The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1906-07-23
A COIN OF COURTESY
THe GUINEA OF TAs ENGLlSHMAN
IS NOT A COIN At ALL.

Oi all the obstacles that confront the
Englishman the guinea is the most
nmasing Tho other day an American
guest inquired Of ne. What is n guin-
eaT' lie had been asked for one by
circulating library. II seems an easy
question 90 answer. but Gs / had been
A puzzling over the division of an imagi-
nary guinea into four parts the expln
nation took time. II was as difficult as.
explaining cricket to a German-in
German.
"Sbow me one said the American.
/ confessed that did not possess
enc.
What. not S5.a5Y'
Yes. but not a guinea. We doa't
have guinea In England any more
"But you tala In gu.neas"'
That's our fun" | replied llmc,y.
Nevertheless there Is something TO b.
said for oug system. Indeed. one might
argue that this luccssant obstacle race
over the multiplication tables that we
have 90 enter insures n brac.ng Of IT,
muscles. We nre always kept on tie
alert to fn;hom the relations betwccn o
pottlc. Perch and a guinea or soEsc
such absurd aad f,rtultous comh'Il
tion. And one may suspect LIat this
Tightening and strengthening OF ~,
muscles I'm tie obstacle race IL really
the source OF England's greatness.
For all practical purposes the guinea
in which we TALKS the most prCpos.
terously absurd coin In the world. for
it does not exist-corporeally. Some
10
ON their watch chains. But II they tried
60 pass them over 60 the booking clerk
on the underground railway they would
he In danger Of the Judgment. There
nrc no cuineas In England. Yes, In
Imagination they exist.
Aud never more accuse yourself ~
belonging - an uniraglnative nation
Of sh1pkeepcrs, The guinea is the coin
OF courtesy. Just because II Is not q
coin az all. And its preservation rs nn
anomaly ~ a curious proof OF the IN
nate courtesy Of the Engllshman, who
will face any arithmetical inconven-
fence rather than put slur on a
friend
This you may see from the lists Of
subscriptions for the gentleman IN dis
trcss. You cannot Offer him the neces-
sarcs OF life. when the friend falls
10y the ways!de IL must bc guineas, not
sovereigns. that you supply. and one
feels glad that the remarks OF the
meanest sport that cxists-the sport Of
klnrs-ofrers prizes In 'sovs." II is
n merely the analogue Of that convention
which regulates gifts between equals.
Etiquette fo.bids your sending a
friend leg of mutton-that Is a so,-
erelga. the ordinary. humdrum coin.
But you may send him pheasants. oys.
ters. grouse or salmon, more especially
II the salmon Is the victim OF your own
rode, pole and perch Possibly the
real explanation Is that, as n matter OF
courtesy. you may not give a man
what he could obtain at the nearest
shop-!t must he something that IL not
easily ob,a!nable
Now, a guinea "a not easily obtalna.
BILE. and the difference between offer
Ing man guinea and Offering him a
sovereign Is the difference between
sending man a leg OF mutton and
sending him barrel OF oysters. That
little silly shilling stuck on TO the SOW
erelgn, that retention OF the ghost OF q
coin long dead and borne on watch
chain, with the locket containing q
twist OF greatgreat-auntle's hair, was
its significance.
IL Is the embodiment OF the English
mans innate idealism. II is like the
equally silly ESQ" which we tack OF
the names OF friends. There are nc
esqulres nowadays and no gulneas, but
we see them with the eye OF faith
And we sacrifice 10 our faith consider
able muscular exertlon. many blobs oI
ink and sundry shillngs that might
otherwise stock cur houses with cheaT
reprints Of the worlds best books.
You will naturally conclude that
did not put this view before my Amer
lean friend lie would scarcely under
stand IT, led him gently 10 the pala
tlal bank premises into which | hur
riedly east my weekly wage for fear
a should lose IL on the way home an'
pointed out 20 him lowering my yoic,
dlscreetly, as becomes the suppllant II
the temple OF wealth..
"Notc that young man." ! said. III
Is adding up three columns OF figures
: There are guineas, things that won
y fraternZe with half crowns or fou
shilling pieces or forms or half soyer
eigns or sovercigns, but you will per
celve that this young man Is takln
them in his stride Now, what abou
his musclesW
81 should conclude" said the Amer
eau guest thoughtfully, that youn
man who can put II gulneas togethe
nnd make 'em dollars can do any
thing"
"The guinea" ! explained as W
went out into Plccadilly, sis the sourc
OF England's greatness" And IN
American guest remained thoughtfu
London Chronicle.