The Portland daily press., 1878-08-26
LEGAL TENDER.
How serBphina Smith Got Puzzled Over
the Silver Dollars.

JONES COURT, Aug. %, 1878.
Mr. EDnoR:-I was really shocked to see
my name in print. 1 didn't intend that my
letter to you should be printed. Simmons, the
grocery man, came over himself this morning
instead of sending his boy, and said, ''Why,
didn't know you wrote for the papers, Mrs.
Smith," in way that made me blush. He is
real kind man and thinks world of my
Johnny. He is the Simmons, you know, who
lost his wife by the measles last spring. WE'LL
if must be famous, l suppose l must be.
This morning was reading speech, Ia which
the speaker says "It doesn't take great fiuan-
cial mind to see some things" which was COM
fortns to me, as had just been exercising my
brains on little financial puzzle. 1t was this:
L had Mexican dollar laid by in my drawer,
one of those with liberty cap and rising sun
in the background; dollar which, to me, al
ways seemed to have certain superior dignity
and air Of worth about it. Having some little
6xings to buy, put this dollar into my port
monnaie and went down to Thompson's. After
making my purchases handed this dollar to
the yard-stck man in payment. To my great
surprise he said, MADAME, 1 require a dime
more" "Why," said 1. doesn't my purchase
amount to just dollar?" Certainly" he re-
plicuy Uub We Ouly Jake ntAlCduS lOT ulu6ty
cents" "Why is that?" 1 asked, "hasn't it
as much silver in it as United States dollar?"
"Oh, yes" said he, land more, but it isn't
legal tender" You may. believe that having
lost ten cents on this dollar which l had SO
admired, made me puzzle myself long time
over the mysteries of legal tender, but, after
all, with only this result, that made up my
mind that had been unpatriOtic, aud hence.
forth would only love the good silver dollar OF
my country. So, when shortly after received
M,aoR ant fAr flo
she owed me, bright silver dollar of the
United States, which the poor little woman
had been keeping for rainy day, L put it by
with the satisfied feeling that possessed, as l
had heard a silver man once express it, "a true
which it was mined. This dollar was beauty,
handsomer than any Mexican ever was. 1t had
on it figure of Eve sitting upon something
which locked like barre-a barrel of apples
perhaps-and holding in her hand what took
was motto. SIN God ce trust" On the other
side was an eagle, or similar bird, and under it
1920 grains 900 fne,' and 'Tfade Dollar"
Above the eagle was United States Of Anaerica"
and "E PltribuS UnUno." Yesterday L had
occasion to buy something of the butcher and,
having nothing else by me, gave him this dollar
in payment. Instead of giving me back
twenty-five cents, as be should have done if he
had not become fnancier, he gave me but
fifteen cents, blandly rem arking, "This is but
L
almost screamed "An E Pluribus for ninety
cents? Not by a jug full. You may charge it
on your slate" And took my dollar and put
it back into my portmonnae, where 1 intend
keeping it as curiosity for my grandchildren
il ever have any.
Mr.. Simmons was 10 last evening. He evil
IDENTIFY has financial mind, for he seemed to
understand all about it. He said, "The reason
you have had SO much trouble is because you
have not had legal tender dollar. That has
Az grains of silver and is worth ten cents more
than the one you have, which has 420 grains.
This is one of the new financial IDEAS" L
cannot just understand this, but shall study
finance little for myself. Everybody seems
to be interested in the study. Old Mr.. Bright,
who supplies me with garden sass" as he
calls IL, says that he was a silver man till they
began to talk about STAT money!" and now he
is fat money man. L don't know yet what
''fat'' may mean, nor why some dollars are not
other dollars, but shall study the question.
Yours with respect,
SERAPHINA SMITH,