A DIALOGUE ABOUT AFRICAN MONEY.
Teacher—Did you ever see African money? Scholar—I don't think I have, but I suppose it is very much like ours. T.—It is nothing like ours, nor like the money of any other country. Indeed, it cannot be called money, properly, for the people of Africa have neither coins nor bank-bills.318 T.—Sometimes they use beads, ivory, and cotton cloth, and in some sections, especially along the Congo, brass rods. S.—Brass rods! That is the strangest of all. How much are they worth? T.—About twelve cents and a half by the time they get to Africa, and it takes five of them to make a pound. T.—About twenty-six inches long. When Mr. Stanley was in Africa he used these rods, and at one time had four tons of them in his store-house on the Congo River. S.—They must be very inconvenient to carry around. T.—They do not carry them around as we do our money, but keep them stored away, and only bring them out when they want to trade. T.—Whatever they want. There are some things they never buy, because they do not wear them, such as boots, caps, trousers, and coats. Their only covering is a piece of cotton cloth wound around the loins of the grown people, while the children often are without even that. You see they don't spend money on dress, nor waste time in fixing up. One of the evil uses they make of these rods is to barter with them for human beings. S.—Do they buy and sell slaves in Africa? T.—A great many grown people, as well as children, are bought and sold even in those regions where white people are. They will give from two to three hundred brass rods for a good, bright boy. S.—Are they sold away from their parents? T.—Yes, they are bought by strangers, who sometimes take them far away from home, and who care nothing for them beyond the labor they get from them. One poor little slave boy came to a missionary and begged him to buy him from his master, for he knew he would be taught and well treated by the missionary. When the missionary had taken him, and he was dressed as English boys are, he put his arms around him, called him his father, and said that he would always live with him. S.—Are they doing nothing to stop this wicked thing? T.—Yes, missionaries are there laboring among these people, and we hope after awhile there will be no more people sold in Africa.—Gospel in All Lands.