vor of the merchant. Little money was used. It was a traffic
in commodities. It was not unusual for the merchant to drive horses
and cattle to Pittsburg or further east, and send the proceeds to
the eastern merchant.

In the fall of the year it was quite common for the farmer to load
upon his wagon his surplus wheat and haul it fifty miles to Sandusky
and Milan, receiving in return salt and farming implements, and
the balance in money. Wheat was then the only article that would
command cash. At this season the highway was often blocked with
long trains of wagons that would not give way for other vehicles.
At night the wagons would be parked on the roadside near a creek,
and the farmers and their boys would have a regular joyous picnic
on provisions brought from home. This was the life of a farmer
before the days of railroads, and I am not sure but it was a more
happy one than now. Then the village blacksmith or shoemaker, the
tinker, the carpenter and the mechanic of every trade had his shop
and was a far more important and independent citizen than now, when
grouped into large manufacturing and machine works.

While a student, I was frequently sent by my brother to Wooster,
the nearest bank, with large sums of money to purchase exchange on
New York for his clients. These trips I always made on horseback.
Once, as I was to start quite early in the morning, I received
nearly $2,000 in bills the night before, in two packages, and placed
them in my overcoat. In the morning I threw my overcoat over my
arm and went for my horse. Before mounting I felt for the money
and found it was gone. I started in alarm for the house and on my
way found one package of $1,000 lying on the sidewalk at the corner
of the street where I had passed, but the other was nowhere to be
seen. I felt sure it was picked up by some one. I at once gave
notice to my brother, and he took immediate measures to trace the
finder. I cannot express the chagrin and anxiety which I suffered
on account of my carelessness, but Charles uttered no reproach,
but prepared to replace the loss. Fortunately within a month the
lost money was traced to an "early drunkard," who found the package
on the pavement while going for his morning grog. He was watched
and at night was seen to take some money from his trunk. A search
warrant soon led to the restoration of the money, except a small
sum he had spent. This incident attached me the more to my brother.