The sun., 1897-08-22
AINE'S SETRES SET.
Ita Romantic Cse By n I.ouisIann Millionaire or
Aute-ucllum Days

Autc-Bclium Days
From the Nashville american
Armand Hawkins tho venerable gentleman
who fought both In tho Mexican war and In the
civil war as II Confederate soldier, Is in charge
OF tho Louisiana antique collection In the His
tory building ut tho centennial. Mr.. Hawkins
knows the history of his State like n book. and,
In fact. it would DO hard to ask him question
about any important historical event that
hc could not explain to you fully and with
all tho details connected with the occasion in
question. In his collection in the History build
ing he hns some o. the rarest relies in existence
His exhibit Is known all over the United States
as a historical collection Of peculiar merit. In
the collection are two pieces OF porcelain that
call to mind tho wealthicst man in tho ante
bellum days in Louisiana. The story OF this
man. life roads like fiction.
His income amounted to about S.. 600 900 per
year. His name was Valcour Ainc and the
mention Of II. as will develop later in the story,
brings to mind tho largest order that was ever
given for IL set OF Sevrcs porcelain. This order
was Etyon by Valcour Ainc, and was for
10000 pieces of porcelain. bought at II fabu-
lous price. lie frequently invited 1000 Of tho
most prominent people OF New Orleans at tiinc
to visit him especially the young men and the
young ladies AlthouGh he has been dead for
about forty years. his hospitality and prumi-
Xa!oour Aines plantation was about fifty
miles up the, Mississippi River from New Or
The garden consisted OF fifty acres. ana had
heating, pipes four 'ect n diameter running two
he could gvo,you in the dead of winter runs
from every cline taken fresh from the trees
and flowers in profuson. The, walk from the
Grecian marble, ana today the gate columns
with Ionic caps ot the purest marble. can be
seen still standing.
The house contains twenty rooms. all OF them
very rye with II balcony runnin! all tho way
aroun' the house. Much OF the interior of the
house was de- COratcd by C.noVa, tho Younger.
The large parlors were decorated in the most
elaborate style. and in them have gathered the
Going hack to 1888, il is found that Dr. Anto-
marchi Napolcons last physician, was the guest
OF ine mansion M iS and short time aiterward he
President OF Mexico and lost his life. before
l'r: Antonarchi loft for Moxico. volcour
tecome his family pEys;rian. This oTer
was rejected by tho doctor. as II. is
understood. SO that he could 90 to Mcx-
leo for the purpose OF raising. m army TO
again revolutioniZe France. Marshal Henri
G. Bertrand and young Ney, son Of the Marshal
came over to New Orleans as aSs!stautS and or
4 g'uiLers OF the new revolution OF the French
army. This fact Is not generally known. Val
assist the project.
On the arrival of Marsh"l Bertrand and young
NCy they immediately proceeded 70 the river o
tho mansion Of N1lcnnr Aine. Tncy were re-
ceiIed royalty. anu the evening on which
they were about 10 ret9fn to lay new plans. hay
they decided to return TO France and there re-
port to their evoiuntary cGntcm3p"Wes.
Tea was served ar 10 o'clock At night in a set
of enaIne.ied and blue gold Scvres Ware. The
cups ana sHuccrs must have cost not less than
$40 each. After tea was over lni Just be !urr tho
down steamer arrived tho whole service was
brought out on the balcony in trays By tho SER
wants and ordered to be thrown. each piece, DOWN
tered hopes of the new revolution that was
TO come. and Ealcour Ain. himsclt- being
demonstrated with by tho Marshal. said: II
DO this In order that when you return to
France You may tell your committee that l.
Nalcour Alnc. entertained you as royAIly rs any
Prince of Europe could have done. Take with
you back 10 France ono picao OF 1t in its shat
tered condition rs n mcmento OF what is broken
In hopes but not lost"
Frequently in this mansion receptions were
given that far SURPASSED anything Of today.
~ ne nS most romantic stories are told Roout tho
the bcst painters OF the Scvrcs works All had
the appearance OF being alike to the eye; Each
edge the initials "F. A." those of Mr.. Al e.
would to all appearances look ~ though tney
less set. IRON tho fact that many attempted
marriages were made. or AT least tho young
people thought they would no made. only
II was in THIS way. After dinner Gle plates
were given to all The tables. which. could seat
rise 10 his feet and ask tho young m n II they
al had clean plates md il the rlatcs wcre al
the Mpsp would %1 p s os in 5hs
question to tho young mar"iageable girls. and
they would also say yes"
alike. Valcoar Aine would then announce to
the young mon to retain their plates and take
nounce the same thing to the young ladies, and
would toll hem TO take their plates 10 the east
p1ror and there remain until the opening OF tho
Iolding doors that slid into the wall and made
tho whole appear to he ono elongated pprlor.
Valcuur Aino would then advance to The contre
and ask II there was any Young man that do
eircd an Introduction 10 any young lady; II so.
to come forward with his plate and ii his plate
would match that Of tho Young lady, after tho
lnrotuction, then the marriage date woul ID hayc
70 DO set. Cnpircs We're called in 10 examine the
two plates that looked nli%r, and upon examna:
the initials Of +. A. lit would DO always dis.
covered that they did not match and the young
plate or the pa Of h. SonE dy and
around among all the young ladies' and try o
make % match OF young lndy's plate In order
put lpere never has been found any two plates
but what looked like to the eye but they have
>. Tho plates are called tho mis- Matched Set"
Ihey are now scattered all over ihccountry and
cannot be bought at all. About 100 of them are
In New orleans. the properly OF some OF the
m9st prominent people in he ily. Mrs. Eustis.
IWife OF eN,Amhassador Eustis, has some oi them;
there Grc about ATTY In Chic. so. They are kept
ns m curios ana ornaments, and they arc especially
lated In ,he foregoing. and al SO BY reason OF the
fict mat lhey once belonged TO tho wcalthiost
plhnter IN Louisiana.
Valcour Aine the millionaire planter, had flve
oaushlors and they all became wives Of promi-
n'nt men In New Orleans. Va cOur Ahle was
" INC habit of coming to New Orleans usually in
November. ana there he would order His banker
on eAch annual visit to pass To the crc4it OF his
daughters $4,000 each. in order that they
mllht nave pin money for the winter season.
one daughter, very egrimahlc Lady, whose
SON, Iapt' forticr WAS some years ago assA ssh
niel IN an election broil. is still living in New
There arc no sons OF Valcour Aine living,
ana me name Of Vacour \ine Is known now
oh'y i III history, being associated with the pAla-
Sissippi River.
No Uso for the Fish.
From the B1f,fmor. 4,n.rfcon