The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-13
burden.
COsTLT oBJEC7S WHOSE FATE II TO
RE PILED w ~ u ULIa.

"" = uhFN
STORY OF IA Succession OF WrddinR gifts.
'see the elegance of the curves. the stmplio-
ity and purity of the lines said the nolan
choly slversinith, holding aloft the teapot.
''what perfection Of grace! What perfection
OF formi'
The lady crancd her head about and shifted
her lorgnette as her eyes followed with eager
Interest TIC twistings OF tho si~lversmith's long,
slender hand, which was used TO point out the
various beauties of the object. His depression
dccpened as he noted these signs OF attention..
See these flowers, how beautiful they are
and perfect" he continued in a voice whose
hollownoss was only partly disguised by en-
thusinsm. Remark the delicacy With which
each fold Of each leaf is hammered out, the
life and action which have Deen carved into
ench petal. almost Into each stamenl ALL
where In Europe will YOU find silver like this1
Such art, such lifc, such beauty In some mu-
scum. some private collection, some palace,
you may discover n CUP, a vase by Cenini or
some other master; but a set like this, in use,
never. There NAV be a set more costly, csti-
mating II by the weight OF silver In 1t, but OF
an art 40 exquisite. none"
The mans melancholy had reached such .
degree tn 1t the lady, impelled. perhaps, by the
desire of administering consolation, said he
would take the set. Still the silversmith's
brow darkened.
But not just now" she said. I'm JUST
picking out something for my husband to sur.
prise me with on Christmas. What Is the
price OF tie act? For the whole set-teapot,
coffee pot, and tho restr 1 don't think he will
like TO pay 81 much; but ii doesn't matter.
Please keep 1t for him."
The silvorsmith shrugged his shoulders 90
the lady went out. and gave an outward sweep
of his hand rs II denying all responsibility in
tho mnftpr- Than ho attemDfal IN iustifv
himself to his confdant.
"Why Will people do such things?" he de-
manded. WHY will they buy such thlngs1
VIII they never learn that silverware is either
tho biggest burden they can lay upon them
selves or else the most useless possession? lew.
elry Is bad enough; bGt peopl5 get used to IL.
OF course. when a woman gets costly jewels
they haunt her day and night, at first She
has TO send them to the safo deposit vault the
moment she takes them off. II they are Of ex-
traordlnary cost she wants watchmen and
private detectives lowering about her Rhen
she wears them. She may send for the police
when she,givcs a party. But in most cases she
gets over this feeling in time, and instead Of
dreaming of burglars she treats her jewels
with an unconcern which some people might
call carelessness. Some years n 20 we used to
suuply belts and bagsSor women to carry their
iewelry In when they were travelling. They
were worn either under or over the dress. and
we're about the next best thing. people thought,
to actually wearing the jewclry 30 as to ensure
its.safety. But they had one very serious disad-
vantage. People were always forgetting them.
W"men would leave their Jewel bags in the
seats OF cars or in bureau drawers at hotels
forget all about them. So bags and belts
have come more or less into disfavor for carry
ing iewelry. Then. ton. while they might do
we'll enough for the past, they could not como
within n hundred miles OF supplying the needs
of wealthy women of to-day.
The present time is so far ahead Of the past
in luxury and wealth. and iewelry is 80 much
more common and plentiful that where q wo-
man twenty-five years ago could have carried
her iewclry in a bag the size OF her two fists. .
woman in the same station now would require
one twenty times as big. So it is really
impracticable fo- women with much jewelry
to be the custcdians of their precious possess
s!ons when they are travelling. Some send
thei. Jewels from one place to another By spe-
cial messengers: others use the express COM
phnjes. making them responsible for the full
value in case of loss: but the most common
method among women who own a moderate
amount OF iewelry. say from So. 900 to S25. 900
worth. is simply TO pack It into their trunks
and snip the trunks by express to the railroad
station and check them there just ike any ordi-
nary Baggage: and In es9 cases out of 1000
there isn't any trouble or the slightest cause
for anxiety. Familiarity breeds contem pt,
and hy using jewelry frequently q woman gets
so accustomed to 1t that she forgets its great
value. OF course there are some women who
keen their iewelry buried In vaults and are
afraid to look at 1t once IN five years.
But with silver ware 1t Is different. Somos
times when I am more depressed than usual.
l think II is the most useless thing that was
ever invented. We silversmtths rpend days
and nights celebrating, our art. and turn Out
beautiful objects. worthy TO challenge the ad:
his foot on the floor. They are put into the
rest upon them. Talk about excayating In
the ruI.s OF Troy. the rubbish of Athens. for
OF disgust. why not excavate in the silver.
smiths vaults and the safe deposit vaults Of
New York right herey
Let me tell YOU an instance" he resumed
when his melancholy allowed him to speak
again. Thirty Years ago one OF the rich men
magnificent tea service OF silver which he
ooug.t Tor $1,000. and when he returned here
intimate TREND. The friend valued the tea
service not only or account of the friendship
that gave 1t TO MIN. but also for its own sake;
but what could he do with it, Life even
among the rich was far palmer then than il IL
v wi,m n Ss q e S9n TO-, to,a aeyv %nst s Gov Ia q mar 40
seemed the most sensible thing to do under the
circumstances: he sent he while outfit here
VI oNiN 'fs a Ae' I AllNo ~ > tNSh
out OF our vaults half a dozen times since.
But that ism t ali. A couple Ot Years ago
the daughter OF the man who went 10 Europe
got married. The intimacy between the Two
families had been kept uu and increased. and
the friend. who is II very rich man. now made up
mis- mind TO SHOW MS friendly fee .ings by CIV
ing the daughter the finest wedding presenB
he could procure. Now, his tea service was
originally Il very me one. During all the years
IL mas been buried IN our vaults tradition has
been hHvinEu chance To magnify its beauty. UNI
til now II is held in the two families to be the
most magnificent thing in the world. and its
owner. In searching about for IL wedding pre- =
ent for his trends daughter. could conceive OF
no hucr LEA IMAM TO have made an exact COPY
OF his own tea service. We made II; we could
have Improved on The originals IN workman
ship, hut he didn't want that done, so wO
made an exact lopy. The cost was S., 900; so
ho saved something. Now, what was tina
bride o 20 with all this mass Of silver? What
but send IL here TO lie IL darkness alongside
OF the otho. set; and here II has been ever
since II nas aispiaS uG ut tho Wedding 70 the
admiration and wonder II lie guests. That
MIS- Is one public appearance. have 10
DOUBT mat when one OF the grandchildren ~
the OWNER OF the hrst set Is married in a few
years she VIII feel II her duty 10 have ii third
set made as II weddlHE present. Then It will
~ l. I.I