The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-12-30

many everyday plebeians who hold Of
flee under the civil service laws of the
Federal Government, whose origin is
not patrician and who have no family
coat of arms.
Chauncey's real title is q much high
er one than any such nomenclature as
Deputy" or Chief Deputy" for his
coat of arms proclaims him nothing
less than one Of the descendants of an
illustrious peer who sat at the trial of
the Inflated Mary Queen of Scots.
Surveyor Spears appointee has evil
IDENTIFY not preserved the family coat of
arms intact It has either evolved
with the times, or has been corrOded
by the rust Of years. for ii is unlike the
fierce original. The old and genuine
coat of arms has a pair Of prancing
tigers bravely holding up the cap of
Iurid crimson, while the modern st.
John crest, so carefully guarded and
hidden in secret archives by the local
descendant of royalty, is seen to be
minus the savage beasts
IF the local leader of cotillons is de-
scended from the loins Of Sir Henry
St. John his motto is: Nee Quaerere
Nee Spernere Honorem," the meaning
of which is that he will neither seek
nor despise distinction" This fits
we'll with local history, for the hOnors
that cluster about the chief deputy
ship seem to have been thrust upon
Chauncey. If he came from the Illus
triOus line that selected such q motto
it is interesting to know that the old
Sir Henry, his ancestor, came to Eng
land with William the ConquerOr as
grand supervisor of the kings harness
and grand master Of the royal stables.
It is not recorded whether he was
made responsible for their sanitary
condition, or whether the Augeas Of
English history held his chief keeper
to accountability for the removal of
whatever gave OffenSe to the royal
sense of the esthetic.
If Collector Spears choice is a de-
scendant Of SIR Henry st. John he is
entitled to wear "a cap of crimson vel
vet and turned up ermine, with a gold
en- tassel waving thereon. The cir
Gle of gold may be chased as jew
eled, and may contain a row Of twelve
silver balls This is authentic, ac-
cording to Burke's Heraldric History
and Peerage.
But there are evidences that the
young man in the customs department
believes he IS a lineal descendant Of
the Bolingbroke branch Of the family,
some of whose descendants insist that
they be called "Sinjun," rather than
Saint John. If this is the case-and
it is borne out by the family motto
there would be great need Of varying
the regalia- The measurer of vessels
would be guilty of a grave breach of
royal etiquette if he should wear any
thing less than the proper wardrobe Of
"a baron by land tenure" The coronet
would contain six silver balls jingltng
on q plain circle Of gold; cap Of Grim
son velvet, turned up ermine, with
gold tassel appended thereto. 1t would
create a sensation along the water
front.
SIR Chauncey St Johns (Sinjun's)
motto, according to the crest, which
only few in the federal building have
been allowed to see, is the following
brief and pointed sentiment, Data,
Fata, Secutus," which means that he
will follow his declared fate" If such
was his ancestry he is a descendant of
Saint Andrew Saint John, who was
some pumpkins in the old Gays But
whether he sprang from the branch OF
the family that cleaned the royal mar
ness or the branch that held the King s
sword is a mystery in federal circles
to this day.
But there is another phase Of the
case which is creating a great deal OF
speculation. Attorney Thomas D. R1or-
dan. Judge John CARRIER, Judge Van r.
Paterson and others have been consult
ed as to whether 1ederaI ehlpioye,
even the humblest officer, has right
to hold any title or tenure Of office, in
sigma or designation from any prince
or foreign potentate during the period
Of his incumbency. In the event Of war
with a foreign nation the local scion of
royalty might be fired with hereditary
instincts, might have a strong desire to
strike for the land of his sires, In
such a constituency the laws Of hered-
ity might lead him to blow up an
American ship with dynamite, for he
would have access thereto as measurer
With the sanction of federal authority
$4,000 a1raora him e-aI1ct iAnel hX