St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1882-12-09
The COPPER CENT IN TEXAS.
From Texas Siftings. ]

Vi ItAdS, copper CeHtS are CoiL ~ 8
into general use. Heretofore, the
smallest COINS In circulation have
been the nickel and silver halt
dime. The reason that the Texas
people haye come down TO ,pennles
Is not because they have become
impoverished at all, but it is all
owing to the late Legislature,
which compelled the railroads to
carry passengers ut three cents "a
mile. In order to make change,
the conductors have been supplied
with copper cents, which are re-
garded with intense curiosity. hot
10 say disgust, by a great many
Texans, who have never seen any
before. The copper cents will sup
ply several long felt wants. There
Is the irascible individual, who is
to be met with i'll every community,
aud who is always saying that for
three cents he would giTe some
body a sounl thrashing, or perform
some other rash act. We once
heard man ut Galveston make
proposition of that kind, down on
wharf, TO man who was much
smaller than himself. For three
cents" he SAID e:nphatically, Il
would peel off my coat and clean
you out, in less time than it wonld
take "a donkey to whip thistle"
The party of the second part, who
was IA small, why sort of man, de-
liberately produced a nickel, and
rendering it to the party of the
first part. told him to sail in and
get his moneys worth.
But can't make the change"
Never mind the change, just
take the five cents and begin to
carry out the contract"
mo, don't want to accept any
presents from you. l don't want
to impoyerish your family. am
man of my word. I said that I'd
thrash you for three cents. and I'll
do it as soon as you band me out
the three cents"
AS there Were not three copper
cents on Galveston Island, the par
ties were obliged to cancel the con-
tract. The engagement and all
bets were declared off. This vas 4
great disappointment to tie party |
OF the first part, who can now find
other parties who are financially |
able to accept his terms, for ins a
short time Texas will be covered |
with copper cents
Some amusing mistakes occur
on the traius, owing to the resem-
blance the new copper cents have
20 a two dollar and half gold
piece. Not long since. just after
dark, a conductor on the Interna-
tional road, in making change,
gave passenger dollar bill and
new cent, that being the correct
change. As soon as the conductor
was out of the car, the lucky pas
se.ger examined the coin critically,
by the rather dim light. and in
dulged in succession of quiet
chuckles. Finally he leaned over
and whispered confdentially to a
friend I've struck that snoozer of
IL conductor 70: two dollars and a
half. He gave it to me by mistake.
Tel the boys to get ont at the
next station and I'll treat"
Sure enough, about half q dozen
cowboys accompanied the man,
who had SO suddenly acquired
to saloon, and after they
had imbibed freely, the lucky dog
was surprised beyond measure by
the bar-keeper pushing back the
deceptive coin. with the remark:
Hand out half a dollar, if yon
please. That is about the tenth
time to-day l have had your sort of
saloots trying to poke off copper
cents on me for two dollar and
half gold pieces"