The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-12-22

which would mean az average Of about
nine cents contributed BY each. In order
that the contributions should be known
only 10 those who made them the system
often ussa By churches was fseorted 90.
kaph child received an envetope into
and the Instructions were that all the
envelopes should be handed In, even In
cases where the children could not give
anything. IL has taken nearly two
months 20 count what the envelopes con-
tained, and this required the services Of
from fiye 30 ten clerks daily. Al hrst the
coins were counted, but this soon proved
too slow a method, so they were weighed.
There was nearly ton OF pennies and
barrel Of five-cent pieces As soon as o
certain weight was reached the money
was taken 60 the Nineteenth Ward BANK
and from there it was sent to the Assay
Offics. About SO In ooin was returned
from there rs either counterfeit or worth
less.
The most Interesting thing Of all. how
ever, was the number and variety OF for
eign coins found In the envelopes. The
currency Of nearly every counfay was rep
resented. There were several Chinese
coins, one Turkish piece and OF the other
countries Germany and Russia had the
most, Most Of thess foreign coins were OF
denominations seldom exceeding the
value OF tive cents In American money,
There were, however, number OF for
eiRn coins OF the value OF % DENTS or
thereabouts. IL ia not the Intention OF
the school authorities to turn all the
foreign coins over to the Assay Office for
the reason that they have much larger
value as souvenirs. They have in oonse-
quenos been replaced by American
money. and the foreign coins will be Kept
to form collect on which the school au-
thorities will probably keep along with q
M of nfhQR awhfhlfa ruhfnh thQ onhnQla
have produced. Money was not all the
envelopes contained for some OF them
furnished not only humor but pathos. IL
was suggested In many schools that those
who could not contribute should put in
their envelopes slip OF naper on which
should be written an appropriate verse
from the Bible. In a majority Of cases
this was done, but In others the sugges-
ton was the means OF giving children
another idea. This was to put q variety
of unciassified objects into the envelopes,
many OF which by their size and shape
taining coins. For the most these Kings
calculated to deceive consisted OF buttons
and lozenges, All varieties OF campaign
buttons were represented.
1t was in the notes that some OF the
children wrote that the pathos was found,
showing In many cases what struggle
had gone on in the breast of some who
felt they ooul1 not contribute. but who
nevertheless wanted to. In one envelope
which contained three cents, was a slip
bearing this: Il can't afford more now,
but II the children OF Galveston need
more perhaps l can get It," This was
characteristic of many others.
wiehin a week or two the monay con.
tribuaed by the children and perhaps some
of the notes will be sent off to those for
whom they were intended. That IL Will
bs aidsof n kind that Will meet with APP
nreciation there can be no doubt, and
this will not be lessened bv knowledge OF
the fact thas theirs was q case In which
an exception was made and an oppor-
tunity for charity afforded which was ac-
cspted uheerfully by vast majority OF
the children and people OF these two
boroughs.