Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-07-16


and coined, the result was an immense amount
of splendid shllings, six-pences and three-pences:
Each had the date of 1862 on the one side, and
the figure of pine tree on the other. And for
every twenty shillings that he coined, you will
remember, Capt. Jno. Hull was entitled to put
one shilling in his own pocket. The magistrates
soon began 10 suspect that the mint-master would
have the best of the bargain. They offered him
large sum of money if he would give up the
twentieth shilling, which he was continually drop
ping in his pocket But Capt. Hull declared he
was perfectly satisfied with the shilling, and well
he might be, for so diligently did he labor, that
in few years his pockets, his money bags and
his strong box were overfowing with plne-tree
shilings. This was probably the case when he
came into possession of his grand fathers chair !;
and, as he worked so hard at the mint it was
certainly proper that he should have comtona-
bic chair to rest himself on.
| When the mint-master was grown very rich,
Young man, Samuel Sewell by name, came
courting his daughter Betsy, a fine hearty dam
sci, by no means so slender as some ladies of our
own DAYS. On the contrary, having always fed
heartily on pumpkin pies, indian puddings, dough-
nuts, and other Puritan dainties she was as round
and plump as pudding herself With this
round, rosy Miss Betsy, did Samuel Scwell fall
in love- As he was young man of good char
acter 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
way, "you will find her heavy burden 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
shillings. The buttons of his waist-coat were
sixpences and the knees of his small clothes were
buttoned with silver threepences. Thus attired,
he sat with great dignity in his grandfather's
armchair, and, being a portly old gentleman
he completely filled it from elbow to elbow. On
the opposite side of the room between her brides
maids, sat Miss Betsy She was blushing with
all her might, and looked like full-blown peoni,
great red apple, or any other round and scar
let object.
There, too, was the bridegroom, dressed in
fine purple coat and gold-laced waistcoat, with
as much other finery as the Puritan laws and
customs would allow them to put on. His hair
was cropped close to his head because Governor
Endicot had forbidden any man to wear it below
his ears. But he was very personable young
man, and so thought the bridesmaids and Miss
Betsy herself
The mint-master was also pleased with his
new son-in,law, especially as he had said nothing
at at all about her portion. So when the mar
riage ceremony was over, Captain Hull whisper
ed q word or two to his men-servantS, whomme-
diately went out, and soon returned Juggling in
large pair of scales. They were such pair as
wholesale merchants use for weighing; bulky
commodity was now to be weighed i'll them.
"Daughtcr Betsy" said the mintmaster; so
into one side of the scales"
Miss Betsv-or Mrs. Scwell, as we must now
call her-did as she was Did, like a duttul child,
without any question Of why. Bnt what her
father could mean, unless to make hcr husband
pay for her by the pound, in which case she
would have been dear bargain,) She had not
the least idea.
'And now,' said honest John Hull to his ser
wants, bring that box hither."
The box to which the mint-master pointed, was
hugh, square, iron bound, oaken chest; 1t was
big enough to play hide and seek in. The SER
wants tugged with their might and main, but
could not lift this enormous receptacle, and were
finally obliged to drag it across the floor
Captain Hull then took key out of his glr-
die, unlocked the chest and lifted its ponderous
lid. Behold it was full to the brim of bright
pinctree shiings, fresh from the mint, and SAM
ucl Scwel began to think that his father-in-law
had got possession of all the money in Massa-
chusetts treasury. But it was the mint-mastcr's
honest share of the coinage.
Then the servants, at captain lluFs command,
hcapcd double-handfulls of shillngs into one
side of the scales, while Betsy remained in the
other. Jingle, jingle, went the shilings, as
handful after handful were thrown in till plump
and ponderous as she was they weighed the
young lady from the floor.
"Thcre, son Scwell,' cried the. honest mint
MASTER resuming his seat in his grand-fathcrs 5
chair; "take these shillings for my daughters
portion. Use her kindly and thank heaven ior
her, for it is not every wife that is worth her
weight in silver"
We laughed heartily at this legend, and would
hardly be convinced but grandfather had made
it out of his own head. He assured us faithful
ly however that he had found it in the pages of
a grave historian, and merely had tried TO tell it
in funnier style.
"Well, grandfather" remarked Clara, 'if wed
ding portions nowadays were paid as Miss Bet
sy's was youngladies would not pride themselves
upon an airy figure, as many Of them do"
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WHAT IS lie RESERVED FoR ?-l'hcre is a lad