The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-10-10
PEDIGREE HUNTING.
TT HAS STRANGE SURPRISES AND
ILLUSTRATES
The Dramatic Possibilities of Life.

ssI really do not think there can be
more fascinating pursuit than pedigree
hunting" said we'll known heraldic
agent. 'for it is full of such strange
surprises, and illustrates as perhaps no
other pursuit can the dramatic posi-
biIitics of lite from the farcical to the
tragical.
eff I were to publish all ! kow there
would be a great futter of alarm ana
indignation in many a highly placed
society dovecote, and many a humple
and despsed toiler would find that ne
had an ancestry of which the highest
noble might be proud.
"Why, I know man who earns
twenty-five shillings a week in city
warehouse who has better blood in his
veins than almost any member o, the
peerage; but he has no idea OF IT, ana II
he had it would be rather curse than
a benefit to him.
"You may take it for granted that
many poor man or woman VINO enVl-
ously watches the coroneted carriages
dash past them boasts a lineage many
centuries older and immeasurably pet
ter than the lords and ladies who sit IN
them. In fact, only few weeks ago l
made the discovery that the coachman
of a certain noble lord, whose great
grandfather was laborer, has direct
descent from King Etheldred, through
the Barons Lumly, and Is connected
both by blood and alliance with our
royal family
soThis is nothing remarkable either,
for. as you may know, the last OF the
Plantagenets died as a farm laporer'
and the grand daughter OF Margaret
| Plantagenet. niece of Kings Edward ~
| and Richard III, married a village join
| err and had a son who lived and died a
cobbler at Newport, in Shropshire, In
| the seventeenth century.
every many OF the ancient and pow
erful family Of Burgh, which traces It's
descent from Charles, Duke of Inge-
helm. fifth son Of the Emperor Charlie
magne. are to-day earning their livings
In all kinds OF mental and humble ca
pacities.
"Of course, to people in such posi-
tions their ancient lineage is absolutely
useless, and a knowledge OF 1t coulo
only unfit them for the lowly roles they
are destined to play in life; but their
masters would gladly pay many thou
sands of pounds to boast such a de-
scent.
"Many of my clients are people OF
this class-people who almost insist
that I shall provide them with family
tree. and are terribly indignant, ano
even abusive, when I fail, as In most
cases is almost inevitable. No doub'
bv much searching you may find mar
who will invent genealogies for these
parvenus, but I never knew man OF
this sort myself.
"Only last year man commissioned
me to trace his descent, which, after In
| finite labor and searching in two CONT
nents, I carried back to the middle OF
the eighteenth century, when | founo
his progenitor was of a very humble
rank in life, who had narrowly escaped
transportation.
'When I told him the result of my
researches he was furious and vowec
that he would not pay me penny fol
my labor. He has since revised this de-
cision-under pressure.
an another case / found that my
client was directly descended from
farm laborer in Yorkshire, who, as fal
as I have been able to discover, does
not seem to have had father
MANY people are quite content, OF
the strength of some similarity Of
name. to annex the pedigree and armo
rial achievements Of some of our no
blest families One man | know, whose
name resembles that of a certain wei
known duke has calmly appropriated
the coat of arms, crest, motto and ever
supporters. and had them painted OF
engraved on his crockery and silver-lr
fact, all over the house.
"And yet | have the best reason fol
knowing that this man is no more con-
nected with the ducal family of which
he boasts than with the man in the
! moon.
Il do not think it is an exaggeratior
to say that in nineteen cases out OF
twenty Ga very moderate estimate, in
decd the claims made by people TO
coat of arms or connection with noble
families are absolutely worthless
dare say you have rarely met q man OF
woman who did not profess to nave
coat OF arms, although, OF course, they
do not use it., or to be connected with
some great family, and this entirely or
the strength of similarity in name. -