The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1869-01-21
5eIceteo n1isfellanp.
4 TARDY APOLOGY.

mismatolOgy? You are not That is
most fortunate. The story | have to tell
YOU would otherwise not be half so inter
esting; for it is concerning old coins, of
the science of which [ know absolutely
nothing, and | shall therefore doubtless
make mistakes that would disgust Az
archeologist, but will pass uudetected by
a less-ghoul-like intelligence.
There was a certain amateur collector
called Crawshay, who took as much pains
to gather together ancient coins as a Jew
attorney devotcs TO current money. He
had more gold in the coinage Of Tiberius
Caesar than | ever had in that of Victoria
He had some excellent Greek and He
brew Talents His personality might
have been very literally described as L. s.
a. He valued none of these riches for
their intrinsic worth, but rather in inverse
proportion to their usefulness. The more
furnished and old world they were, the
better he liked them. He was the most
famous numismatologist in England |;
what you and | would call mad about
coins" OF course, tbxl'e were other mani
acs of the same persuasion, both male and
female. One bIrs. Trevor, and a Sir Archi-
bald Lowell were, in particular. his friends
and allies, and kept opposition collections of
Il
metal They would have murdered one
another to gain possession of halfcrOwn
of the period of Socrates, or a sixpence of
the currency Of Darius They quarreled
worse than Wing and Tory over the rel
alive value of their respective cabinets.
But they were on the most intimate and
cordial terms.
The three were on one occasion invited
by the superintendent of the numisma-
biological department in the British Mu-
scum to draw that cover together, and
especially with the view of investigating
a certain Galba-coin of the emperor of
that name, price twopence- hafpenny per-
haps in Roman currency, but of absolute
ly incalculable value, since it was the ONLY
one known to be in existence. A brand
new thOusand-pound note would not have
pleased any one Of the three so much as
the possession of this probably battered
piece of metal. They accordingly ap
preached its shrine with beating hearts
The cabinet, looking like a cucumber
frame-with separate space, lined with
white paper and covered with glass, fol
every specimen-was carefully unlocked
and the precious coin displayed. / can
not describe it, because | never saw it
but let US imagine small round object
Jagged at the edges, and with an inscrip
ton only to be made out with magnify
ing glass.
"This is THE GALBA ~ said the Curator
1t was passed from one to the
other, and then returned with rev
erent hand 10 its casket Other
coins were taken out, examined
praised and appraised. The exhibition
was concluded, and the Curator wa.
about to lock up, when he suddenly ex
claimed, "Why, bless me-" Though i
was more striking expression than that
where's the Galbas"
Don't look at me like that, sir" an
swered Mr. Crawshay angrily, for he reat
suspicion in the officials eye l am no
a rogue and vagabOnd. My pocket i
not Galbalunzie's wallet"
Somebody's got it." observed the Gu
rator darkly that's certain the coir
is no longer in its place. Lady and gen
tlemen, it's very unpleasant, but it wa
here minute ago, and now it's gone
It's as much as my place is worth Ito USE
rather a vulgar phrase) to have lost thai
Galba. What's To be done?"
"Sr," said the lady promptly, off Their
is Female Searcher maintained by tn,
establishment | am quite willing to b.
searched"
"And I also" exclaimed Sir Archibald.
But Mr.. Crawshay grew very white
Neither male nor female shall search me,
said he.
"You are my personal FRIEND" oh
served the Curator, signing cor at leas
you were so, before this uncomfortable oc
currence; L cannot, therefore, permi
force 70 be employed. You perceive m,
difficulty, Mr.. Crawshay."
81 perceive everything except the Gal
ba," answered that gentleman they ha.
lookeI for it everywhere in the mean
time); but cannot submit to be searched
SO the Curator bowed the party out
with feelings more easily imagined thai
described and sat down to make his re
port to the directors.
Now, although, as before limited, the bal
onet and the lady would have gone +
great lengths themselves TO gain posse!
sion of any ancient piece of metal wit
scratches upon it, they had no idea {
other people yielding to such temptation
They felt positively certain that frien
Crawshay had stolen the Galba. and the
cut him accordingly The Curator ais
omitted To invite him las he had bee
used to do, when anything very old an
admirable was turned up at Pompeii or /
Central America, to come and inspect il
and he never unlocked his cabinet fc
anybody but let folks gloat over b
treasures through the glass: Although
aid he with q cad smile, 6 II Is Ike shu