The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1869-01-23
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A TARDY APOLOGY.

READER, are you acquainted WIN Nu-
mismatologyg You arc not9 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 an
archeologist, but will pass undetected by
a less-ghoul-like intelligence.
There was certain amateur collector
called Orawshay, who took as much pains
TO gather together ancient coins as jew,
attorney devotcs TO current money. He
had more gold in the coinage Of Tiberius
Cesar 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 H. 8
d. He valued none of these riches for
their intrinsic worth, but rather in inverse
proportion to their usefulness The more
tarnished and old.world they were, the
better he liked them He was the most
famous numismatologist in England !;
what you and l would call "mad about
coins" OF course, tkale were other mani.
aCs of the same persuasion, both male and
female. One Mrs Trevor, and Sir Archi-
bald Lowell were, in particular, his friends
and allies,and dReptOpposition collections Of
the same sort of rub mean of disused
metal. They would have murdered one
another to gain possession of Q half-croWn
of the period Of Socrates, or siXpence of
the currency Of Darius. They quarreled
worse than Wing and Tory over the rel
ative 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.
tological department in the British Mu-
scum TO draw that cover together, and
especially with the view of investigating
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 cucumber
frame-with separate space, lined with
white paper and covered with glass, for
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 inserip-
tion only to be made out with q magnify
ing glass,
"This is THE GALBA" said the Curator
It was passed from one to the
other, and then returned with rev.
erent hand TO its easket. othel
coins were taken out, examined
praised and appraised. The exhibition
was concluded, and the Curator Wai
about to lock up, when he suddenly ex
claimed, Why, bless mel" (though Il
was a more striking expression than that,
where's the Galbsgn
"Don't look at mo like that, sir" an
sWered Mr.. GFawshsy angrily, for he read
suspicion in tho officials eye / am moi
rogue and a vagabond. My pocket Il
not Galbalunzie's wallet"
Somebody's got it" observed the Gu
rator darkly; that's certain the coin
is no longer in Its place. Lady and gen
tlemen, it's very unpleasant, but 1t wal
here minute ago, and now it's gone
It's as much as my place is worth TO usG
rather vulgar phrase) to have lost thai
Galba. What's to be done9"
"Sir," said the lady promptly, "if therr
is Female Searoher maintained by tht
establishment | am quite willing to b
searched"
. "And also~ exclaimed Sir Archibald
But Mr. Crawshay grew very white
"Neither malenor female shall search me,
said he.
"You are my personal friend 4 ob
served the Curator, signing; "or at leas
you were SO, before this uncomfortable oC
currence; cannot, therefore, permi
force to be employed. You perceive m,
difficulty, Mr. CraWshay.p ag
al perceive everything except the Ga
ba,n answered that geHtlemen (they ha
looked for it everywhere in the NEAR
time); but cannot submit to besearched.
So the Curator bowed the party on
with feelings more easily imagined tina
described and sat down to make his n
port to the directors.
Now, although, as before limited, the ba
.onet and the lady would have gone
great lengths themselves 10 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 thf
CUT MN aeeolllhs las m Salhs9f ~ wv " "
omisteu gto 1lylse Al4i Sas -. ~ NY W ~ y.
useu q va, w., m NV r. Jos5s;i gi' u Il
Central America, TO como and inspect !
and he never unlocked his cabinet 4
anybody, but Let folks gl0at over j
treasures through the glass Although
said he with sad emile, Hit Is Ike shr
ting nv gfeble.door after the steed
stolen
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