Year: 1859

New York. Sept 9th, 1859.
You publish this morning an article on
| coins and coin collecting. l am given to


the love of curious coins myself, and moth


ing tempts Inc farther than the prospect OF
| adding one to my cabinet, especially an
American coin, pine tree shilling, q Gran
by copper or other memorial of our coun-
try. 1t was such aprospect that ledme out
of my way on the l,omewa,d trip from the
White Mountains to quiet little village,
the locality whereof | need not mention
with precision. Ny friend, the village doc
come and see him. he would give me a
quart measure full of coppers about which
iic knew nothing, bat which some one had
pronounced valuable. So | went, and he
gave me the eoPpers, and some of them
were rare ani curious, and We're valuable
additions to nay collection.


We We're sitting, in the evening, before q
blazing fire, for though it was bus the first
of September it was nevert heless very cold,
when the doctor took from his medicine
cabinet little case, and from the case a


small gold coin.


'Wha; would you give to add that coin
10 your collection p


examined it, 1t was but a common
gold half eagle, OF no. very carly date, and


tossed it to him with a smile.


|. You don't value it p


Five dollars | replied


All, you coin collectors have an idea
that yoEr coins are valuable because they


are rare. Ii die break in the Mint when
only one proof coin has been struck, that


coin forthwith becomes priceless. But, my
friend it is possible that coins may be as


valuable for private associations, as for
public historical reasons. / have some
| times thought of making a collection OF
| coins. by taking one out Of every fee / get


that is specially worth remembering. Then
would catalogue them thus Dead,
| saved,'' lunatic,' or with some word to


reminl one OF the tale that hangs by them.


But that coin yonder should be the crosDn
pieea of the collection


Ahd then the doctor told me a story


But to appreciate it, you should have seen


us. the group of listeners, and you should


have seen, too, the twinkle of my friend S
eye now and then by way of gesture. For
he smoketi his pipe as he talked. and did


not move hand or foot only lips and eyes.


That coin was fee L once got for a
winters night service to an old man. 1t
was nearly midnight. The night was furi-


Gus, clustering aloud, and cold as the Their


mometer could allow it. That is the mer-


curry was in the bulb, and as my instrument


only measured twenty below zero, l cannot


guess how much below that it was. These
winter nights OF ours are arctic sometimes.
| was in bed. Thanks to a hard day S
| work, l had dose.l every one of my pa
tients satisfactorily before the cold grey
sunset, and had passed the evening cozily
by the side of my candle, in front of a
roaring fire.


Il had drawn my bed out of the corner


into the very middle of the room. heaped


ON pile of logs that sent their blaze fash


ing up the chimney, slowed myself away


under the covers, opened the last number


of the Edingburgh, relapsing into condi-
ton of perfect calm.


How the wind roared outside, laughing.


shouting, shrieking round the corners of thu


house. aashing itself like thousand Of


boys-through the branches Of the trees


rasping the limbs against the clapboardine


Of the house, as if some one were saving


pine boards for kindling wood; in short


uttering all those sounds that winter


storm utters in the up country, and which