The design of the seal of the treasury of the United States in all its essential features is older than the national government. From the days of the confederation of the colonies down through the history of the republic the Latin motto on the seal has been "The Seal of the Treasury of North America." These facts have just been developed, says the Newark News, by an investigation by the treasury department tracing the history of the seal. The Continental Congress ordered its construction Sept. 26, 1778, appointing John Witherspoon, Gouvernor Morris and R. H. Lee a committee on design. There is no record of the report of the committee, but impressions of the seal have been found as early as 1782.
The original seal was continued in use until 1849, when, worn out, it was replaced by a new cut, made by Edward Stabler of Montgomery county, Md. He was directed to make a facsimile of the old seal, but there were some negligible differences. The symbols, however, are the same. There are the 13 stars, representing the 13 colonies; the scales as the emblem of justice and keys, in secular heraldry denoting an office of state.
[WILLIE WAS SAVED.]
We had a Sane Fourth—I was not
Allowed to fire a single shot;
If I'd 'a made a cracker pop
I'd a' been hauled in by th' cop.
If me or any of th' boys
Had dared to make a bit o' noise
They would 'a slapped us all in jail
An' held us there till we gave bail,
An' so our Fourth, I will explain
Was absolutely safe an' sane.
Pa's feelin' better—'t least no worse,
I heard him tell th' new trained nurse,
He played golf nearly all th' day
With Mister Jones and Mister Shea
Until 'bout half past three o'clock
An' then he had an awful shock,
Th' sun was boilin' hot, an' he
Was playin' hard as hard could be,
An' he got sunstruck, but he'll be
Up in two weeks, or mebbe three.
Ma's conshus now. They think her arm
Ain't re'lly suffered serious harm,
Except it's broke. An' where her face
Got cut will heal without a trace,
Ma went out ridin' with th' Greens
"To view th' restful country scenes."
A tire blew up an' they upset—
They didn't have no landin' net!
Th' doctor says that sleep an' rest
For her will prob'ly be th' best.
My sister's better, too, although
They had to work an hour or so
To bring her to—she purt' near drowned
An' looked like dead when she was found.
She went to row with Mr. Groke
An' he—he says 'twas for a joke—
He rocked th' boat an' they fell out,
An' people run from miles about
To save their lives. She was a sight
When they brought her back home last night.
I wasn't hurt though, I'll explain,
Because my Fourth was Safe an' Sane.
—Wilbur D. Nesbit.