The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-11-16
THE PINE TREE sHILLINGs.
FROM HAwrHoasr's oRAsprArHEn's CHAIR,

master OF Mas.schusetis and coined all the money
that was made there. This a new line OF bosi
ness for in the earlier days OF tho colony, The cur
rent coinage consisted OF gold and silver money o
England, Portugal, aud Spain. These CONS being
scarce the people often forced 10 barter then
commodities instead Of selling them
For instance, il a nan wanted to buy a coat hs
perhaps exchanged bear-skin for il. Ii he wished
fof barrel of nolasses, he might purchase with
pile OF pine boards. Muskel- bullets were used IN
stead Of farthings The indians had soIt OF money
called wampum, which made of clam-sheils and
this strange Of specie likewise taken in pay
ment Of debts by the English settlers. Bank bills
had never been heard of. There was not money
enough ofany kind, in many parts OF the country IL
pay the salaries OF the minister's so that they some
times had To take quinias of fish, bushels of corn or
cords OF wood, instead of silver or gold.
As the people grew more numerous and their
trade with another increased the want OF current
money was still more sensibly felt To supply the
demand, the general court passed law for establish
ing coinage of shings, sI1pences, and threepences
Captain John Hull was appointed to manufacture
this money, and was To have about one shilling out OF
every twenty TO pay him for his trouble OF making
them
Hereupon all the old silver in the colony hand
ed Capt John Hull. The battered silver cans
and tankards, suppose and silver buckles, and bro
ken spoons, and silver buttons OF out Coats and
silver hits Of swords that had figured at courl-ail
such old curious articles doubtless thrown the
melting pot together But by far the greatest part Of
the silver consisted Of bullion from the OF South
America, which the English BUCCANEERS, (who were
little better than praies) had taken from the Spaniards
and brought TO Massachusetts.
All this old and silver being melted down and
coined, the result was immense amount of splen-
did sailllngs, sxpences, and thrcepences Each had
the date OF 1862 the one side and the figure of a
pine tree the other. Hence they called pine
shlngs. And for every twenty shillings that he
coined you will remember Cap, John Hull was en-
titled TO but one shilling into his own pocket.
The magistrates soon began to su.pect that the
min, master would have the best OF the Bargain
They offered him large sum Of money if he would
bu. give up that twentieth shilling which he
tnually dropping into his own pocket. But Captain
Hull declared himself perfectly satisfied with the shil
ling. And well he might be; for SO diligently did he
labor, that in a few years, his pockets, his money
bags, and his strong box were overlooking with pine
tree shillngs. This was probably the case when he
came into possession of Grandfather's chair, and as
be had worked hard at the mint, it certainly
proper that he should have comfortable chair rest
himself on.
When the mint master had grown very rich, young
man, Samuel Sewell by name came counting 10 his
only daughter His aughter-whose name do not
know, but we will call her Betsey-was fine hearty
damse by means slender as some young ladies
of our own days. On the contrary, having always
fed heartily pumpkin pies, dough nuts Indian pud-
dings and other Puritan dantes, she was round
and plump pudding herself With this round,
rosy Miss Betsey did Samuel Sewell fall in love. As
he was young man of good character, industrious
in his business and member Of the church. the mint
master very readily gave his assent.
"Yes-you may take her" said he, in his rough
way, and you'll find her heavy burthen enough y
On the wedding day we may suppose that honest
John Hull dressed himself in plum cooIed coat all
the buttons of which made Of ne-tree shlings.
The buttons of his waiscoat six pences and the
knees Of his small clothes were buttoned with silver
threepences. Thus attred, he sat with great dignity
in Grandfather's chair; and, being porty old gen
teman, he completely filled it from elbow to elbow. On
the opposite side the ROOM between her bridesmaid
sat Miss Betsey She blushing with all her
might and looked like full grown p@ony, great
apple or any other round and scarlet object.
| There too was the bridegroom dressed IN fine
purple coat and gold laced was,coat, with much
other fneIy the Puritan laws and customs would
allow him TO put on. His hair cropped close to his
head, because Governor Endicott had forbidden any
man to wear it below the ears. But he very
personal young man; and SO thought the bridesmaids
and Miss Betsey herself
/ The mint master also pleased with his new SON. IN
law especially as he had courted Miss Betsey out OF
pure love- and had said nothing all about her por-
ton. So, when the marriage ceremony was over
Captain Hull whispered word or two to his men,
servants, who imm, dately went out and
| ed, Juggling in large pair of scales. They were
such pair wholesa ale merchants use for weighing
bulky commodities; and quite bulky commodity
1
Daughter Betsey," said the mint master, get into
| one side Of these scales"
Miss Betsey-or Mrs Sewell as we must now call
her-did as she bid, like duful child, withou,
any question of the why and wherefore But what
her father could mean, unless to make her husband
pay for her by the pound, Tin which she would
have been dear bargain) she had the least idea
"And nov" said honest John Hull TO the servants
| bring that box hither."
The box to which the mintmaster pointed, was
rnn hest WA ,,,h
my children, for all four of you to play al hide anc
seek in. The servants tugged with might and main
but could not lft this enormous receptacle and were
finally Obliged to drag it the floor Captain
Hull then took key from his girdle, unlocked the
chest, and raised its ponderous lid. Behold il wa,
full to the brlm of bright pine-tree shilngs fresh
from the mint; and Samuel Sewell began 10 think
that his father had got possession Of all the mo
ney in the Massachusetts, treasury But it was onl,
the mint-masters honest share of the coinage
Then the servants, at Capt Hus command, heap
ed double handfulls Of shngs into one side of The
scales, while Betsy remained in the other Jingle
jingle went the shillings, handful after handful
was thrown in, ill plump and ponderous as abe was
they fairly weighed the young lady from the floor.
There, son Sewe cried the honest mi nj master
resumng his seat in Grandiathers chair "take these
shillings for my daughters portion Use her kindly
and thank Heaven for her. 1t is not every wife tina
is worth her weight in silver"
The children laughed heartily at this legend an,
would hardly be convinced but that Grandfather ha,
made It out of his own head He assured them faith
fully, however that lie had found il in the pages
grave historian, and had merely tried to tell il in
somewhat funnier style.
Well, Grandfather" remarked Clara, {" if wed
ding portions nowadays were paid as Miss Betsy
was young ladies would not pride themselves upon Al
airy figure, as many of them do"
From The Mercantile Journal
We nprceive that since IN, ,loc,;c.,. h. - N,