Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-02-24
For the SPECTATOR.
AN OLD COIN.

Here is a coin, both old and worn,
From many years of service borne,
Whose date, as dimly brought to view,
is seventeen and ninety-two.
A century of current use
And bearing marks of great abuse;
'Tis cut and SCARED, and battered too,
And has hole pierced through and thrOug
II it but had soul to feel,
A power of language to reveal,
And memory to treasure up,
'rwould fill for us newsy cup
But from the past it nothing brings:
So fancy trims her airy wings
To make search from mine to mint,
And brings back this historic hint
The silver metal, crude and new,
Was mined by miners in Peru,
Or, may be, by some Aztec hand
In Montezuma's ancient land.
On pack-horse thro' the mountain pass,
And over plains Of blooming grass,
It reached the distant ocean bay,
And then the ship that on it lay.
The ship received it, billed its fare,
And labelled it with greatest care,
And, after riding months at sea,
1t hailed it's port of destiny.
From thence by stream, and road of flint,
1t travelled to the countrys mint,
And there turned molten, and received
The form and image now perceived.
Thus legalized in form and weight,
In motto, image, and in date,
1t journeyed forth from place to place
To help the thousands of our race.
And first, it filed a bankers hand,
And then it went to buy some land,
And then was used to buy COW,
And then, to paint a farmers plough.
Again, it was marriage fee,
But soon the parson set it free,
And gave it to widow pale,
Who spent it with the grocer hale.
The grocer sent it to New York,
And then it went across to Cork,
And, welcomed everywhere with smiles,
1t journeyed through the British Isles
In time, the coin crossed the wave,
Brought over by sailor brave.
Who paid it for jug of ale
About the time he went to sail.
1t passed into the brewers chest,
Who spent it for silken vest,
But by the tailor it was paid
To purchase needed thread and braid.
And then it went to feed the poor,
And then it crossed the miser's door,
Who kept it in his bag of gold
So long it cannot now be told.
In course of time, it shod horse,
And then it put away corse,
And then it went to church one day,
And fell into the Deacon's tray.
Ere long, it bought communion wine,
Which represents the blood divine,
And then it went to pay debt,
And then was wager in bet.
1t visited the high and low,
And did no special favor show,
But was the same to each and all,
Wherever it might chance to fall.
1t purchased comforts for the well,
And went where the afflicted dwell,
And laid upon the sightless eyes,
When closed to open in the skies.
All weatherS, and all climates too,
Suit it's metallic nature true,
And on it journeys with the Sun,
Nor does it rest, when day is done.
1t knows no South, it knows no North.
In all its many goingS forth;
Nor does the West, or rosy East,
Divert it from it's way the least.
But these are merely hints, you see,
OF what it's history may be
In all the past one hundred years,
Or so to fancy it appears.
Kingdoms have come, and kingdoms gone
And generations one by one,
As summer blooms, have passed away,
But this old coin is here to-day.
And it will last for ages more,
And do as it has done before,
For it will go from door to door,
And help the rich, and feed the poor.
If it should come to you, my friend,
Pray, use it for some worthy end,
And bless it ere you let it go,
That it may only good bestow.
R NJ. FUTILE, Longview, Texas