A severe blow was dealt to Christmas observance this year by the British Mint, tending to show how cold-souled commercialism interferes with the simple pleasures of the poor. One of childhood's delights the past was to obtain from relatives tone or more bright new pennies for the coming year. 'They were tre sured for just as long as the recipient could withstand the temptations of the nearest sweetshop, but it was undoubtedly a great' pleasure to receive {he glittering tokens and fondle them at Toast until the brightness wore off a bit. Now that fg all past. And who is responsible? The banks, those institutions—who come under the scathing fire of the Socialists from time to time, as the monsters who think only of them~ selves and maintain a paralyzing fgelp upon trade, and grind the "fices of the pore" in the dust. The banks found that so much time was taken in accommodating customers who wanted a couple of dozen bright golden pennies, necessitating break-tug untold rolls of—five-shillingsworth, that they approached the Mint and asked for relief. The Mint now {ssues new pennies to look like old. So another good old custom has gone, and the bright pennies of the past have to give place to the mouldy money of the future. And all because of the banks, Thus the phrase "as bright as a new penny," ceases to have any meaning, or will do unless in years to come future generations learn of the grave wrong Which in the name of convenience has been done to children.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.