Catalina looked serious as she replied: “He does not remember. It is speiss, a five-cent piece, you gave me for winning the second game of checkers I played after you taught me how. You said you would never see it again, for I would give it to the priest some day when I went to confess; playing checkers for a philopena.”
“This is an old coin,” said the President; “it is dated 1898.”
“And the day we played the game is cut on it also,” said Catalina.
“A date is on it—December the seventh. But who put it there?” asked the President.
“Why, you cut the letters on it, your Honor,” Catalina replied, “with a little pearl-handled knife. I have it also. You used many big words to me then, but I remember them all very well. Do you remember what you said the priest might do with the knife, if I were not a good girl?”
“You forget, child, the President does not remember; but tell us about the knife,” said the Governor.
“Do; I am all curiosity,” said the President.
“It is a big word you used,” said Catalina, “and if you do not remember, I will have to tell you what it means. You said if I were not a good girl, the priest would perform phlebotomy upon me.”
“We do not know—explain, child,” said Governor Lehumada.
“He meant, the priest would open a blood-vessel, and all of my blood would run out,” laughed the child.