Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-08-10
The PINE TREE SHILLINGS.
From TRANSFORMATIONS cnAIn. ]

the misfortune to break leg. Ii probably
of this accident that ceased to be the seat of the Governors
Massachusetts, assuredy it would have been omnous
evil commonwealth if the Chair of State had toered
upon three legs Being sold what
yicissitude Tor chair that had figured in such high
pany-our venerable friend Knocked down to certain
Caption John Hull. This old gentleman carefully
aiming the manned chair discovered that It's broken leg
might be campe with iron and madeas serviceabe ever
Here the very leg that broken exclaimed Charley
throwing himself down the floor to look at IT, And here
When they had all sufficiently examined the broken leg
Grandfather told them story about Captain John Hull and
the Pine Tree Shilngs
The Captain John Hull aforesaid was of
Massachusetts and coined all the money that made
there This was new line OF BUSINESS 1or IN the carrier
days of the colony the coinage consisted Of gold and
silver money OF England Portugal and Spain These coins
being scarce the people often forced to barter their
commodities instead of selling them
For instance if wanted to by coat, he perhaps ex
changed bearskin for it, If he wished for barrel of
asses he might purchase it with pile Of pine buards
Muske balls used instead of farthngs The Indians
had sort OF money called wampum which was made OF
clam shells and this sort of specie likewise taken
in payment of debts by the English settlers Bank bills had
been heard of There money enough OF any
kind in parts of the country the salaries ofthe
ministers; that they sometimes had to akequntas of fish
bushels Of cords of wood instead silver and gold
As the people grew numerous, and their trade with
one another increased the want OF current money was still
more sensby felt TO supply the demand the general court
passed law for establishing coinage OF shings sNpences
and theepeneee Captain John Hull was ppontedto manu-
acture this money and have shilling out Of every
twenty to pay him for the trouble Of making them
ereupon all the old silver in the colony was handed over
to Captain John Hull The battered silver and tank
ards suppose and silver buckles and broken spoons, and
and silver buttons WORKOUT coats and silver hits
swords that had figured courta such curious old arti
ces doubtless thrown into the pot together But by
far the greater part Of the silver consisted Of bullion from the
mines OF South America which the English buecaneerswho
were little better than praeshad taken from the Spanards
and brought to Massachusetts,.
All this old and silver being melted down and coined
the res1 was an immense amount OF splendid shngs SIX
pences and thecnce Each had the date 1862 on the
side and the figure of pine the other Hence they
were called pine tree shings And for every twenty sh
ngs that he coined you will remember Captain John Hull
was entitled to put one shilling into his pocket
The magistrates began suspect that themnt master
would have the best Of the bargain. They offered him
large OF money if he would but give up that twentieth
shilling which he continually dropping into his own
pocket But Captain Hull declared himself perfectly salts
fled with the shilling. And well he might be- for 50 dilgent
" did he labor that in Few years his pockets money
bags, and his strong box overlooking with pine tree
hillngs. This probably the when he came into
possession Of Grandthers chair and he had worked
hard at the mint was certainly proper that he should have
comfortable chair to rest himself in.
When the mint master had grown rcha young man
Samuel Sewe by name coutlng to his only daughter
His daughterwhosc do not know, but will call
her Betsey-was fine, hearty damsel by no means SO
slender young ladies Of our days On the
ry having always fed heartily pumpknpes doughnuts
Indian buildings and other Puritan daines she round
and plump pudding herself With this round rosy Miss
Besey did Samuel Sewell fall in love As he was young
Of good character industrious in his business and
member of the church the mint master very readily gave
his consent.
Yes You may take said he in his rough way and you'll
find heavy burden enough
On the wedding day we may suppose that honest John
Hull dressed himself plun-coored all the buttons
Of which made OF pine shilngs The buttons of
his wascoa were sxpences: and the knees of his small
clothes buttoned with silver threepences Thus aed
he sat with great dignity in Grandfahe chair; and being
portly old gentleman he completely filled it from elbow to
elbow On the opposite side Of the between her brides
maids sat Miss Betsey She bushng with all her might
and looked like ull-bown peony great red apple.
There too, the bridegroom, dressed in fine purple
and gold lace wastcoat with much other fnery
the Puritan laws and customs would allow him to put
His hair cropped close his head because Governor
Endcot had forbidden any man to wear 1t below the ears
But he very personable young and thought
\ the bridesmaids and Miss Betsey herself
The mint master also pleased with his new son-naw
especially he had courted Miss Betsay of pure love
and had said nothing all about her portion So when the
marriage ceremony was over Captain Hull whispered
to two OF his who Immediately went out and
returned Juggling pair of large scales They such
as wholesale merchants use for weighing bulky commodities;
and quite bulky commodity to be weighed in them
daughter Betsey said the mint master get into one
4 side of these scales"
did She bid like dutifu child without question
E Of the why and wherefore. But what her father could
unless to make her husband pay for her by the pound
On which case She would have been dear bargain) she had
K not the least idea
And now" said honest John Hull the servants bring
f that box hither.'
The box to which the mint master pointed was huge
square iron-bound oaken chest; it big enough my
children for all four Of You play hide and eek The
servants ugged with might and main but could not lift this
enormous receptacle and finally obliged drag
floor Captain Hull then took Kew from his qir-
die unlocked the chest and lifted ponderos lid Behold
it full to the brm Of bright pine shngs fresh
from the and Samuel Sewe began to think that his
ather-n-aw had got possession Of all the money in the Mas
saehusetts treasury But it only the mint masters hon
est share OF the coinage
Then the servants Captain Iuls command heaped
double handfuls Of the shings into side the scales
while Betsey remained in the other Jingle jingle the
shillings, handful after handful in till plump
and ponderous she they fairly weighed the young
lady from the floor.
There son Sewellih cried the honest
ing his seat in Grandathers chair take these shilngs
my daughters portion Use her kindly and thank heaven
for her II i not every wife that's worth her weight in sill
vert"
The children laughed heartily this legend and would
hardly be convinced but that Grandfather had made
his own head He assured them faithfully. however that he
had found in the pages grave historian and had
ly tried to tell it in somewhat funner style
ue Sewe he Justice Of Massachu
Well Grandfather remarked Clara. IF wedding por
tons nowadays paid Miss Besevs Young ladies
would not pride themselves upon airy figure many