St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1876-05-05
Our Radix Letter.
X Respectfully Yours.
ii. a. Cutting

THE COACHING MANIA SILVER VERSUS
SHINPLASTER>- COMMODORE WANDER
BILT MATTERS AT PHILADELPHIA
THE EXHIBITORS sNARI.-THE RACE
OF NATIONS COST OF THE SHOW.
NEW YORK, April -, 1876.
To the Editor IF the CaIcionian
The latest mania among our Young
"blonds'' and turtmcn. aud one which
their intervals of centennial seeing this
summer. is the revival of the old fash
Toned English coaching system, which
with the post chaiSes formed the main
travelling facilities before the iutroduc-
ton of railways. There seems always
to have been Il peculiar fascination to
some people in the collaboration of div
ing or riding on the top of these bulky
conveyances, and if We may credit those
inimitahlc descriptions of Dickens. il
vast deal of dignity attached To the
magnate who professionally held the
''ribbons." In spite of steam the stage
coach has never become quite extinct
in England, but to-day the pursuit of
coaching among the aristocracy amounts
to il passion. In summer many Il titled
driver runs his daily route out of Lon
don. and no more thinks of missing il
trip on account of weather, or losing Il
fare that can be obtained by any of the
approved methods. than if his sole sup
port was derived from his occupation.
Well us have said, the rage has spread
to our own shores, and We are now the
delighted passengers of "Coaching
Club organized and membered from
the very 'uppereSt crust" of society.
The first meeting of the season was on
last Saturday, when six new coaches
participated in the drive and really
elegant display rewarded the thousands
who lined the streets to see the fun.
The paying ont of silver in exchange
for fractional "shinplasters" has been
going on for some ten days over the
counter of the sub treasury, but it comes
slowly into sight. Sl00,0OO has already
been thus put into the hands OF the peo-
pie. and it is intended by the govern
ment to get : zoo, 900 of if in circula-
ton here as rapidly us possible. But
the novelty is us yet too great. It's
some sixteen yeaIS since we have been
able to jingle the dimes and quarters in
our pockets without going to the trouble
of buying them ut Il big premium of
some broker OF other bloated aIistocrat;
So now that we can hear the exhlarat-
ing tinkle at small expense. we have
got to feast OuI eyes and ears for Il
while, before trusting the coins out of
our hands. It's lis good as il play to see
IL crowd of little street Arabs, most of
whom were, so to speak, born into IL
paper currency Tor rather the lack of it J
get their heads together over IA dime
The little sinner arou>eS no tender rec
objections in them. Silver had hid its
head before their troubles began: but
the looks of eager curiosity or pleased
surprise us the centre of attraction passes
cautiously from one little grimy hand to
i another. together with the various quaint
and original comments which are freely
made, are extremely amusing.
Vigorous as are all the attempts on
the part of those Interested to suppress
the fact, it cannot he concealed that
Commodore Vanderbilt cannot survive
much longer. Extreme age and IL COM
plication of diseases have So far reduced
his strength that even i'll walking about