Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-05-15
A BAD HALF-DOLLAR.

A BAD HALF-DOLLAR. It's Wanderings During an Exist l
 enoe of Three Years. He Tells of His Meeting with . Good Natured Old Woman, Very Bad Min
 ister, Pious Old Lady, an Honest
 Assassin and a Bootblack.
 The first time I became cognizant of my own existence was in wooden box with a number of other pieces, all of the sanae denomination as myself, he says in the New York Times. Our number was constantly increasing as the cover of the box was raised at short intervals and grimy- faced man, wearing linen apron, threw in a score or so of similar illegal tenders, but l had no idea that I was spurious and l was quite unaware that my mother was a soft leaden pipe and my father a hard tin kettle. knew that was very bright, but so were the other coins that were poured in hot upon me, but believed that was worth half a dollar, as my face represented, and am sure that my companions were as guile less as was.
 Generally we were lifted from the box in patches and carried away for distribution, but was taken out alone one night because the man with the grimy face and linen apron wanted 8 Yarmouth bloater and pint of beer for his supper. He bought the bloater first, suppose, because the old woman who owned the huckster's shop was more easily d deceived in the matter of bad coins than the bartender. He had no trouble in passing me, for the old woman was half blind and wholly stupid. She gave him the change and dropped me into the drawer
 laughed as I fell, for, like all bright young things, I was pleased with my change of quarters The ring of my laughter evidently startled the other coins around me. They drew away from me and whis- pered together. could hear the subdued tones of their voices, and it struck me at the time as little strange that they were not in the least like my tones. Still I had no suspicion that was counterfeit. was so very glossy and brilliant that l fancied the glory of my appe arance had em- barrassed my new companions, all of whom were of comparatively ancient date and some very much worn.
 'I will show them," thought. "that am democratic coin," and rubbed in 8 friendly way against dull old quarter with hole Tn it's breast and it's milling by long handling rubbed nearly smooth. But the mutilated coin did not meet my ad- vance in a kindly spirit. It recoiled from me and, addressing me in severe but sill very accents from the opposite side of the drawer, said: Excuse me, sir. There can be no bond of sympathy between you and me. I am worth my weight in the mint at all events, but you are not worth the trouble of weighing"
 The next morning when the old woman tried to pay the milkman with me she found that she had taken 8 bad coin. She was very much distressed, but though poor she | was pious, and she asked the parson what she ought to do with me. "Nail it to your counter" :" said the minis ter, with uncompromising honesty, and I shuddered as heard him. A counterfeit fifty | cent piece with hole through it is a worth less coin indeed. The old woman could not persuade herself to take the clergyman's advice at once. She let me lie in her pocket for 8 couple of days and slowly arrived at the conclusion that was not so bad as looked, and in this belief she dropped me into the poor plate on Sunday, after listen ing to an i'm pressive charity sermon from the eloquent minister who had told hor to nail me to the counter.
 The deacons discovered my worthless character at once. They were all just and kindly men. They had no wish to give me to those in need of charitable assistance, but they did not think there could be any harm in paying the pastors salary with me and was soon in the ministerial purse.
 My new owner was greatly surprised and 8 little ashamed, too, when the young man in the drug store handed me back to him after he had offered me in payment for a glass of soda water. The effervescing bev craze was gone and he had no more money | in his pockets, for he was not a well-paiG preacher. The situation was embarrassing but the young tradesman obligingly saic that any time would do for a settlement. A soon as he was on the road that led to the parsonage, which was short distance iron the city, the clergyman indignantly cast mt into 8 dry ditch, and supposed my curren career was over. was mistaken, however The good man soon returned, searched fol me, and picked me up.
 "Perhaps the drug clerk was mistaken '' was his muttered comment as he wiped me with his handkerchief and put me into his pocket. "The coin may be good, after all
 It looks bright enough, which certainly did-far too bright to be genuine. The
 some days. He had known very well what
 the old woman's duty was, but he was not
 quite so sure about his own. Sometime.
 when he looked at me he said to himself
 "Oh, it's all right" and on other occasions
 he moodily examined me and muttered
 "Its surely counterfeit, and poor one
 too" Whenever he rattled me on the table he knew was bad, and then feared that he would nail me up somewhere or throw me : away, but he didn't. He gradually gave ul rattling me, and once, when he had decided that was good, he went to a Bible store , walking hastily lest his mind should change , and bought tracts with me. He must have speedily repented his action, for dull bu genuine dime that lay in the bookseller drawer, with whom, strangely enough, afterward came into contact for the secon time, told me that half an hour later he re turned and tried to get me back, but I ha been given as change to an old lady wh r purchased a copy of the "Pilgrim's Prog , ress."
 have now been in circulation for thre
 years. Ihave been stolen twice and eac
 time the thief was virtuously indignant 8
 the dishonesty of the man who harbored m 3 among his cash. Once I was the only coi 3 in the pocket of Q murdered man, and tn assassin was the only owner I ever ha : who threw me away when he found out tha