"My father would have paid the smart and he ran etc.." The meaning is basically as follows. "Smart" means "smart money" which was money paid by a person to obtain exemption from some disagreeable office or duty. It was applied to to money paid by an army recruit to obtain release before being sworn in. (info from Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable). The father obviously learned of his son's recruitment and went to get the money to release him i.e the guinea but the army wanted him more and obviously refused. Hope that is of help.