The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-08-20
FRANCE GATHERS
COUNTRy'S COLD
Honor Medals and Old Coins Ex-
changed For Paper Money.
OLD SOUVENIRS TURNED IN.

Many Pathetic and Sad Scenes Wit
messed In Bank as Patriotic People
Come to Aid of Their Country-One
Little Boy Asks For a Ticket of
Honor and Gets IL.
An unusual sight was TO be seen at
the Bank OF France on the first Sun
day the bank opened to receive gold In
exchange for paper money. From 10
In the morning until A in the afternoon
an %unending procession slowly filed
into the building. All wore their Sun
day clothes-the Women In dark colors,
little girls In bright dresses, old men.
not a few soldiers from the front (easi-
ly recognized by their war worn COM
plexions and uniforms) bringing some
Of the gold coins they had taken TO the
lighting lines and found no occasion TO
use. Incidentally it may be mentioned
that most men when first modified
obtained as many gold coins as they
could, thinking that gold is useful ev-
erywhere. Many on their first return
left their gold at home, as they had
little occasion to spend it. They also
learned that If wounded and found by
the enemy the first thing done to them
was to he searched for their money by
bands of marauders who spring up the
day after a battle.
Boy Wanted Ticket of Honor.
Pleasant scenes occur In the bank as
the change is effected. A little boy
says. Mother, / want a ticket OF hon
or" His mother, who is changing 200
francs $40. has the receipt made out
half for the boy and half for herself.
An old woman has brought a belt made
Of hundred frame pieces Joined togeth-
err by gold links. To her grief an en-
ployee explains that the bank cannot
take a piece OF jewelry.
An octogenarian pays I'm 1900 francs
$2,4O0), all In gold coins OF the time
Of Napoleon i. and Louis XVIII. Ever
since 1920 his family had kept this
treasure untouched, In case something
might happen"
The mother OF Alexander See, an
artillery officer killed in the war, has
sent TO the Figaro a gold medal worth
500, which was awarded to her son
In 1910 I'm recognition of his work In
the science OF aviation. The Figaro
hopes the bank will take 1t and that
its equivalent will be given to one of
the funds which aid ~aviators and their
widows.
Provinces to the Rescue.
The provinces are also bringing gold
TO the branch banks Of the Bank of
France. At Marseilles over S460, 600
has been received. at Rouen $4,000.
at Havre sos 200, from 1920 persons
only; at Poitiers $54 200, at a small
town like Crell $4,000, at another
small town in the same department.
Montataire, $500. At Nancy steadily
increasing exchanges are made, $4,000
the first day, $4,400 a week later, then
S15,400. $4,000. $4,000. $685. 400. $43,-
200. $4,000, $4,000, etc, until a total
OF 100000 was reached.
The municipality OF Paris has paid
In to the Bank OF France its gold re-
serve amounting to 100000. Father
Patureau, vicar OF st. Pierre, in Mont
martre, has exchanged $500 collected
among his parishioners. He has asked
that the receipt be made out In the
name of his parishioners and intends
to hang IL in the church.
The Northern Railway company,
which turned in 100000 in gold as
early rs May 20, has arranged TO re-
ceive gold at its booking offices on be-
half OF the bank.
Cherbourg had exchanged over $780,
600 by July 10 and Dieppe over $40,-
600 by July IL. At lie Mans some
100000 was paid In. much by moth
ers of families who brought the gold
pieces blessed on their wedding days
and preserved as family treasures ever
since. I'm accordance with an old Gus
tom in that part OF the country.