AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JOHN F. LACEY 387 



first New Year 's and twenty-six on the next which showed 

 that I had won the approval of the patrons on my route. 

 I remember the first paper bank bill I ever owned. I got 

 one dollar for two weeks' work. It was on the Northern 

 Bank of Kentucky. There was a beautiful landscape on 

 this promise to pay, and an apple tree in one corner with 

 two apples lying on the ground under the tree. 



When I attempted to use this bill in paying my fare on 

 an excursion to Grave Creek I found it was counterfeit, 

 and as it was all I had I watched the train pull out with 

 much disappointment. On enquiry I found from a mer- 

 chant that the bill was a sure enough counterfeit. Said 

 he, "Johnny, do you notice the apples lying under that 

 tree? Now there are only two apples there. If the bill 

 was a good one there would be three apples there. Do 

 you think you can remember that? ' ' 



After forty-six years I can answer, "Yes, I think I can 

 remember that." In fact I could not forget it if I would 

 try. It was my first object lesson in "sound money," and 

 I have always been in favor of good money ever since. 

 My employer made it good to me, but the loss fell on him 

 and I appreciated the magnitude of his loss. 



Father was a man of infinite mechanical capacity. He 

 not only knew his own trade but he could mend a clock, 

 build a barn, make a basket, cut stone, or do any kind of 

 mechanical work to which he cared to turn his hand. He 

 was not a jack-at-all-trades but he had a natural facility 

 for turning his hand to any kind of work that I have never 

 seen equaled. His trade only gave him employment dur- 

 ing good weather and he abhorred idleness and spent his 

 winters at some kind of indoor work. He cut many grave- 

 stones and monuments and his lettering and carving were 

 in the best of style. 



My earliest recollection of any particular date is 1844, 

 when I was three years old. Father was cutting stone in 



