The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-11-13
pirates had taken from the spaniaris and brought

pirates,) had taken from the Spaniards and brought
10 Massachusetts.
All this old and new silver being melted down
| and coined, the result immense amount Of
| splendid shilings, sixpences, and threepences
Each had the date of 1852 on the one side and the
| figure of pine-tree on the other side. Hence
they were called pine tree shilIings. And for every
twenty shllings that he coined, you will remember
Captain John Hull was entitled to put one shilling
| in his own pocket. The magistrates soon began
to suspect that the mint-master would have the
best Of the bargain. They offered him a large
sum of money if he would give up that twentieth
shilling, which he was continually dropping into his
pocket But Capt. Hull declared that he was per-
ectly satisfied with the shilling. And we'll he
might be, for 50 diligently did he labor, that in a
lew years his pockets, his money bag, and his
strong 6ox, were overlooking with pine-tree shil-
iings' This was probably the case when he came
INTO possession of his grandfathers chair; and as
he had worked SO hard at the mint, it was certainly
proper that he should have comfortable chair to
rest himself on.
When the mnt-master had grown very rich,
young man, Samuel Seawell by name, came court
ing his only daughter. His daughter, whose
name do not know; bit we will call her Betsey
betsey was fine, hearty damse by no means as
slender as some young ladies' of our own days. On
the contrary, having always fed heartily on pump
KIN pies, doughnuts, Indian puddngs, and other
Puritan dainties, she was as round and plump as a
".
Samuel Seawell 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 consent
Yes you may take her, said he, in his rough
enough"
On the wedding day we may suppose that
honest John Hull dressed himself in plain coat,
all the buttons of which were made of pine. tree
shiillngs' The buttons of his wastcoat were six
pences; and the knees of his small clothes were
buttoned with silver threepences Thus attired
he sat with great dignity in his grandfather's chair
ana an, being portly old gentleman, he completely
hlled It from elbow to elbow On the opposite side
Of the room, between the bridemaids sat Miss
Betsey She was blushing with all her might
and looked IKE full blown peony, great red
apple, or any other round and scarlet object.
There, too, was the bridegroom, dressed in fine
purple coat and gold lace waistcoat, with as much
other hnery as the Puritan laws and customs would
allow him to put His hair was cropt close to
his head, because Governor Endicott had forbidden
any man to wear it below the ears. But he was
very personable young man and so thought the
bridemaids and Miss Betsy herself
he mint-master was also pleased with his netv
son-ln- law-especially as he had said nothing of
her portion. So when the marriage ceremony was
over, Captain Hull whispered word to two of his
men servants, who Immediately went out and
soon returned Juggling in large pair of scales
They were such pair as wholesale merchants use
Tor weighing bulky commodity was now to be
weighed in them
Daughter Betsey," said the mint-master, " 90
into one side of the scales"
Miss Betsey-or Mrs. Seawell, as we must now
call her-did as she was bid, like dutiful child.
without any question of why or wherefore. But
~hdt her iather could mean, unless to make her
husband pay for her by the pound, Gn which case
she would have been a dear bargain,l she had NOT
the least idea 'N'' i'o'
A nd 1
vents, bring that box hither''
The box TO which the mint-master pointed was a
huge, square, iron-bound oaken chest il was big
enough, my children, for all four of YOU to plav
hide and seek in.
The servants tugged with all their might and
main, but could not even lift this enormous recsn
floor. - 'ooa '''e
Captain Hull then took key out of his pirdle.
unlocked the chest and lifted the ponderons lid.
2enolu II was tul to the brim of bright pine-tree
shilngs, fresh from the mint; and SamneI Sea
well began 70 think That his father-nlavg had por
possession of the money in Massachusetts rea.
s0ry BUT 1t was the mint-master's honest share
Of the coinage.
Then the servants, at Captain Hu's command.
heaped double handsful ofshillings into one side of
me scales, while Betsey remained in the other.
jingle Jingle went the shillings, as handful after
handful was thrown in till, plump and ponderous l
floor. -O-' 'Do
There, son Seawell,' cried the honest mint
master, resuming his seat in his grand fathers
chair, take these shillings for my daughters Dor
on-!ise her kindly, and thank Heaven for her,
,ilverr' i' al
The children laughed heartily at this legend, and
would hardly be convinced but grand father had
made IL out of his own head. He assured them
aIthiully, however, that he had found il in the
'ages OF grave historian, and merely had tried to
ell IN somewhat fuQnier sfVle.
:. Well, grandfather" !" remarked Clara, "ifwed-
ing portions nowadays were paid as Miss Bet
ey's was, young ladies would not pride themselves
ipon an airy figure, as many of them do.''