Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-18

shipment of currency from Mexico to the
United States and it turned out that In Q
batch of 200 American dollars 1SD OF them
were bad.
There used under the old regime to be a
number of private mfnts licensed by the
Mexican government and l suspect some
of those plants are still at work restriklng
silver coins. We get hold from time 10
time of quite a number of Mexican dollars
that have been converted into American
and their purchasing power about ooupieo.
How can they be detected!
''Only by practice. A bank cashier can
spread out 800 silver dollars on poard III
front of him and tell the bad ones as easily
as though they were all marked. Ihey
simply don't look right. You see, the dies
with which thew are restruck are made by
what we call the hot stamp process ana
they are never quite SO clear and well-de-
fined as the regular mint-engraved dies.
Then, too, even a novice with a powerful
lens can frequently pick out the Mexican
lettering under the American impression.
When there is any doubt We pickle sus-
picious coin in hot acid bath and that
will always show UP the old lettering plain
as print"
He produced one of the picked coins and
there sure enough was the tell-tale Mex
can legend, faint but unmistakable, under
a very good impression from the American
die.
America silver Is perfectly good on gold
basis In almost any part of South America
or Mexico, Wnlie IN regions WIeTe pe-hn'
are scarce and checks unknown American
notes are in great demand for mall remit
tances and sometimes are at slight pre-
MUM even over gold. In Ecuador, Vene-
zuela and Mexico the reminting OF naive
silver into United States coin seems to pc
a favorlte criminal enterprise, and 1t would
be interesting to know just how much spu-
rious American money is afloat outside the
borders Of the United States.
X 4
They boarded the r street car about La
fayette Square and looked as though they
belonged in that neighborhood. In fact,
they looked as though their getting In
car at all was a mistake They were dis
tinctly the carriage brand of folk. as far
as their clothes were concerned. and they
looked as though they felt out of place In
a street car, and were determined that
the common people who habitually rode In
cars should know 1t.
Does this-er-car, -ergo past Stonelefgh
Court?" asked one of them of the con-
ductor in tones that penetrated the whole
car, and had a decided accent on the
court"
"Yessum" The conductors tone was
eminently respectful, but he evidently was
from the south.
The trio selected the widest space in the
center of the car, where there was less risk
of contamination from the other passen-
gers, and conversed audibly for the benefit
OF the remainder OF the car, tne2F CONVERSE
ton never being in less than six figures.
The car stopped at the corner Of L street
but they made no move to get out, and the
conductor poked his head in the car and
cried in strident tones that nobody in the
car could miss, "Stoneleigh Flats" with
decided accent on the flats.
They evidently were not used to hearing
the court alluded to in that fashion, and
they left the car with glance at the num-
Der over the door. as though they contem-
plated rpnOrtfnP
X X X
The first few pleasant days of early
spring, or, rather, of late winter. have
most surprising effect upon those men who
earn living in this city. but whose homes
are located outside of town." remarked a
suburbanite. Every fellow in my locality
is rising unusually early these mornings,
and also hustling out home Immediately
after office hours in the afternoon. All
spare moments are being devoted to pot
tering around outdoors with spades and
rakes. Although the ground is still frozen,
it won't be very long before lawn mowers
will make their appearance and pruning
shears be pressed into service.
Even before the dry grass is raked off,
however, paint brushes will be manpu-
lated to the end that porch ratings and
other exposed woodwork may look fresh
and attractive after an exceptionally hard
winter. .-a-
THE man In the country of late has
been yearning for the arrival of spring as
he never did before. and although it will
be foolish to plant garden seed for some
time yet, he Will be busy with his garden,
and with his rose bushes and other grow
ing things every DAY that the sun shines
brightly from noI on"