The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-10-11
FACE ON ONE CENT PIECE.
Attempt to Alter it Brings Forth In.
teresting Protest.
Baltimore Sun.

IL you are SO tOrtunto take one out
from its resting place and sean it
closely. You will notice That the face
thereon is not characteristically In
dian. 1t suggests more the head Of
young girl with soft, curling hair
and classic features. In fact, the cast
and general expression is reminiscent
OF Greek model rather than of
savage. 1t is purely Caucasian.
This lack Of resemblance to an
aboriginal has caused some folk to
declare that Uncle Sam is a nature
faker and that the mistake should be
rectiticd and the head Of Sioux or
some other wild Indian be placed on
the coin instead.
Vigorous protests to such a change
have come from Baltimore, and Mr..
John G. Herman has written letter
to President Roosevelt asking that
he use his influence against change,
and advocating the retention Of the
present design. Mr.. Herman, who
knows all about the selecting of the
design for the penny, has told the
President why and how it so happen
ed that the coin bears a face so un-
like an Indian, when the hcaddress
has enough feathers to deck out a
whole tribe for battle.
1t seems that the face on the pen
ny is one of ii pretty girl, who after
ward grew to be famous woman.
Her name was Sarah Longacre
Keen, and she lived in Philadelphia.
When she was a child 6 years old a
delegation Of Indians from the North
west visited Washington. They came
to 'see the sights and pay their re-
spects to the Great White Father. Az
ter having spent considerable time at
the Capital they were taken to Phil
adelphia. There they were shown the
mint.
Honored by Indian Brave.
Little Sarah's father was fine en-
graver and he had official connection
with this great money factory. He
was kindly. benevolent man as WE'LL
and invited the delegation Of red men
to some sort of an entertainment at
his home. One Of the chiefs had his
attention attracted to the little miss,
and ne was so much pleased with her
figure and maidcnly bearing that in a
mood Of sportiven1ss he took off his
headdrcSs and put it on her head. She
was not frightened, but lending her
self to the enjoyment Of The joke,
she stood for Il moment and let the
company look at her.
Someone present, who had both an
eye for beauty and artistic skill swas
so struck by the appearance little
Sarah made in her Indian hat that
he sketched her on the spot.
The sketch was engraved by her
father. Just then the 1-cent coin
in its present form was about to be
issued, but the head with which its
face was to be ornamented had not
been chosen. This engraved sketch
went into competition for the honor.
1t was accepted in preference to all
others, and the imprint Of it was
transferred to the neat little copper
coins which Uncle Sam for SD many
years has been sending out into the
world.
Lived Life Of Usefulness.
When Sarah grew into womanhood
shd became actively interested in
missionary work and was for thirty
five years secretary of the Woman IS
Foreign Missionary Society of the
Methodist Episcopal Church. She was
also an earnest worker in the cause of
higher education for women and as
q result of her efforts there is col
lcge for women in the City Of Mexico
dedicated to iler memory and costing
100000, most of which was given
by her.
Mr. Herman and his friends who
want the present bas-relief on the
cent retained declare that The face. is
Of one who accomplished much. and
that it IS not only more appropriate
than a creation Of an artists imagi-
nation would be, but If is a tribute
and an honor to American woman
hood.
AS Sarah was in after life connect
ed with mission work, it is certain
that she, too, saw her face as a child
many times in the missionary boxes
she sent away to foreign fields.