The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1898-01-07
Ciew to Source of counterfcit Half-DoI-
lars CircuIated on the Coast.

Ciew to Source of Counterfcit Half-Doi-
lars Circulated on the Coast.
At last the United States secret serv-
ice authorities have struck lead to
the source from which have come the
thousands of almost perfect imitation
half dollars circulated throughout the
Pacific coast.
It is believed the counterfeits, which
absolutely defy detection, except when
under a powerful magnifying glass in
the hands of clever expert, were made
by Chinese in their native land and
brought to this country last summer
by the members of the troupe of Chi
nese actors who came to America to
perform a: the Atlanta exposition. AL
most the entire troupe is now in San
Francisco, having been filling engage
Inents in Chinatown theaters since re-
turning from the east
1t is estimated that $4,000 Of the un-
authorized coins have been disposed
of by the Chinese, and that Little
Pete" the Chinaman of recent race
track-job notoriety, was back of the
scheme. However, the $780, 900 realized
has not been clear profit, as the coun-
terfeits contain almost the same
amount of pure silver as do the regular
Iy minted half-dollars, but the extreme
ly low price of silver bullion gave tine
counterfeiters good profit.
How She Managed to Win Everybody's
Heart
1t was the tact and genuine kindli-
ness Of Dolly Madison that made her
one of the most prominent of American
women. Several episodes mentioned
in Mrs. Goodwin's Life of Dolly Madi-
son" are significant of this. At one of
her levees, her attention was drawn
TO rustic visitor, youth who was
evidently suffering all the torments of
embarrassment. He had at last ven
tured to help himself to a cup of cof-
fee, when Mrs. Madison walked up and
addressed him. In the surprise of the
moment, the lad dropped the saucer and
strove to crowd the CUP. into his pocket.
His tactful hostess took no notice of the
accident, except to observe that in such
a crowd no one could avoid being
jostlcd, and straightway turned the
conversation to the boys family, and
ended by sending her regards to his
excellent mother, and bidding the serv-
ant bring another cup of coffee. On
another occasion two old ladies from
the country arrived at the white house
while the family were still at break
fast. TO the surprise of the rural Wis
itors, the woman they had come to see
appeared in stuff dress of dark gray,
protected by large housewifely white
apron, and with linen kerchief pinned
about her neck. Her simplicity of
manner and attire completely swept
away their awe, and before departing
one of them found courage to ask:
Perhaps you wouldn't mind if l kissed
you-just to tell the folks about!"
The traditions attached to this tree
are very numerous and widespread,
from the days of Pliny downward, says
Notes and Queries. The fancy or belief
that Judas hung himself upon AN elder
tree, which will be found in Gerarde
and many old herbalists and poets, Ber
johnson among them, of course, gave
he name to the purplish-brown fungus
sh grows on its bark under the title
or Judas ear" which Coles refers TO as
"Jewes Fare, called in Latin Fungus
sambicunus and Auricula judae." The
plant appears to have had in England
the old cognomen of pipe tree or bour
tree, and in Scotland bore tree, no doubt
from the facility with which pipes or
tubes for musical or other purposes
have always been made by pushing out
the pith from the younger branches.
Weseem toget the name from tho Dutch
holder with the German hohlundcr,
sureau with the French, in Holland
vlierboom, italian sambuco, Russian
busina, and Spanish sauce.
The spiced wine so almost universally
made from the berries in country DIS
tricts, and the medicinal virtues at
tributed--and not without rcason--to
very many preparations made from its
bark, shoots, leaves and roots by coun-
try folk from time immemorial, and Il
proportion of which are found in the
pharmacopoeia, have doubtless made it
a popular plant and gathered around
II many of the superstitions, tales, and
even enhanced the virtues it is said TO
possess. AT all events, in nearly every
county in England its praises can be
heard, and wondrous tales in connee-
tion with it will be found 70 exist, $780,.