The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-12-02
THAr NICE Old MIR. ELLsWoRrH.
Are Hls esneaIoeIcai Tree SD HIs Cost or
ARR OnIy HIs stool ln Trndet

AEE INN NehEnNnMNghl ITO NAN EAAN 80 -
Arr.s Ouiy mis- stock n Trndet
A Tale Of Two Visits. which is variouslv re-
gsrded according TO the faith. or the unfaith, in
human nature OF those who hear IL, has been In
teresting members VI The Players. The action
takes place in the Century office, where the hero
can usually be found in the daytime, and W IRE
he was found one autumn morning n few weeks
ago else there would have been no story. The
properties are a genealogical tree, covering cen
turtles and written in ink Of several periU,ls,
Judging from the diversity OF shades; a copy OF
u coat OF arms, said to have been made from an
original in the British Museum; some bonds
Of a transportation company and n receipt
for a sum Of money, signed by a nice old man
who played the opposite part to the member OF
The Players.
This old man introduced himself to William
w Ellsworth a. Of his name and kin. He said:
~ am William l.. Ellsworth of Detroit. |
thought I'd look you up. | think knew your
father. Let me see. your name Is William w.
William Walcot, isn't ity'
NO; hay name is Webster" was the short re-
ply. which sought to discourage the old man.
Bu; he only bcamctl genially. and babbled on.
lie talked of Mr.. Ellsworih's father, whom he
said hc knew years ago In Valparaiso. lie in
Quirrd concerning several members n the fam
lily whr hRt married and moved about the
world since he had heard of item. aud in each
instance disclosed sufficient knowledge " their
aHaiIs tu YEAR uLt his statement that he had
been an acquaintance NJ the family ages
ago. The Old man was communicative
about himself. He said he had retired from
business, had a small income. enough FOR him
self and his two daughters. aged respectively
eighteen and Twenty-Five. Though Detroit was
his home, ut late years hc had spent much more
time III Washington, where he always lived
either ut WOrmley's or the Arlington. lie also
proirsscl to have a large acquaintance Ia Bus-
ION. from " hence hc had Just come. aud IN Bur-
t.AlL ,Al,.w. l. 80 ..VNA l -. l.N .. l,.a4.. mo 4 ne.
lie intended LEAVING New York by n night Train.
Then he reverted tn the subject of kin,hip and
said he could uroyc it. a. by u snnICw hat curious
chance hc had VITA him the Ellsworth gentnlu-
gicnl tree. lie had lCcn looking II over with a
friend the night before in Boston. and IL had
been lett out Of his trunk. 50 lie was carrying II.
Again he bpHmcl lrHpNplrntly over his spec
tacles aS he ]uirol"l . dnruinent as long asihe
moral law. Probably lac found his old friends
son somewhat unresronsive. for there was u
distinct note of, disappointment in the nice old
mans voice a. he rcmnik,d:
You do not take much interest, perhaps. in
family rCCOruS -
At This Mr.. viii ellsworth began to feel az IL
he had been put in the WRONG. liz had u morti-
flying consciousness Of having allowed the Ellis
worths oi the present to absorb him to an extent
which amounted to disrespcCtful neglect OF the
EllswOrths WHO belong to the remote past. The
mildly rcproaChful tone. made him ashamed
and Thoroughly aware that he was by no means
ny 10 the mark OF what was incumbent upon
aim. He determined TO rise to the occasion.
Ransacking his memory for all the data. COM
mnnicated AZ various times 10y gcncaloglcally in
tIiIlti ICltliNto, lt - UNIV NllhN lIti. TUT dUOll
five generations back hc got on pretty well. The
names and dates were mainly correct according
to his knowledge and belief. But as the lineage
was carried bnLk to the Norman Conquest. can
dor compclled Mr.. Ellsworth to confess that he
was utterly unable to recall n large number of
the ancestors therein allotted to him.
This didn't depress the old man in the least.
He had become quite cheerful again. He said
that he was ready TO vouCh for each and every
one Of those ancestors. having spent much time
in the British Museum verifying the record.
" suppose you have the family coat OF armsI"
was his next question.
NO, i have never cared TO have it, though I
"Ah! ] was going to show you this copy | had
done in the British Museum. | could not part
to propose that you have it photographed."
II was a gorgeous bit OF blazonry. and the
ihnsGription rscorlsd the fact tia! the arms had
Charles |. Now, SIR Christopher was an an
of his having first borne the family arms Tailed
with the chronicles Mr.. Ellsworth had heard;
so once more he flung away suspicion.
BY this time the two men were on pleasant con-
versational terms. They adjourned to Il neigh
m n%r1ss Il PI ,Ge sdSi NJ arms ssl'eT Xs to ih hsye w q nsse eom,
ing ont Mr.. Ellsworth noticed that the old man
dropped his pocGstbo2E upon the pavement but
and recovered II before the younger man could
e snTa II gpi .SS R s"diin on the street with mutual
In = couple of hours the old man reappcared
at The CcmlUrp office; He was nervous and upset.
since we parted" he began.
Then he related how he had gone over TO
house and The Players club house. about which
he had always had much curiosity. He lOitered
about there for u while, and then, going west to
sixth avenue, boarded n car. only t. discover
that his pGrketbOuk was gone. Ii contained
something over $50, all the money he had with
him. and he was going to Buffalo that night!
" But" said the old man, 1T Is lucky these
bonds were in another place" He produced a
out what purported to be bonds of the North
Atlantic Transportation Company.
am glad | have these" said the old man,
loan me enough money to get to Buffalo. have
no friends here In New York. and would be ut
terly at u loss II | had not formed your pleasant
acquaintance this morning. my dear sir. ! know
require there. so can remit Tomorrow"
Well Mr.. Will Ellsworth lent the nice.
smooth-faced old man $50. He declined the col
lateral proffered. nut the old man insisted upon
giving a receipt for the amount. That document
and "A photograph of a Goa; of arms are all that
remain to the member Of The Players. to assure
him that the old man was n tangible creature.
Mr.. VIII Ellsworth Is said to have given sew
eral delightful luncheon parties since his old
friend disappeared. When these parties were
arranged IL was not certain who would be the
host of the OcCasion-that remained to be deter
mined by advices from Detroit.
Nothing has been heard OF the nice old man
since. No one OF his name or description could
he traced in Detroit by Mr.. VIII Ellsworth. He
in his name to the Post Office would find him,
as he was well known.
A gentleman who regards the episode In a
much more serious light than Mr.. Will Ellis
worth does had a similar experience several
years ago. His unwillingness 10 have the fact
mnde known for fear OF ridiCule suggests that
extensively and successfully simply from the
fact that people do not like to own that they
have been gulled.