seat of the governors of Massachusetts; for, assuredly, it would have been
ominous of evil to the commonwealth, if the Chair of State had tottered
upon three legs. Being therefore sold at auction,—alas! what a vicissitude
for a chair that had figured in such high company, our venerable friend
was knocked down to a certain Captain John Hull. This old gentleman, on
carefully examining the maimed chair, discovered that its broken leg might
be clamped with iron and made as serviceable as ever."

"Here is the very leg that was broken!" exclaimed Charley, throwing
himself down on the floor to look at it. "And here are the iron clamps.
How well it was mended!"

When they had all sufficiently examined the broken leg, Grandfather told
them a story about Captain John Hull and



THE PINE-TREE SHILLINGS


The Captain John Hull, aforesaid, was the mint-master of Massachusetts,
and coined all the money that was made there. This was a new line of
business: for, in the earlier days of the colony, the current coinage
consisted of gold and silver money of England, Portugal, and Spain. These
coins being scarce, the people were often forced to barter their
commodities, instead of selling them.

For instance, if a man wanted to buy a coat, he perhaps exchanged a
bear-skin for it. If he wished for a barrel of molasses, he might purchase
it with a pile of pine boards. Musket-bullets were used instead of