The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-03-02
MINT EMPLOYEES.

Suddenly Speaking.
"Anna Dickinson was the greatest
salker ever employed in the mint of
late years." said an old employee Of
that institution to . reporter. But"
be continued, "there was dumb girl
here before the war who could out-talk
with the fingers any woman's tongue
on the face Of the earth"
The old employe was In reminiscent
mood. He said: THE name Of the
dumb girl was Rebeccs Davis. She
was o really beautiful woman and was
conscious of 1t, IS most pretty women
are. She was employed In the mint in
1854. IS. Sc. Becky as everybody
spoke of her, was liked by all. Her
sister, Mrs. Tompkins, kept well
known confectionery in those days on
Chestnut street, between Eleventh and
Twelfth, where Birch's store is now
located. Becky, while entirely dumb,
was not deaf. You could talk to her
and she talked back with her beauti-
fully expressive eyes, her head or her
fingers. She was about twenty-five
years of age when she was first em.
'ployed, of fine figure, graceful in every
movement, full of life and always good
natured. She was at work in the adj
justing room. One day in the winter
of 1856 she created a CONSERVATION in
the mint that almost amounted to q
panic. While at work at her seat en-
gagged in manipulating the bright gold
eagles. she turned her pretty face
around to the girl next to her and ex-
claimed loudly: On, believe 1 can
speak, Her companion to whom she
spoke tainted outright, and so did the
young lady on her left. The other
women in the room left their places
and ran to the assistance of the two
PROSTATE girls. Becky began to chat
ter like maybe and almost tainted
herself. Her speech had come to her
90 sudden that she could not realize il
any more than her astounded room
mates, to whom she had been making
signs for years. She remained in the
mint some years after that, and her
case attracted the attention of the
greatest medical scientists of the day.
Rebecca was Roman Catholic in re-
ligion, and in 1858 she entered q con-
vent near this city. / do not know
whether she is living yet or not, but
she certainly scared the girls on that
day.
ANNA Dickinson was employed here
during the war. She could talk on any
subject and gossip with anybody. Her
political discussions with the other
employees, male and female, were
numerous and led to frequent reports
against her. Somebody went to Di-
rector Pollock about her denunciations.
He expostulated with her and finally
dismissed her. Some years afterward,
when she became famous as lecturer,
she came here and spoke to a large
audience at the Academy of Music.
Her friend, Judge Kelley, was to in
troduce her to the audience, but he had
not arrived, and the audience was
growing impatient. There were
several distinguished gentlemen on the
stage, one of whom was Ex-Governor
Pollock. He was finally prevailed upon
to introduce his former employee in the
mint, which he did in an eloquent
manner. When he had finished Miss
Anna looked daggers at him and did
not stir from her seat. Judge Kelley
came in few minutes afterward, and
she was again presented to the audi
ence. So You see she got even with
Mr.. Pollock for dismissing her by
publicly rebuking him. She was q
great girl and smart as whip.
There goes person who has been
here longer than / have" said the
veteran, as he pointed toward lady
OF about So years Of age, around whose
face fingered traces of former beauty.
and whose figure was still shapely and
erect. ''She came here young miss
of ten years, thirty-two years ago, and
is now the chief adjuster. During the
time of her employment she was mar
ried to gentleman a few moments
before he died, VINO had courted her
for some years. She is really the
Mint and knows more about the busi-
ness than all the rest of us put to-
gether. philadelphia Times.
s