JOBE MUST RAISE $2,100.
MY heart is heavy. Poor Jobe is nearly destracted. Our home is in
jeopardy. Congressman Richer must have his money. He must have it by
Aprile fust. Poor feller, he too is in bad straits; his gittin defeated
last fall upset his calkerlations.
And jist to think, Jobe voted agin him; helped to defeat him, as it
were. But Mistur Richer holds no spite agin Jobe for that. He was a
Dimicrat, and he knew Jobe was a strait Republican.
Such things will happen to any feller runnin for office; somebody has to
be defeated. They all cant hold office. I wish he had been elected agin,
and so does Jobe. Jobe wishes it, though he is a Republican and voted
agin him.
Poor Mistur Richer, he is in desperate strates. He is hard up. If he had
been elected agin he wouldent a been that way.
It makes my head swim to think about what his disappointments are and
may be.
Here is his letter to Jobe. It is so kind and nice. And jist to think of
what a big man it is from, and the place. Jobe likes to read the headin:
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 23, 1895.
J. GASKINS, ESQ.:
_Dear Sir and Friend_—Owing to circumstances over which I _now_ have no
control, I am compelled to call on you to pay the $2,100 with interest
due me on mortgage, not later than April 1st of the current year.
No doubt, Mr. Gaskins, this will take you unawares, and most probably
unprepared. Were it not for the political reverses with which I met last
fall, I would not be compelled to do what, I assure you, is a very
unpleasant thing to me, _i. e._, call on you for this money at this
time.
No doubt you will think that on the $5,000 a year salary I have drawn
for two years, now nearly past, and the other sources of revenue that
have become the perquisites belonging to a Congressman’s office, I ought
to be able to get along without, in this way, inconveniencing you.
Had I been re-elected last fall I would have been in such circumstances.
But when I call your attention to the fact that the nomination two years
ago cost me $2,500 spot cash; that I have only been able to dispose of a
very few post-offices at anything like paying prices; that, it being my
first term, my services were not sought to any paying extent by those
seeking “profitable” legislation, as well as the high rents and expenses
in maintaining the dignity of myself and family, I am satisfied you will
realize not only my great disappointment, but the loss, financially, I
suffer as a consequence of my late defeat.
True, I have bought something like $20,000 worth of real estate in this
city, but I still owe nearly $5,000 on it. I bought it expecting to be
re-elected; so you will see the necessity of my calling in the money I
now have outstanding in order to meet the deferred payments on my real
estate venture.
I may be able to dispose of one and possibly two more post-offices
between now and March 4th, but as they are small offices it is not
likely that I will get more than $300 to $500 each for them, and as the
friends of my successor are using every effort to postpone these
appointments until after March 4th, you can see that I may even lose the
profit on these appointments, since, as you are aware, all such revenue
goes to my successor after that date.
The fact is, friend Gaskins, I have not been able to clear over $15,000
in the two years I have served as your Congressman, while some of the
older members (those better known and more sought for by the liberal
rich who come here to secure legislation favorable to their interests)
make as high as a million a year.
With kind regards to Betsy, and hoping you will not put me to the
necessity of foreclosing the mortgage I hold against you, I am
Yours truly,
D. M. J. RICHER, M. C.
[Illustration: “That very sheet of paper.”]
Now, jist to think, that letter, that very sheet of paper, come right
from the great capital of these here United States; right from where all
the great and leadin men of the country sit and make laws, and sell
post-offices and sich—yes, this very sheet of paper has been writ on,
handled and folded by a live and livin Congressman. The beautiful red
tongue of a real Congressman licked that invelope, and his fingers
sealed it up and put it in that great marble post-office there; then it
traveled across them high mountains, over the big rivers and through the
great cities to Jobe Gaskins, a common, everyday farmer, of Tuskaroras
County, Ohio.
[Illustration: Congressman Richer.]
Yes, that letter was writ by fingers that have fingered $5,000 salary
money in only twelve months, and the Lord only knows how much
post-office money—but lots—as it must a been, though they dident sell
high enough to suit him.
Five thousand dollars from Noo Years to Noo Years! More than Jobe
Gaskins has cleared since he become the lawful husband of his dear wife
Betsy!
And jist to think, all them $5,000 paid by taxes. Paid by Jobe and his
likes.
Poor Mr. Richer, how he must pant and sweat to airn that much money in
twelve months—as much as Jobe could airn in twenty years if he could
airn $250 every year. Jist to think how Jobe works and sweats, and walks
stiff and plans and studies, and don’t airn $250 a year.
I expect there wasent a dry thread in all of Mr. Richer’s clothes.
I expect that even his pants was wet through every day of that whole
year.
What big washins poor Mrs. Richer must a had.
Jobe he jist couldent stand sich sweatin, day in and day out.
It would take a whole barrel of soft soap to keep his clothes clean.
Five thousand dollars!
Five thousand dollars a year!!
Four hundred and sixteen dollars a month!!!
Seventeen dollars a day for every workin day in the year!
Seventeen dollars!
Enough to buy me twenty-four caliker dresses a day!
[Illustration: “Jobe works and sweats.”]
One every hour!!
Seven thousand four hundred and eighty-eight caliker dresses in a
year!!!
How in the world could I git them all made?
I spect poor Mrs. Richer has to so day and nite.
And jist to think, all of them 7,488 dresses for one man’s wife!
All paid for by taxes.
Now I wonder, if them Congressmen dident have to work so hard, and could
get along on less pay—I wonder if the tax-payer’s wife wouldent have a
dress or two more, even if Mrs. Richer and her likes had to get along on
a dress or two less? The Lord knows she could spare them out of all them
7,488 dresses.
Well, the idea okepyin my mind most now is: “Where can Jobe git the
money to pay all that $2,100, when he haint got even one post-office to
sell?”
[Illustration]