars, which are cur-
rent there ; in India they would give j^ou rupees ; in Ilussia, rabies
in Italy, lire ; in France, francs ; in Spain, pesetas, and so on. They
give you the ecpiivalent of the amount you draw on your letter."
This reminded the Doctor of a story, and at the general request he
told it.
A traveller stopped one night at a tavern in the interior of Minne-
sota. On paying his bill in the morning, he received a beaver skin in-
stead of a dollar in change that was due him. The landlord explained
that beaver skins were legal tender in that region at a dollar each.
lie hid the skin under his coat, walked over the street to a trrocerv
store, and asked the grocer if it was true that beaver skins were legal
tender for one dollar each.
rate."
CHANGE FOE A DOLLAR—EEPORE AND AFTER.
" Certainly," answered the grocer, " everybody takes them at that
" Then be kind enough to change me a dollar bill," said the stranger,
drawing the beaver skin from under his coat and laying it on the
counter.
The grocer answered that he was only too happy to oblige a stranger,
and passed out four musk-rat skins, which were legal tender, as he said,
at twenty-iive cents each.
" Please, Doctor," said Mary, " what do you mean by legal tender f
The Doctor explained that legal tender was the money which the
law declares should be the proper tender, or offer, in paying a debt.
" If