Show 4 A REVOLUTIONARY RELIC An Old C Copy T of Common Sense SeDe e Owned in Chicago Among the curios of this country's I revolutionary days Is a worn wom paper- paper copy of ot Thomas Common Common Common Com mon Sense It Is owned by Clark Ervin Er- Er vIn an time old ChIcagoan and i 17 probably the only original copy now t In existence Mr Ervin has made in of ot historical societies ant ani searched diligently during the world worlds fair fall for tor another book like the one in his possession n but without avail The book bears the date of Feb 14 H. H 1776 and was sold by W W. T T. T Bradford Philadelphia for tor 1 shilling It is printed print print- ed in ancient style on rough heavy paper paper pa pa- per now yellow jellow with age and with ragged edges The leaves are held together to to- together gether by a bit of ot stout twine A reward reward reward re re- ward of several hundred pounds sterling sterling ster ster- ling Ung was offered by King Icing George for tor forthe forthe the head of either the tha author or the publisher It was vas during the war of the rebellion that the book came into Mr Ervins Ervin's possession Mr Ervin was the first man to enlist In the First Iowa Ioa cavalry and went through the war as asa asa asa a bugler in In troop G. G For some time his IsIs company was engaged in fighting Bill Quantrell's guerrillas with headquarters headquarters head headd quarters at Sedalla Sedalia Mo Quantrell had taken possession of a small and al almost almost al al- most deserted town In the vicinity of at Sed Sedalla Sedalia alia and after atter a short but sharp engagement with troop G was forced to retreat Before Defore doing so his men sacked the town and every book or document of any value that they could t r-t carry off was piled plIed in a heap before a warehouse and fired Just before the retreat While running his sword through the debris Mr Ervin poked out the book which was tightly packed among some papers and unharmed It ItIs ItIs Itis Is supposed to be some family relic and andon andon andon on the cover is written the names C De Merrill Aug 2 1776 Joseph De DeMerrill DeMerrill Merrill Aikman Welch and below these Mr Ervin has added his name For some time Mr Ervin talked of giving It to the Boston Historical society eo- eo for tor preservation but has since decided that when it leaves his handy hand it will go to the Field museum |