Charlevoix county herald., 1914-09-12
The TaIisman
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II wonder why no one ever thinks
to write about our experiences and
adventures. Every little, simple thing
that is done by people is heralded
forth in newspaper or magazine, while
we, who see and hear SO much more,
are just ignored in literature.
The speaker was a penny bearing
the date 1861. 1t was speaking to a
group of coins of different denomina.
tons, who were lying in the cash
drawer of a country grocery store.
II agree with you exactly" spoke
up a quarter of more recent date. Il
don't doubt but that you could tell us
many interesting adventures.
yes, and please do" spoke up sew.
! eral of the coins in concert.
Thus encouraged, the little penny
settling himself comfortably, related
his many adventures in the following
manner:
when | first left the mint L went
TO large bank in B. and felt very
| proud in my shining coat, and for a
| few days remained quietly in the
drawer with many of my friends.
zone morning I was taken out with
several other coins and handed to a
| young man in exchange for a slip of
| paper. He put me In his pocket,
where it was very dark, and among
coins that we're positively disgraceful,
they were so dirty and married
THE young man took us to a place
where there was nothing but hustle
and confusion. Men were giving
orders, women and children were
gathered round, and nearly all were
weeping bitterly.
Il asked one of my newly made &C.
quaintances what it all meant and he
told me the young men were starting
for the battlefield and explained to me
about the terrible Civil War
I'VE were then taken to large
building and then aboard a train and
rode until my bones ached from
jostling against the larger coins in
the gentleman's pocket.
II must have fallen asleep, for the
next thing l remember there was the
most terrible noise I ever heard, and
have since learned that it was guns
and that big battle was in progress.
In the wild scrambling to and fro,
scent piece and myself were tumbled
out of our hiding place and left ne
elected on the ground.
1--WE were later picked UP by a
young lady in white with a red cross
OH her arm, taken to a place called a
hospital and placed on shelf There
we had chance to watch the poor
wounded soldiers as they were
brought in for treatment.
lone day my attention was attract.
ed by a scrap Of conversation by the
bedside of a handsome young fellow,
who was bandaged from head to foot.
1t seemed that he and the nurse were
broke out. He had gone to the front,
lovers in the days before the war
and the desire to help her country had
been so strong that she had enlisted
as a nurse, that being her profession
at home. Through letters going
astray they had lost knowledge of one
another and had met at last at what
seemed almost certain to be his death
bed.
Il watched the brave fight the
doctors and nurse made for his life,
and their efforts were at last reward.
ed Slowly but surely he crept back
to health and strength, and at last
was ready to leave the hospital.
when he was ready to report for
duty she gave me to him for tails
man, and thus I went once again
into the midst of the fight
After the war was over we re-
turned to B., and was present at
the wedding of my owner and the
young nurse"
Just at this moment the grocer
opened the drawer to make change
and took up the story teller among
the rest. AS he laid the coins on the
counter there was joyous eXclama.
ton from the lady customer.
"Oh! at last l have found Russelps
talisman again"
1t seems that a little child had beg
ged penny from her papa, and with
out noticing he had given the little
one his precious penny. The lady
had recognized it by peculiar mark
on one side, where he had tried to
scratch her initials with knife.
The little penny is now safely rest.
ing in box in the little home, and If
perchance 1t sees this little story will
doubtless be gratified that at least
one coin has had some of his adven-
lures put into print.--Bertha s.