I shook these two
half-crowns out of him," says the constable, producing them to the company, "in only putting my hand upon him!"
The fat boy looked from the pie-dish to the steak, as if he thought a favour must be in a manner connected with something to eat; and then took out one of the
half-crowns and glanced at it nervously.
He loved the guineas best, but he would not change the silver--the crowns and
half-crowns that were his own earnings, begotten by his labour; he loved them all.
Here is your money--all shillings, except two
half-crowns. Would you count it?
"Well, but, Tom--if mother would let me give you two
half-crowns and a sixpence out of my purse to put into your pocket and spend, you know, and buy some more rabbits with it?"
'Let me see,' said Mr Curdle; 'twice four's eight--four shillings a-piece to the boxes, Miss Snevellicci, is exceedingly dear in the present state of the drama--three half-crowns is seven-and-six; we shall not differ about sixpence, I suppose?
Poor Miss Snevellicci took the three half-crowns, with many smiles and bends, and Mrs Curdle, adding several supplementary directions relative to keeping the places for them, and dusting the seat, and sending two clean bills as soon as they came out, rang the bell, as a signal for breaking up the conference.
I stray and obey like a tree,
half-crown, half-root,
1895: The FA Cup was stolen from football outfitters William Shillock in Birmingham - 68 years later an 83-year-old man confessed that he had melted it down to make counterfeit
half-crown coins.
A The farthing B The threepenny bit C The sixpence D The
half-crown QUESTION 12 - for 12 points: What ministerial position did Nicolas Sarkozy hold until 2007, when he was elected president of France?
"No day was the same; I got a seaman's ration book which meant extra food, a great help for mum and, on top of my pay, a
half-crown danger money for going beyond the mouth of the Tees.
One pensioner complained that her
half-crown tin of cat food cost 13p on D-Day instead of the 12'p she'd been told her
half-crown was worth.
The trapeze lady taking the money at the door was dressed in a pink sequinned costume and fishnet tights; I didn't care that her make-up was caked and she had a tide mark where it ended or that she had a hole in her tights as big as a
half-crown; to me she was the epitome of glamour and I was sure that her life was one of constant adventure and excitement.
As they used to say about certain paramilitaries on this side of the border, their loyality is to the
half-crown rather than the crown.
