SPECULATION IN 1901 CENTS.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 349, 15 January 1903, Page 8

SPECULATION IN 1901 CENTS.

ft** 9TOI Baally Brina- MtoMlMa Dalian In the Oct* V * Market. t a Hustermg young woman, Wrt ttE fcreatn as though walking fast, rushed up the steps of the mint the fcther day, and asked to be directed |o the bureau of information. •'There isn't any," replied the unikermed messenger, a very fat man, reports the Philadelphia Record. •Terhaps I can tell you what you Cint to know." "Perhaps you can," id the young woman, producing a eopy of s frivolous weekly paper. "I prant to know if this is true." She pointed to a paragraph which read: "Among the, curiosities of collecting {• the fact that 1901 cents now bring •bout sl9 in the coin market." • The fat messenger adjusted his glasses and scrutinized the paragraph. While he was thus engaged the young woman explained that she had four 1901 cents, and. wanted to lenow what made them so valuable and where she could realize on them, (Then the fat messenger grew purple in the face from suppressed laughter, which finally exploded and seemed in momentary dnnger of having an apopleptic fit. He called the attention of the other messengers to the paragraph, and then' followed combined roars of merriment. In the meantime the young woman with the. four 1901 cents wondered if she had strayed by mistake into a lunatic asylum. Finally the fat messenger regained his breath sufficiently to gasp: "It's a joke. Don't you see? Fll give you sl9 for 1.901 pennies, and I'll be a cent ahead of the game. See?" A great light seemed to dawn in the mind of the young woman. "I dare say it's very funny," she said, "but I don't think such things ought to be printed." And she made her exit sorrowfully.