
          812.

Beaver Dam.  I left home about half past eight o'clock and
reached Towson at quarter of ten.  From T. I went to L. taking
the path through the woods.  Not far from the station is the
home of an old German shoemaker by the name of Wiegandt.
Just as I came to his house, he was closing his well, so I stopped
to have, as I thought, a moment's chat with him, but I found him
a great talker.  I found him, as Germans generally are, a true German,
as my test regarding the qualities of German and American
shoemakers soon showed - the German shoemakers were of course
"viel besser". Mr W. has managed to save $500 and owns his property
a part of which brings him $5 a month rent.  He is 62 yrs. old, but
I thought him much older, in fact had he said he was 82, I would
not have been surprised.  With his $500 in bank, his $5 a month
rent, his bit of ground, and his business(?), he ekes out a very
independent existence.  He has a very curious notion regarding his
money.  A certain Jew, a friend of his, told him that every gold dollar
was worth two silver dollars, so his $500 in bank were worth $1000.
This, he was certain of, as long as the Republicans were in control, but
if the Democrats should once come in control his $500 would only be
worth $500.  Notwithstanding that his money was worth double its
        