The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-05-23
TIE PINE-TREE SHILLING.
a STORY OF THE OLDEN TINE.

: Captain John Hull was the mint-mas-
ter Of Massachusetts. and coined all the
money that was made. His was new
line of business for, in the earlier days
of the colony. the current coinage con-
sisted of the gold and silver money of
England. Portugal and Spain. These
coins being scarce, the people were often
forced to barter their commodities in
stead of selling them.
For instance if man wanted to buy
Il coat he perhaps exchanged bear skin
for it if he wished for a barrel of mo-
laSseS he might purchase it for a pile of
boards Musket balls were used instead
of faTthings. The Indians had a sort of
money called wampum. which was made
of clam shells; and this strange sort of
specie was likewise taken in payment OF
debt by English settlers. Bank bills
had never been heard of. There was not
money enough Of any kind in many parts
of the country to pay their ministers so
that they had sometimes to take quiutals
Of fish. bushels OF corn. or cords of wood
instead of silver and gold.
As the people grew more numerous
and their trade with one another increaS-
ed. the want of current money was still
more sensibly felt To supply the de
mand. General Court passed a law for
penceS ana thTeepenccs. Captain John
Hui was appointed to manufacture this
money, and was to have about one shil-
ling cut Of every twenty to pdy him for
his trouble in making them.
HeTeUpon all the old silver in the col
0ny was handed over to Captain John
Hull. The battered silver cans and
tanbards. ! suppose. and silver buckles,
and broken spoons. and silver hiljs OF
swords that had figured n court all such
curious old articles were doubtless thrown
into the melting pot together. But 10y
far the greater part of the silver consist
ed of bullion from the mines in South
America. which the English buccaneers
(who were little better than pirates had
taken from the Spaniards and brought 10
Massachusetts.
All this old and new silver being
melted down and coined. the result was
an immense amount of splendid shillingS.
SiXpenccs and threepenctS. Each had
the date 1862 on the one side. and the
figure of a pine tree on the other side.
Hence they were called pine tree Shil-
lings. And for every twenty shillings
that he coined, YOU viii remember. Cap
tain John Hull was entitled to put one
shilling in his own pocket. The Magis-
tTates soon began to suspect that the
bargain. Trey offered him d large sum
Of money if ne would give up the tWeH-
tieth shilling which he was continually
dropping into his pocket But Captain
John Hull declared that he was perfectly
satisfied with the shilling: and well might
he he, for so diligently did he labor that
in a few years his pockets, his money
bag and his strong box were overliowing
with pine tree shillingS. This was prob
ably the case when he came into posses
sion of his graudfather's chair; and as
he had worked 50 hard at the mint, 1t
was certainly proper that he should have
a comfortable chair to rest himself III.
When the mintmaster had grown very
rich. a young man. Samuel SeWcll by
name cOurted his only daughter. His
daughter-whosen name we do not know,
but we Will call her Betsy-was fine
hearty damSel, by no means SO slender as
some young ladies of our days. On the
contrary. having always fed heartily on
pumpkin pies, dOughnutS. Indian pud-
dings and other Puritan dainties she was
as round and plump as Il pudding. With
this round. rosy Miss Betsy did Samuel
Sewel fall in love- As he was a young
man of good character, industrious IN
his business and member of the church,
the mintmaSter very readily gave his
consent.
Yes. YOU may take her" said he, in
his rough way. land YOU viii find her a
heavy burden enough" :"
. On the wedding day we may suppose
/ That honest John Hull dressed himself in
a plain coat. all the buttons of which
were made from pine tree shillingS; the
buttons OF his WaiStcOat were SiXpenceS;
and the knees of his small-clOtheS were
buttoned with threepenceS. Thus at
tired. he sat with great dignity in his
+ grandfather's chair: and being porty
old gentleman. he completely filed IL
from elbow to elbow On the opposite
side Of the room. between her bridesmaids.
sat Miss Betsy. She was biushing with
all her might. and looked like d full
blown peony a great red apple or any
other round and scarlet object.
There too. was the bridegroom, dress
ed in a fine purple coat and gold-laced
Waistcoat. with as much finery as Puri-
tan laws and customs would allow him
to put on. His haT was cropped close
to his head. because Governor EndicOtt
had forbidden any man to wear it below
the ears But he was a very preSentable
Young man. and so thought the brides
maids and Miss Betsy herself
The mintmaSter was also = eaSed with
his new Son-in-law. especially as he had
said nothing at all about her portion.
So. when the marriage ceremony was
over. Captain Hull whispered a word ol
two TO his men servants. who Imnedi
atclN went ont. ard S"ou returned lug