Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-03-20
why H A caesT7
E.terprisisg IsdiviassIs WIN Are
Always Ready t0 Fsssish Ysa
.FamS1y MeIPlosns,"

"FanSly Heirlesns."
From tho PhIladelphis Inquirer.
Have you n COat OF arms. Whether you
are entitled to one or not? 1t rlay be
had OF at least four heraldic BUREAUS In
New York alone.
These concerns apparently do a thriving
business. Their offices or studios are
sumptuous and. decorated with heraldic
designs. make an imposing place OF ances-
tor worship. There are young men, and
some that are Old and brainy. about the
| chambers. all apparently In the depths OF
problems Oh lions rampant and fiicons-
AL total guics." There are Libraries. on the
charming subject. many great tones in
full calf. looking through plate glass doors.
There are rugs. antique furniture and the
air of IL thorough cosmopolitan taste. COM
bined Will business acumen. \ few rare
| portraits hang here and there-ge1t;emen.
without a possible doubt: noblemCn pos
sibiy.. 1t Is Il business Office and ateiier
combined.
These bureaus nave young browscrs in
| their hire. The latter do all the nustlirS
| for material. 1t Is their work to search
the records in the several archives where
geneaiogy is made Il feature-the public
| libraries and historical and other society
libraries. Gwen Il niroe and a clue, and
the family tree Will be run back from the
tiniest twig to the parent trunk. including
coats OF arms and all the trapptEgs OF
! wouid-be ariStocraCy.
1t must not be inferred that these es-
tabiishments rave oniy the Paryenn nobody
dreds of people who. in any other land
than republican America. could and would
| of fact, il Is quite impossible to open a
directory at random and point out n name
which is not capable OF development Not
that every man who applies can trace his
ancestry back to some noble name treas
ured in the "Peerage' of Burke or the AL
nanach de Gotha." But as there are over
! M NM 49,, 400 -, Ht-x .rA,a.a - r1nsS-
ter. according to the latest authorities,
the RICH: to bear arms Is widespread
enough to. lit the most democratical as
pirant.
One of these establishments was visited
with q view TO study ut lenEth on this In,
teresting subject. A prematurely bald
man, with a very persuasive manner. laid
bare the secrets of the craft
Il have come to see ii l may not be en-
titled to a crest and coat-of-arms.' said
the interviewer.
Nothing gives greater dignity" said the
interested observation-disclosures. as he felt
bound to call himself: What name: sir.
ment upon Il passing figure in the street.
somewhat wrapped up and cowled Ike a
first random name that came into his
head.
All. u very excellent name indeed. sir
you think it is the Dublin family. dragon
sable. wings elevated. or the Essex family?
All. you are in doubt?' are English"
from-er-Devonshire." Exactly: exactly.
c%ellent. One of the finest families in Eng
decorative, too. See! statant
guard. pale sd. etc, etc. Here are the H.
iustrious members of that ancient house.
marie. l congratulate you, sir. Have you
any family records you care to have
s ssan,Ss ,, in order to make positive the au-
The interviewer confessed that he hadn't
the slightest clue TO hiA ancestral .tden.
tity save the fact that he had often heard
his grandfather talk of Devonshire dam
ties. OF which he was very fond. and pro.
ceeded to pour out trifing "reminiscences"
He wound up by asking whether or not. on
such acquaintance with his ancestors. he
would be justified in using a coat-of-arms
lily. of Devonshire-for the purpose Of en-
b!azoring note paper. etc. :,
Certainly" was the reply. ut Is well
to use every p%recautiOn to establish your
identity with that of the Devonshire
.Moncks.' but from what I gather this will
not be difficult for our trained corps OF
genealogiStS.'
1t was plain that rather than lose q good
customer the bureau would establish. with
out possible doubt. the identity OF the Gus
toner with that Of any illustriOus family
of ENGLAND, such is the stretchability of its
When it came to a matter of costs. the
learned pursuivant-at.arms grew still more
engrossing. 1t would cost ~ for a fine
coat-of-arIns Of the Devonshire '.Moncks.'
done in proper cOlors and framed ready
for the arnorial hall. Other things would
naturally follow. The bureau would under
take anything. from contracting. for sta
hunting up a full set of ''Monck'' an
cestral portraits and family plate. In
fact. 1t was in position to use up from
the American MFR. Monck'' In the Valhalla
Of aristocracy. 1t was just a question Of
"Monck's' ability to encourage the bureau
with gOodly checks.