The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-03-09
ANCESTORS TO ORDER.
How Philadelphians, Without Glory
of Family, Hire It.

tPmlacelplia North American.)
Two guests were being shown
through a Philadelphia mansion in
which a nouyeau richie broker was
entertaining a party Of fashionable
friends a few days age.
The splendid array of family heir
looms, an bespeaking lineage OF
I earliest colonial origin. GeeDIv i'm
/ pressed one Of The party. He was a
stranger but lately arrived from Baltf-
more Oddly enough. his companion. a
Philadelphian, seemed fippantiy indif-
IefenJ to these treasured relies Of 4
famiiy's hOnored history.
! remarkable collection Of heirlooms
/ our host has remarked the stranger.
( as ne stopped before a battle-scarred
/ sword Of revolutionary DAYS.
Yes drawled the PhiladeIphian
( cynically very interesting. But IN
fortunately It lacks the charm of nov
ely Tor me. Already this season I've
seen the same batch of relics in three
other Philadelphia houses"
How could that be-"
on, simple enough. It only means
that all four families. our host and the
three others / refer to, hired their an
1 cestral trappings from the same man.
Hired them!"
Yes hired them. We have in this
cry an enterpris.ng collector of colonial
JUNK who makes d business OF. renting
Out family glory to all who were IN
fortunate enough TO be born without
Whew.' was the only comment the
dSJonlShed BaltimOrean could inter-
And doubtless many PbiladpInbians
would be moved 10 say "whewt" if
they could learn how many members 1
OF the Quaker City social elect are con-
STRAINED to seek the assistance of the /
helrloom dealer when they wish TO /
give brilliant function.
II is a deception that is forced upon
them, for unless you have distinguished I
appearing forbears you stand little I
chance OF penetrating the sacred pre-
cIncts OF the local fashionable set.
Ancestry, not cash. is the open Sc
same. And even If a man can claim
some sort of a family tree, his preten-
sions are questioned unless he can
snow some Of the furniture or portraits
that his American forefather brought
with him on the Mayhower or the Vel
come.
Of course if the two vessels named
mad been as large as the Great Eastern. /
and had been loaded with nothing but
heirlooms, they couldn't have carried
half the stock needed to launch the
descendants Of Pilgrim fathers into So
eiety Hence the need Of an heirloom
dealer.
He has his warerooms in a part Of
me city which was once the center of
fashion, but is now deserted BIZ that I
clement in consequence Of the west J
ward movement of the city's elect.
Ostensibly he is q curio dealer. but I Z
his revenue is mainly derived from
furnishing and hanging the walls OF 6
fashionable dwellings with century old /
portraits. /
This clever manipulation of mems Z
'aniues has ancient. syrafgnt-bscked
and copper kettles, and snuff
ers for candles, and bulTs-eye y
watches. and similar relics of ancient :
'randeur-all at your disposal for q v
lght, when you, poor fellow. with 7
money but no ancestors. want your y
riends to know what an old family 7
ours Is! He also has rare furnishings ;.
OF libraries and drawing rooms which / a
on may rent if you have the price.
1t matters not from what part Of the
ountry the applicant halls, or what
articular descent he wishes to claim.
is needs are promptly filled.
For those who wish to pose as Iineal L
escendants Of the staunch old colonial
atriOts who fought the stamp tax il