The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-02-11
A Silver DnlIar,s Story.

dark corner of vault in one of the
New York City banks. One cold
morning in the month of January,
1872, was taken from the gloomy
place where | had so long been sleep
ing, and piled upon desk or shelf
together with a number of other silver
dollars. | had not remained there
very long before an older silver dollar
introduced himself Yes, he said,
this is a nice comfortable place. You
had better make the most of it while
you remain in here, when you 90 out
into the world you will find it differ
ent indeed I could not realize that
with my bright and shining face and
with my clear, ringing voice that |
would be treated in any other way
than with extreme kindness. How
ever, | asked this old dollar to give
Inc little of his history. And so
you wish to know how | Jared in
circulation? | shall give you a brief
sketch of it," he added. when
made my debut into society was too
vain to ask any questions and went
abroad with more dignity and pride
than common sense. | remember
very wildly when | first was handed
over the counter. l dropped into the
pocket of a member of Congress. The
same evening he carried me up a
flight of stairs where he gave three
raps on a heavy door. This strange
summons was answered by a colOred
man peeping through a small wicket.
The Congressman was readily recog-
nized and admitted into a brilliantly
lighted and elegantly furnished room.
He then walked over to were large
oaken sidebOard stood. After sur
veying himself in a finely polished
mirror he poured some dark red liu-
uid from handsome cut glass decan-
ter into a glass and drank it down,
after which he took a seat among a
number of gentlemen who were seated
around a square table covered with
green cloth and had fifty-two cards
pasted around it's three sides. The
Congressman then took ten silver
dollars and fifteen dollars in green
backs from his pocket and handed
them to man, and said, Mr.. Dealer,
give me a stack of reds | was then
placed in drawer where an older
dollar told me that the men who sat
around the table were PLAYING at
faro The following day l was pla-
ced in the drawer of a tobacconist.
In his absence the clerk took me from
the drawer and another young man
produced another silver dollar and
these young scamps played cracklOo
with us. The clerk lost me and the
young man took me with him on a
hunting expedition. After hunting
all the morning and missing every
thing he shot at, he fastened me to a
tree and he and another fellow shot
at me for an hour or more, but failed
to hit me- Next an old woman took
me in for some laundry work she had
done. She carried me home aud hid
me in an old stocking which she
placed in an oak chest. How long |
remained in the chest | cannot tell.
1t must have been a very long time,
because when | was brought forth
was handed over to an attorney as
part of the sum charged for breaking
the old woman's will. The lawyer
gave me to a young stenographer
When that young lady was getting
off the ferry boat she let me fall into
the river, but | was soon fished out
by a kindhearted boy who returned
me to the lady. She then tied me up
in her handkerchief and in her excite
ment she thrust me in her BOSOM
The lady purchased coal with
me. The coal operator paid an
ice bill with me. The ice dealer put
me in the missionary box, and for the
first time in my life a minister prayed
over me and rendered thanks for the
good | would do. From the mission
airy box | went into a bank again.
| was taken from the bank and car
ried to New Orleans, where | was
used to help purchase a ticket of
admission into prize fighting exhi-
bitiOn. Twas put in circulation and
done some more mean work. | was
with sporting men several days.
Early one morning l was sent out of
a sleeping apartment for two bottles
of settler water and some bromide.
Somehow, I cannot tell how it came
about, but | went on a mission of
charity. | fell into the hands of q
poor widow woman. My hard face
seemed to shrink with pity when !
heard her enumerate her many wants
| then wished that | were a dearer
dollar. | left this poor woman's
hands and in few days l was in the
possession of a humane society. |
was used then to purchase stockings
for same poor children. During the
whole winter it seemed that | was