The children laughed heartily at this legend, and would hardly be convinced but that Grandfather had made it out of his own head. He assured them faithfully, however, that he had found it in the pages of a grave historian, and had merely tried to tell it in a somewhat funnier style. As for Samuel Sewell, he afterward became chief justice of Massachusetts.
“Well, Grandfather,” remarked Clara, “if wedding portions nowadays were paid as Miss Betsey’s was, young ladies would not pride themselves upon an airy figure, as many of them do.”
NOTES AND QUESTIONS
Discussion. 1. Describe bartering in the early colonial days. 2. When was the coinage of money established by law? 3. Who was the first mint master? 4. Upon what conditions did he manufacture the coins? 5. What do you think of Captain Hull’s bargain? 6. Where did the silver come from? 7. Describe the pine-tree shillings. 8. Tell the story of the romance between Betsey Hull and Samuel Sewell. 9. To what great position did Samuel Sewell attain? 10. Find out all you can about our government mints today. 11. Where are some of them located? 12. Where does the gold, silver, nickel, and copper come from? 13. Pronounce the following: authentic; ominous; specie.
Phrases
- [authentic records, 349, 1]
- [ominous of evil, 349, 5]
- [knocked down, 349, 9]
- [current coinage, 350, 13]
- [barter their commodities, 350, 15]
- [strange sort of specie, 350, 21]
- [English buccaneers, 351, 5]
- [personable young man, 352, 16]
- [bulky commodities, 352, 25]
- [enormous receptacle, 353, 1]
The Stamp Act
“Charley, my boy,” said Grandfather, “do you remember who was the last occupant of the chair?”