The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-11-28
THE WARlOCk PEAR.


Said to be the Most Wonderful Nege-
table Curiosity In Existence.
Few families possess an heirloom that
can compare either in rarity or antiquity
with the Warlock pear of Colstoun,
which is beyond doubt the most wonder
full vegetable curiosity in existence and
its authenticity beyond dispute. Hugo,
Lord de Clifford of Yester, the magician,
lived in the reign of King Alexander III
of Scotland. He presented himself be-
fore the king previous to the bnttle or
Largs, 1868. and is described by Sir Wal
ter Scott in "NIarmion.'
The wizard Lord of Yester gave his
daughter in marriage to a scion of the
ancient family of Hay, ancestor to the
present Marquis of Tweeddalc. AS the
bridal party was on its way to the church
the magician plucked a pear from tree
hard by and gave it to his daughter as
her dowry, informing her that so long as
she and her descendants preserved 1t, so
long should they prosper. The pear was
in consequence carefully preserved as the
precious palladium of the family, whose
fortunes, during the next 800 years, rap
idly advanced, John Hay, in 1873, being
raised to the peerage of Scotland as
Baron Hay of Yester. He was succeeded
by his son John, second baron. who was
succeeded by his son John, third baron,
whose daughter, Jean, was married to
George Broun, laird of Costoun, served
heir 1904.
The "Warock pear" which again play
ed the part of dowry, thus passed to her
descendants, the Brouns of COlstoun, who
derived their pedigree from the ancient
kings of France. In 1886 Patrick Broun
of Colstoun was created a baronet of No
va Scotia and was succeeded by his son
George, second baronet of ColstOun, In
whose time the pear, hitherto carefully
cherished and which to all appearances
was as fresh as when plucked, began, in
accordance with the warning Of the en-
chanter, to exert its influence malignant
ly. Sir George was married to the Lady
Elizabeth Mackenzie, daughter of George,
first earl of Cromartie (the famous Wis.,
count Tarbat of Queen Anne's rcign)
and she not content with merely behold
ing the pear, longed to taste it, and, as in
the case of a remote ancestress, the temp
tation was too strong to be resisted.
Authorities differ as to whether the La
dy Elizabeth really bit the pear or mere
ly dreamed she did Debrett in his
Baronetage, states that she dreamed she
bit it. but the late Sir Richard Brown,
Bart, author of an elaborate MS. history
Of the house of Colstoun, says distinctly
that she bit it, and it is certain that there
are marks of teeth in the pear, which is
now hard as n stone. Whether the bite
was real or imaginary, the fact remains
that almost Immediately the family for
tunes began to wane. Sir George Broun
was soon afterward drowned in the Tyne,
171S, and the Lady Elizabeth only es-
capped by her clothes bearing her up in
the water Sir George died without heirs
male, and the title, which was to heirs
male general, became dormant and
though subsequently assumed by col
lateral branch again became dormant in
1776, and so remained for more than 50
years, until after proceedings, very inter-
esting, a young cadet of distant branch
proved his father to be entitled to the
baronetcy and was accordingly declared
heir. The entire estates had passed away,
and, together with the magic cornac,
were become the property OF the fanny
Of Ramsey, earl Of Dalhousie, whose
predecessor had married the niece of the
unfortunate Sir George Broun above
mentioned
In n silver box, with strong casket,
safe under locks and bolts, the magic cor.
nae now reposes, in the custody Of Lord
Dalhousie, and one can readily under
stand how highly the relic is priced and
how jealously preserved by the present
Ossessor.-Chcago News.