BLÜCHER'S PIPE-BEARER.
There is a story told somewhere of an old Indian-fighter, one of the kind that trailed the war parties of the redskins far back in the last century. This veteran loved his pipe, and as the story goes, during one of his exploits the Indians followed his trail by the smell of the tobacco smoke, and finally a well-aimed bullet knocked the glowing bowl from his mouth. Thus warned, he made his escape.
This pipe story does not equal that told of Christian Hennemann, a countryman from Rostock, who fought with Field-Marshal Blücher at Waterloo. Those who are familiar with Blücher's life know of his partiality for a pipe, and even in the heat of battle he never neglected his smoke. As day broke the morning of the memorable battle of Waterloo, Blücher called the hussar Christian Hennemann, and placed him in charge of a box of clay pipes, with the instruction to keep one always ready to hand to him, that he might enjoy a few whiffs during the engagement.
As the morning wore on, Blücher sat on his white charger gravely puffing away. He had reached out his hand for the second time to take the refilled pipe, when an ungenerous cannon-ball dug up the ground near at hand, causing his horse to shy. Blücher hastily handed the pipe to Christian, saying, "Just keep that lighted for a few moments while I drive those rascally Frenchmen back."
The chase was a long one, as history relates, and through the hot summer day the battle waged and men fought and died. When the battle was over, Blücher and Wellington, who were riding over the scene together, happened to pass near where Blücher had first started to chase the enemy. Outlined against the sky a lonely man sat perched on a rock. A bloody rag was bound around his head, and one arm hung in a sling. He was calmly smoking a clay pipe.
With an exclamation of surprise Blücher pulled up.
"Why, it's my Hennemann! How you look, boy! What are you doing here alone?"
"Waiting for you, as ordered," was the grumbled reply. "Been waiting ever since you left. The French have shot away every pipe in the box. They ripped the flesh from my head and shattered my arm with their bullets. It's well there is an end to the battle, or you would have been too late even for this last pipe."
Wellington, turning to Blücher, remarked:
"You have admired the unflinching loyalty and bravery of my Highlanders. What shall I say of this brave soul?"
"But your Highlanders had no pipes to regale themselves with," Blücher replied.
This Department is conducted in the interest of stamp and coin collectors, and the Editor will be pleased to answer any question on these subjects so far as possible. Correspondents should address Editor Stamp Department.
The prices of great rarities are not declining, and the common stamps are worth as much to-day as ever; but the middle-class U. S. stamps have had a serious decline during the past three months. However, the stock is not large, it cannot be increased, and the good stamps are constantly being spoiled by carelessness or destroyed by accident, hence the eventual return to higher values is inevitable.
A rumor has gone abroad that the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington contemplates making an entirely new set of postage-stamps, or keeping the present dies and changing all the colors. In either case there will be a great demand for Plate Nos. The present prices of Plate Nos. are quite low, and collectors should make up their albums as soon as possible. If a new set of stamps is issued, almost every one will be able to get all the new Nos. at a slight advance on face values.
One of the New York dealers has adopted a new method of selling scarce stamps. For instance, a U. S. Revenue was placed in the window marked $20, the catalogue price, with a notice that the price would be reduced $1 each day until sold. Quite a number of collectors kept tally, and determined to buy the stamp when it had come down to $12 or $13. They are still waiting, as the stamp was sold at $14. Other dealers intend to do the same thing with other stamps, and in many instances they expect the stamp to be sold the second day.
S. P. Kenna.—There is no accounting for fashion, but the wise collector is one of those who set the fashion. Those who come in later must pay highest prices. Australians were the most sought after three or four years ago, then came West-Indians. U. S. stamps, of course, are, and probably will be, more sought after in this country than abroad.
J. Shackheim.—A fine unused 90c. U. S. 1860 issue, sold at one auction for $11 a few days ago, and the next day a poor copy of the same stamp brought $13.50 at another auction. The first was very cheap, the second very dear. Unused high values U. S. will always be very scarce, and in some cases rare.
J. Urban.—You have a very interesting lot of coins, but none of them is of such rarity as to be worth sending to a dealer. You will doubtless be able to get many others in time at nominal prices, and thus make up a good collection.
W. Hammond, 8 High St., Peabody, Mass., wishes to exchange stamps.
J. O. Hall.—To get the new stamps as issued I would advise you to join the American Philatelic Association. Address J. F. Beard, secretary, Muscatine, Iowa.
F. X. Schmidt.—The first coins struck for an American English-speaking country were the Sommer Island III., VI., XII. pence in 1616. These are now called the Bermuda Islands. The next coins were the New England III., VI., XII. in 1652, and the Pine-Tree pieces struck in the same year.
J. Kleinschmidt.—There are two varieties of the 1869 15c. stamp. 1. The ordinary, in the frame of which, under the letter T of the word POSTAGE, is a diamond. This variety is worth $1.25 used. 2. The other has the diamond cut out, and this variety is worth $3 used.
A. A. Davis.—Brazil stamps, both used and unused, had been very low in price for all issues from 1850 to 1893. Daring the past two years they have gone up in price quite remarkably, as the dealers and collectors find that certain varieties are quite scarce. If you have the complete sets unused hold on to them, as prices are bound to advance.
Philatus.
