Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-03-26

N9 evening, was feel
~ ing partic cularly
genial, as he drew handful of change
from out his trousers pocket in order
to reward the attentions of the waiter.
As he did so the quick eye Of the
professor took note of silver piece
considerably larger than dollar.
"That's curious coin, colonel he
remarked, leaning forward over the
table.
"That's Louis" said the colonel,
picking it ont from the other coins in
his hand and passing it over to the
professor.
81 always imagined that Louis
was gold piece" remarked young
Jack Hawley.
"They are generally gold," replied
the colonel; ''but evidently some sill
yer Louis were coined, for here is
one"
81 have never seen nor heard OF one
BEFORE" said the professor, looking
with interest ut the large, clumsy coin,
with the heavy countenance of Louis
XVI, and under it the date 177G. 81
suppose this must be both rare and
valuable"
81 prize it more highly because of
the wonderful coincidence connected
with it," replied the colonel.
Lets hear it, said young Hawley.
"Well," when / was n lad" began
the colonel, leaning back in his chair
and lighting cigar. '';Such long
time ago that your grandfather, Jack,
was ut school ut the time and the pro-
fessor's father was probably wearing
kits"
"Oh, har,lly as long as that, inter
rupted the professor, laughing, "I'm
over forty-six myself; you'll make
make yourself eighty at that rste."
"Well, that would not be so far out
OF the way; I was seventy-four last
month" And the old colonel stroked
his white goatee complacently, for he
did not look n day over sixty-tve. "It
was when Twas youth of eighteen,
working in jewelers. shop in Boston,
that this coin first came into my pos
session. At that time, as you know,
a great many Spanish, Mexican and
French coins were in circulation in
this country, and I took this one in
my wages The face of the unfortun-
ate French monarch rather took my
fancy, and 1 kept it fora pocket piece.
But before 1 go any further I want to
ask whether either of you gentlemen
see any marked peculiarly about this
coin?" And the colonel tossed it
upon the table.
The professor examined it closely.
81 notice that it bears the date Of
American independence, he said.
"Well, that's hardly popularity.
There were doubtless others minted in
the same year."
81 don't see anything else."
The colonel smiled. "Well, there
is, and I'll let you endeavor to find
it out while 1 tell You the history.
SIN the year 1S45 I went to Mex
leo. Silver mining was what I went
there for, but L did about everything
before L left the country, and ended
by going into Taylors army when the
war broke out.
"One day was seated in a gaming
house at Saltillo. Oh, was wild
enough in those days, Jack Hawley,
and hardly week passed that Dave
Cranston and Pedro Blanco they
were my two partners), and L did not
come into town for little game of
'brisca.
"Well, OH this day-ever to be
remembered by me as the last time l
sat down to game of chance where
the stakes were money"-here the
colonel took long pull at his cigar
and expelled the smoke slowly-"I
was having particularly hard run of
luck and lost so rapidly that in less
than an hour after first sitting down
I was cleaned out. / had not had
nearly enough excitement for my
money, and wanted badly to keep on
playing. Searching all my pockets in
the hope of finding stray coin drew
out this Louis, which had carried for
over four years. The thought at once
flashed through my mind that per-
haps on this piece my luck would
change, and might retrieve my shat
tered fortunes. So I tossed it on the
table and took another hand at the
game.
"And not only won back your los
ings, but such large sum in addition
that You wisely resolved never to
tempt your luck again." interrupted
young Hawley.
Inside of five minutes" said the
colonel impressively, 81 arose from
that table, having lost this piece and
everything of value that 1 possessed,
down to the silver mounting ON my
horses bridle, and I would have
staked the horse himself had not Dave
Cranston and Pedro dragged me away
from the table, and putting me on the
animals back, rode off with me be-
tween them to our camp. I'm not 60
ing to read You lecture on the i'm
morality of gambling, young Hawley,
nor lengthen ont this story with an &C.
count of my life in Mexico. Suffice it
to say that kept my resolution in re.
gard to gaming, and whatever fortune
have made was not amassed in Mex.
ican mines"
~ suppose you got this piece back
by purchasing it from the winner" 1"
remarked the professor, dropping it
on the table and putting down his ear
to listen to the ring.
s.T., n,y .rr.at oh 1r,n Ia 1afk Gal