'sigheditomyself,'amialsotobeaburdenontheconscienceofthispoorwoman?amitheninmyolddayssocompletelychanged?'thewomanofferedmetotherichbaker,butheknewthecurrentmoneytoowell,andassoonashereceivedmehethrewmealmostinthewoman'sface.shecouldgetnobreadforme,andifeltquitegrievedtotheheartthatishouldbecauseofsomuchtroubletoanother,andbetreatedasacast-offcoin.iwho,inmyyoungdays,feltsojoyfulinthecertaintyofmyownvalue,andknewsowellthatiboreagenuinestamp.iwasassorrowfulnowasapoorshillingcanbewhennobodywillhavehim.thewomantookmehomeagainwithher,andlookingatmeveryearnestly,shesaid,'no,iwillnottrytodeceiveanyonewiththeeagain.iwillboreaholethroughthee,thateveryonemayknowthatthouartafalseandworthlessthing;andyet,whyshouldidothat?verylikelythouartaluckyshilling.athoughthasjuststruckmethatitisso,andibelieveit.yes,iwillmakeaholeintheshilling,'saidshe,'andrunastringthroughit,andthengiveittomyneighbor'slittleonetohangroundherneck,asaluckyshilling.'soshedrilledaholethroughme.

"itisreallynotatallpleasanttohaveaholeboredthroughone,butwecansubmittoagreatdealwhenitisdonewithagoodintention.astringwasdrawnthroughthehole,andibecameakindofmedal.theyhungmeroundtheneckofalittlechild,andthechildlaughedatmeandkissedme,andirestedforonewholenightonthewarm,innocentbreastofachild.

"inthemorningthechild'smothertookmebetweenherfingers,andhadcertainthoughtsaboutme,whichiverysoonfoundout.first,shelookedforapairofscissors,andcutthestring.

"'luckyshilling!'saidshe,'certainlythisiswhatimeantotry.'thenshelaidmeinvinegartillibecamequitegreen,andafterthatshefilleduptheholewithcement,rubbedmealittletobrightenmeup,andwentoutinthetwilighthourtothelotterycollector,tobuyherselfaticket,withashillingthatshouldbringluck.howeverythingseemedtocausemetrouble.thelotterycollectorpressedmesohardthatithoughtishouldcrack.ihadbeencalledfalse,ihadbeenthrownaway,-thatiknew;andthereweremanyshillingsandcoinswithinscriptionsandstampsofallkindslyingabout.iwellknewhowproudtheywere,soiavoidedthemfromveryshame.withthecollectorwereseveralmenwhoseemedtohaveagreatdealtodo,soifellunnoticedintoachest,amongseveralothercoins.

"whetherthelotteryticketgainedaprize,iknownot;butthisiknow,thatinaveryfewdaysafter,iwasrecognizedasabadshilling,andlaidaside.everythingthathappenedseemedalwaystoaddtomysorrow.evenifamanhasagoodcharacter,itisofnouseforhimtodenywhatissaidofhim,forheisnotconsideredanimpartialjudgeofhimself.

"ayearpassed,andinthiswayihadbeenchangedfromhandtohand;alwaysabused,alwayslookedatwithdispleasure,andtrustedbynoone;butitrustedinmyself,andhadnoconfidenceintheworld.yes,thatwasaverydarktime.

"atlengthonedayiwaspassedtoatraveller,aforeigner,theverysamewhohadbroughtmeawayfromhome;andhewassimpleandtrue-heartedenoughtotakemeforcurrentcoin.butwouldhealsoattempttopassme?andshouldiagainheartheoutcry,'false!good-for-nothing!'thetravellerexaminedmeattentively,'itooktheeforgoodcoin,'saidhe;thensuddenlyasmilespreadalloverhisface.ihaveneverseensuchasmileonanyotherfaceasonhis.'nowthisissingular,'saidhe,'itisacoinfrommyowncountry;agood,true,shillingfromhome.someonehasboredaholethroughit,andpeoplehavenodoubtcalleditfalse.howcuriousthatitshouldcomeintomyhands.iwilltakeithomewithmetomyownhouse.'

'joythrilledthroughmewheniheardthis.ihadbeenoncemorecalledagood,honestshilling,andiwastogobacktomyownhome,whereeachandallwouldrecognizeme,andknowthatiwasmadeofgoodsilver,andboreatrue,genuinestamp.ishouldhavebeengladinmyjoytothrowoutsparksoffire,butithasneveratanytimebeenmynaturetosparkle.steelcandoso,butnotsilver.iwaswrappedupinfine,whitepaper,thatimightnotmixwiththeothercoinsandbelost;andonspecialoccasions,whenpeoplefrommyowncountryhappenedtobepresent,iwasbroughtforwardandspokenofverykindly.theysaidiwasveryinteresting,anditwasreallyquiteworthwhiletonoticethatthosewhoareinterestinghaveoftennotasinglewordtosayforthemselves.

"atlengthireachedhome.allmycareswereatanend.joyagainoverwhelmedme;forwasinotgoodsilver,andhadinotagenuinestamp?