The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-29
HOW IS THE NOSE?
Only Way to Detect the New Counter
felt Copper Cents.
New York Herald.

New York Herald.
Clink, jingle, modest jangle; small mu-
tative clink-it's the Goddess and the Eagle
that do these things in a style that's really
fine-in and out, through and about civili-
zation's mystic mazes, a million or so of
American aborigines daily thread their
diverse ways and their intricate paths.
Some tread in all honesty and gen.
ufneness, others slide daringly over slippery
roads and boldly fiaunt deceptive physiog-
Monies in the very eyes of their unwilling
dupes.
They're twins TO the limit of their aggre-
gate numbers, these coppery redskins, so
much alike that only now and then they
able TO establish their own complete iden-
titles
Each one is a being sufficient unto him
self. Individually he is a success. Collec-
lively the aggregation rest secure in the
belief that were they to be suddenly Tipped
into extinction the world would have at
least one black gap to fill. Enthusiasms
and mutilation they endure with equal
stoicism-chiccOry or mocha, rain or snow,
III the Bowery or repoSeful Fifth-avenue
purse, it's all the same to these unassum-
ing Indians.
Did you ever dream you didn't know
who you were? II you haven't, try it some
night and note the sensation.
Said one Indian TO another. as they
bumped noses in a Secret Service mans
pocket:
Are you my brother?"
Not by a feather! I'm genuine, 1
am"
Plaintly spoke the first: Where's the
difference?"
Difference! All that's legal; you were
born queer
Piteously questioned he further: And
weren't you brought into the world queer,
too?'
Il, humble representative of this great
and glorious Union queer! Weigh me,
acidize me, turn upon me the searching
glance OF a million magnifying power
microscope, you'll find naught but disap
pointment for your pains. I'm copper, born
and circulated, gauge nineteen, one hum
dred and forty-seven of me TO the pound,
original cost
Sixteen cents per pound! 1t cannot be
more"
Right you arel But the one-thirty-one
which lies between-there's the scalp lock!
You're a usurper on strange hunting
grounds; your birthplace a handmade die.
in a dark cellar, in Mount Vernon I'm
mint born, free, of unquestioned lineage
and spotless integrity. Tomahawk your
self Get another nose"
Over the metallic lineaments of patient
number one stole a sardonic CLEAN of exul-
tation
us that your medicine charm?" he cried.
Whats the matter with my nose?'
"Bucdng broncos and six squaws. 1t has
a mountain in the middle. Ask the question
of moon. old papOose!"
A settled knowingness dwelt in the eyes
of number one. Dance on! Dance on! Soon
the feathers will tumble from your war
bonnet. 1t needs but the great chief to
cross the trail"
Clink! went both Indians on the table be-
fore a subtreasury man.
I'm hanged if L can tell them apart
said the secret-service man, as he studied
them I'm minute detail.
That's easy" responded the subtreasury
man. Look at the noses. The man who
did the original designing couldn't tell a
redskin from an Arab. He gave him pro-
file Greek as the Apollo Belvedere It's
a pity the government can't adopt the
typical aquiline nicely of this counterfeit
proboscis, which shows much more discern
ment on the part of the artist than the
other.
ITS curious to think what will happen
when makers of queer money become pos
sessed of sufficient skill to exactly initiate
the stamp of government approval in the
manufacture OF counterfeit copper coins.
It's a most profitable industry because the
original cost is so little. Their entire value
lies in the price they're worth in other
coin.
Just now we're much annoyed by
flood of these skillfully made spurious
cents. In fact, more than per cent of
the pennies in circulation are counterfeit.
Absolutely the only way to distinguish
good from bad is the nose on the Indian.
Give the counterfeit presentment an alb
solutely straight profile, such as the gen
uine has, and Uncle Sam and all his
servants are fooled.
These are the hardest kind of counterA
feits TO detect. You see gold and silver
can't be purchased in quantities without
the purchasers motives being suspected.
Who ever sees anything odd in the buying
OF sheet copper? 1t really looks as though
il is Cnly a question of time when the
government will be obliged to stop the
issue OF copper coins. Here's your good
penny The other had better be chopped
in two for closer investigation of its COM
position.
II die in the cause of realism" said the
counterfeit redskin, the axe clipped
through his neck. AT any rate, I've set
some people guessing"
It's all true. The secret-service man and
the subtreasury man are the authority.