Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1910-03-30
GU|NEAS AND POUNDS
More Than the Mere Shilling Diff
ference Between Them.
MONEY CASTE IN ENGLAND.

The Pound Is Straight Business Mon
~. but the Guinea Is the centieman's
money-A Nice Distinction In Charges
AND In Payments
Funny thing" said the writer. who
had lust received check for 60 IS
from London. how the editor over in
England paid me IA guineas. not In
English pounds. IN fact. IL would be
an insult IL the editor had simply paid
me T..
They've two kinds OF money over
there One kind is straight business
money. I'm even e. would have meant
I'm effect that bad performed rou-
tire job Of some kind. such as compil-
inr table Of statistics for the editor,
and that was being paid for mechan-
zeal labor.
But the editor adds an extra shil-
ling 10 every pound he pays me. This
means that l am not supposed TO have
performed any labor at all. but to have
created work OF art and submitted
this work OF art-otherwise literature
for arts sake.
"My check is written Two guineas,'
and the envelope IN which it Is sent
me IS addressed John Smith, Esq.,
This in effect is n second recognition
that have submitted a piece OF liter-
are 20 IS to prevent errors In book
keeping.
III I'd been on the staff OF the pc
riodcal my salary would be paid me
In pounds sterling. for then I'd be
supposed TO be working for pay and,
according 10 English ideas. no longer n
gentleman.
These two kinds OF money, guIneas
and pounds. show up In many curious
ways. All professional men are paid
in guineas. II you are running a big
private school you make a charge in
guineas for tuition. and parents Of
your pupils pay you IN guineas be-
engaging in an altruistic. philanthropic
project Of building Drawn and brain
FOR Britain. But you pay the teachers
in your school in pounds sterling. for
they're supposed 10 be working for
pay. not for love.
III you're n doctor you make your
bills for professional services out in
guineas. Barrssters are paid In gum
cas-. Horse race prizes are given in
guineas for all gentlemen's races.
The most curious mixture OF all Is
the clergyman's pay. This is queer
mixture OF commercial and profession
al IDEAS. The charge OF n parish Is
known as n living and is paid In
pounds sterling. but II wedding or
christening takes place In the parish
the clergyman receives n personal fee.
always guineas Instead OF pounds.
Artists are paid In guineas. The
late James MacNein Whistler, who had
delightful habit OF turning a keen
wit on friends and making enemies
thereby, was once paid FOR a work OF
art In pounds sterling. delicate i'm
pication that Whistler was a dauber
ana a tyro
Two trades are paid In guineas for
goods purchased. but other trades are
paid In pounds sterling. These trades
are The interior decorator and the Jew
eler. The jewelers. goods are suppos-
cd TO be works OF art, and such COM
merclal articles as watch chains and
watches are priced In guineas Ger
tam swell and exclusive London tai
Tors. TO whom you have TO be intro
duced. by the way. charge you in
guineas for the coats and trousers they
consent TO make for YOU.
Directors OF companies were for
merly paid in guineas for their attend
ahce They are now paid in pounds
sterling but when n pound sterling is
IN minted gold IL isn't a pound sterling
any mere. but a sovereign.
The idea is that directors of COM
pahieS are always feed in gold, and as
So'ereigns only are coined now they
are paid in sovereigns. The only ex-
ception Is the directorate of the Bank
OF England. The members OF the
hoard are paid in golden guineas. part
oi small store kept In the bank and
ua'ed In the early years Of the last
century.
gentleman wagers with his
friends In guineas. He buys a hunter
Po"! poio from friend In gum
cas- out i'm pounds from n horse trad
VI but II he is buying work horse
IRON friend and equal he pays In
pounds sterling.
III gentleman wagers with n book
maker at race track he posts his bet
~ pounds. If he tries to break the
p'nk ut Monte Carlo he puts up his
N"gers on the roulette wheel In gold
twenty franc pieces and speaks Of his
winnings or losses I'm pounds sterling,
whhe he mentions his winnings or
losses at bridge. paid in gold, in gum
cas-.
There are hundreds of delicate dis
uhcuons In British etiquette In the
matter OF money. One of the most
curious Is that of certain London
.,uo where the members receive their
enange In gold, silver and penny post,
"se stamps. neither paper money nor
copper being given, and gentlemen are
nu' supposed to know any money ex.
Sep. coined gold and silver."-New
York Sun,