ANECDOTES ABOUT BANK NOTES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XII, Issue XI, 10 March 1894, Page 221

ANECDOTES ABOUT BANK NOTES.

Much of the writing found on old bank notes is due to the love of scribbling possessed by many persons. Much of it is ridiculous rhyme unworthy of repetition ; but occasionally it is smart, and apposite to the purpose of bank notes. A sample or two of such writings may be given. On an English pound note appeared the following :— • Ye ugly, dirty, little scrap I To look at, hardly worth a rap ; And yet I’ll give my hearty vote None can produce a sweeter note.' Another inscription is :— • It's odd that any man should wish A dirty, scrabbit rag like this ; Yet niony a ane would cut a caper To get a wheen sic bits o’ paper.' A contribution to bank-note literature is found in Lockhart’s * Life ot Scott.’ Lady Louisa Stuart sent the great novelist a copy of some lines which were written on a guinea note, then in possession of Lady Douglas. They were as follows :— Farewell 1 my note, and wheresoe'er ye wend. Shun gaudy scenes, and be the poor man's friend. You’ve left a poor man ; go to one as poor. And drive despair and hunger from his door. Sir Walter expressed himself as very much pleased with these lines. Bank notes have not now so long an existence as formerly; they are withdrawn from circulation whenever their external appearance is unsatisfactory, and ate consigned to the flames, the close retort being most commonly used in their destruction. Several banks have big occasional burnings ; while others have numerous burnings for smaller amounts. When notes are presented for payment in a defective condition, from whatever cause, it is the practice of some banks to pay according to the proportion of the note which is presented. Notes are destioyed in various ways. Dogs, cattle, sheep, and cats chew them. Laundresses have been known to wash their patrons’gaiments containing notes, reducing them in the process to a sad state of pulp. Hens have pecked at them, pigs have gulped them, mice have nibbled them.

An odd story is told in this connection. Not long ago a twenty-dollar note was sent to the United States Tieasury for redemption. Accompanying it was an affidavit saying that the owner bad put it in a cigar box, where mice had got at it and nibbled it. The note was a counterfeit. Not only that, but it had been through the treasury here at some previous time and had been stamped with the word * bad ’ in letters cut out of the paper. But the alleged mice had almost obliteiated the letters by nibbling around them. It was a queer way for mice to behave, to say the least of it. A deti cuve of the seivice was sent to look the matter up. He investigated the case fully and reported that it was all right—in short, that the note bad been submitted for redemption in good faith. The owner, it appeared, was an old German sailor of respectable character. Nevertheless he would go on an occasional spree. Waking up in the morning after a night of dissipation he found all bis money gone except this note for twenty dollars. Somebody had doubtless passed it off on him. He noticed nothing wrong about it, and bad put it into the cigar box in which be kept not only his ready money, but also bird seed for his pet canary. Alice, attiacted by the bird seed, visited the box and incidentally chewed up the note. On finding it pattly destroyed the sailor forwarded it to the treasury at Washington. The case is interesting chiefly as an illustration of the way in which an appearance of fraud may sometimes mislead.