The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-07-02

lings. Aud for every twenty shiIllngs
that he coined, you will remember Capt
Hull was entitled to put one into his own
pocket.
The magistrates began to suspect that
the min: master would have the hest of
the bargain They offered him a large
sum of money if he would give up that
20lh shilling, which he was continually
dropping into his own pocket, Capt.
HUI! declared that he was perfectly sat
ls6ed with the shilling. And well he
might be; for so diligently did he labor,
that in a few years his pockets, his mon
ey bags, aud his strong box, was over
flowing with pine tree shillings. This
was probably the case when he came in
to possession Of his grandlathcr's chair
TO rest himself on.
When the mint master had grown very
rich, young man, Samuel Sewcl by
name, came couuing his only daugh>
ter: his daughter (whose name do not
know, but we will call her Be,sey,) was
a fine, hearty damscI, by no means so
slender as some young ladies of our
own days.
On the contrary, having always fed
heartily on pumpkin pics, dougbnuts, In
dian puddings, and other puritan dan-
ties, she was round, and plump as pud-
ding With this round, rosy Miss Bet
sey did Samuel fall in love. As he was
a Young man of good character, indus
trious in business, and member OF the
church, the mint master very readily
gave his consent
Yes, YOU may take her. said he in
his rough way, and you will find her a
heavy burden enough.
On the wedding day, as we may sup.
pose, honest Hull dressed himself in a
plain coloted coat, all the buttons of
which were made of pine-tree shillings
The buttons of his waistcoat were made
of threepcncrs Thus atiired he sat
with great dignity in his grandfather s
chair and being a portly old gentle
man, he completely filled it from elbow
to elbow. On the opposite side Of the
room between the bridesmaids, sat Miss
Betsey. She was blnshing with all her
might, and looked like full blown
peony, great red apple, or any other
round and scarlet object.
There, too, was the bridegroom. dress
ed in fine purple coat, and gold lace
walsicoat with as much other fnery as
the Puritan laws and customs would all
low him to put on. His hair was cropt
close to his head, because Gov. Endcott
had forbidden any one to wear it below
his ears; but he was a very personable
young man, and so thought the brides
maids and Miss Betsey herself.
The mint master was pleased with his
new son-in.law-especially as he had
said nothing at all about her portion SO
when the marriage ceremony was over,
Capt. Hull whispered word or Two to
his men-servants, who Immediately went
out aud soon returned lugging a pair Of
scales. They were such pair as whole
sale merchants use for weighing; a
bulky commodity was now to be weigh
ed in them.
" Daughter Beisey," said the min
master, Ego into one side Of the scales. )
Miss Betsey, or Mrs. Sewel, as we
must now call her, did as she was bid
like dulilul child, without any ques
tons, or why or wherefore; but what he
father could mean unless to make he
husband pay for her by the pound, il
which case she would have been dea
bargain, she had not the least idea.
And now, " said honest John Hui
to his servants, "bring that box hither.
This box to which the mint maste
pointed was large square, iron-bound
oaken chest; it was big enough, m
children, for all four of you to play hid
and seek in,
The servants tugged with might an,
main, but could not lift this enormous re
cePtacle, and were finally obliged to dra,
it across the floor.
Capt Hull then took a key from hi
glrdle, unlocked the chest, and lifted it
ponderous lid Behold! 1t was full t
r the brim of bright pine-tree shilling.
, fresh from the mint, and Samuel Sewc
began to think that his father-in.law ha
: got possession OF all the money in tn
, Massachusetts Treasury. But it wa
5 only the mint masters honest share i
the coinage.
. Then the servants, at Capt Hull
! command, heaped double handiulls {
shillngs into one side of the scales, Will
/, Belsey remained in the other. Jingle
, jingle, went the shllings, as handful a
4 ter handful was thrown in, till plump an
1 ponderous as she was, they fairly weigl