The Hattiesburg news., 1915-10-11
THE LUCKY COIN THAT PROVED
A POOR TALlsMAN-DoNALD
MAcKENzIE's STRANGE
ADVENTURE.

Donald Mackenzie, the well known
Pathe producer, several months ago
happened to be sitting at the same
table iii Broadway restaurant with a
distinguished looking stranger who
looked like Spaniard. Conversation
started between the two, and an i'm
promptu friendship was struck up.
The stranger had some interesting
experiences to relate-he had been
for twenty years in South America.
had accumulated fortune, and was
how on his way home to Spain after
i trip through the United States. He
was lonely, very lonely, and Mr.. Mac
kenzie was the first eongenial ac-
quaintance he had met since he left
Peru. He regretted that on the NOR.
| row he would have to sail for home,
Tor he had enjoyed the acquaintance
Of the senior much. But wait, he
would like to leave the senor slight
token of his regard, coin, very
old coin, which he had dug from the
prehistoric ruins of Peru. He had
found two of them years ago when he
was destitute ana discouraged, and
they had given him much luck. From
that day he has prospered. The senior
with that coin must prosper, too.
When the stranger left after a warm
handshake, Mr.. Mackenzie found in
his hand the coin. 1t was weird
enough in looks to be an extraordi-
harry luck bringer, so "Mac" slipped it
Into his pocket and forgot about it.
A week later he had letter from
an old friend of his in Scotland, say
Ing that he had enlisted to fight for
England in the great war and was
leaving for the front probably within
two or three weeks. MAC" thought of
his lucky coin, and decided his friend
needed 1t to ward off hostile bullets.
He sat down at once and wrote him,
enclosing the coin, telling his friend
that it was "big medicine" and would
bring him glory. medals and promo
tions galore. Thus endeth the arst
chapter in the tale of the lucky coin.
Last week "Mac" heard from his
lfriend again for the first time since
he sent the coin. 1t was from an
army hospital somewhere in France,
and ran in part as follows:
"You may have your big medicine
coin and welcome. You'll find it en-
closed herewith. Here's what it's done
for me-. We left for the front the next
day after I got it and I was sick
as dog all the way over the channel,
being the only man on board who was,
for 1t was a remarkably smooth
passage. Landing on the dock rifle
accidentally fell ON my foot end
smashed it. We were at once or
dered to the front, and my regiment
was stationed in that part of the
trenches where the fighting was the
hottest, and it's my private belief that
was at the hottest point. l was
wounded in the arm almost at once,
slightly it's true, but painfully. /
stuck it out and about two hours
later had bullet part my hair very
neatly, but the hair will never grow
again where the bullet cut. Not long
after that something hit me wallop,
and woke up in this hospital band
aged from head to foot-one wound
In the head, one in each arm, one If
the stomach, and one in my right. leg
That wasn't the end of it. I've just
heard that my fiarcee back in Scot
land has married another man. Take
back your big medicine'-I spurn it."
Somehow, or other. the ocean liner
carrying the lucky" coin back to
America escaped being torpedosi,
but the captain never knew what
an ill-omened token was aboard.
Mr.. Mackenzie got this letter while
he was directing scene in Richard
Carle's play "Mary's Lamb" He told
everybody to wait for few minutes,
and then dashed for the door. He
isn't the least bit superstitious, but
two minutes later he might be seen
making a bee line for the Palisades,
on the edge of which are located the
Pathe studios. Pausing on the rim
of the dizzy cliff, he flung the coin as
far from him as he could AS near
as he could Judge it fell on the West
Shore Railroad tracks, two hundred
feet below. Now he's afraid the ac-
cursed thing. will cause a bad Sain
wreck "for", as he says, you never
can tell!"