The morning times., 1895-07-28
BLANCHARD'S FAMILY BIBLE
How the Louisiana Senator Lost It
and Recovered 1t Years After.
Gold Table Service in Washington So
ciety-Foreign Diplomats Shrewd-
ness in Selling Goods a Auction.

Senator Blanchard, who has been in town
for few days, had most unusual eX-
perience few years since in recovering
a family Bible that had belonged to his
parents.
During that period of the war when
Banks was making his famous expedition
the household goods and chattels of Senator
Blanchard were taken possession of by the
northern troops and so scattered to the
four winds of the earth that not even q
trace was left even of the homestead, which
before the troops left was burned TO the
ground.
At that time Louislanas future Senator
was at boarding school. When the news
reached him that his home had been burned
and such belongings al were of any value
had been divided among the soldiers and
carried away as the spoils OF war his grief
was, of course, of the keenest description
When one is young the grief, however
poignant and from whatever cause, happily
does not last long. So il was that this
news had no long abiding place in the heart
OF the ambitious young student working
away at his books and daily tasks with
that perseverance that was 10 lay the foun-
dation of his future success in public life.
So the time went, and gradually all
thought OF the matter passed from his
the matter rigbted by effort on his part.
Then one morning, ten or twelve years
later, IN glanciug through the columns Of
a Baptist paper, Senator Blanchard was
struck with an advertisement stating that
an old soldier in Massachusetts had in
his possession large family Bible secured
during the war in raid Oh the Red
River district in Louisiana. On the cover
in gold were the letters &c. NJ. F. a.
Blanchard.
This paper had been sent by a friend,
who first noticing the name on the Bible
al once forwarded the advertisement 10
Senator Blanchard, thinking, what even
tually proved true, that the book might
once have been the property OF his family.
Gladly availing himself OF the oppor-
tunity to secure tie family records, Sena-
tor Blanchard wrote to the address indi
Gated IN tie advertisement, and in reply
was told the sum at which the old soldier
valued the volume. This amount was at
once forwarded, and in return toy express
came the eagerly wished for Bible
The overwhelming disappointment of the
Senator can be imagined when on open
ing the volume be found that every record
had been ruthIessly torn out. The Bible
is, however, preserved as the sole relic OF
his boyhood home on the Red River.
The ownership OF gold services even by the
wealthest entertainers in Washington is as
yet comparatively limited. There are
few, however, whose list of household
belongings does include services of gold
or portions of such service.
The largest number of table furnishings
of this precious metal is owned by the
Mexican Minister and Nine. Romero, who,
upon their return from abroad, several
years ago, brought back with them two
large gold waters as well as a complete
coffee and tea service of solid gold.
q
during the season when Nine. Romero is
formally at home to callers and make a
fine showing on the table.
The former japanese Minister and Nine.
Tateno are the fortunate possessors of some
OF the most elegant as well as most beauti-
full table furnishings of various kinds to be
seen in any house in Washington. Among
these are a number of openwork filagree
heart-Saaped dishes of great value. They
were always used upon occasions of
luncheons or dinner parties to hold small
c0nfeCtious or fancy cakes. There were
other similar dishes used for olives and
bonbous.
Mrs. John Mclean has a set of gold
plates that she uses at luncheons and dinner
parties. They are very large and generally
are utilized to hold the elegant china plates
used during the various courses. These gold
plates always remain on the table through
out the meal and as each course isserved, the
CDlllu plates resting Oh lLlbll dIb CIldllHeu.
An old gentleman living in Washington
tells of the eNIsteuce OF most lnt eresung
club concerning which there has been as yet
comparatively little If anything published,
Notwithstanding the fact that II has been
in existence for seventy years. II is
called the Bottle Club. AT the present time
there are but two OF the charter members
still alive.
Seventy years ago IN New Hampshire
few young fellows, having in their posses
sion a bottle of wine, concluded to make
the same an occasion OF merriment and in
spirit of fun decided to form themselves
into club, little dreaming that it would
remain in existence long years after they
as old men had been laid ava y to restforever.
The minutes of the club were therefore
recorded together with the speeches in
full. The bottle with the small amount of
wine left after each had filled his glass,
was then securely corked On the outside
of the bottle were bound these minutes and
speeches.
Every five years since that time upon the
anniversary of the formation of the club,
the members have met aud as on the first
occasion have kept a record of their
proceedings together with the speeches
which at the close of the meetings have been
rolled about the original bottle over those
first ones. To this a seal has been affixed.
AT ll0 DeEJODlH4 Ol each CONSECUTIVE
meeting the contents of the bottle have been
carefully divided among the members of
the Bottle Club, and at the close of the
meeting all the wines of various kinds re-
manning on the table have been poured back
into the bottle and corked up for the next
occasion OF an assemblage. By this process
of always leaving a small portion OF the
liquid poured in at the previous meeting
the contents of the bottle have grown to
resemble the richest cordial.
As the original charter members grew to
mans estate and married, their sons were
enrolled as members OF the Bottle Club so
that the organization. instead of dimin-
ishing in size and Importance as the years
have rolled by, has Increased In both until
at the present time it has very large men,
bership.
When in due course of time the last two
OF the original members OF the club shall
| have passed away, it is the intention OF
| the others to hold great meeting, at which
with all due ceremony the voluminous papers
fastened about the bottle will be taken
| off, and after having been read before the
| assembled membership of the Bottle Club
will be given out for publication together
with full and detailed account of the club
| from the time OF its inception.
"You have the advantage Of me-" icily