The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-12
VALUE OF FAMILY HEIRLOOMS.
Famous Families and Their Strange
Beliefs in Ancient Idols.
Tit-BitS.

Tit-Bits.
Whether the fortunes of a family are in
any way influenced by the safety OF its
heirloom or not it is difficult to decide but
it is worthy OF note that many Of the most
famous houses have declined vast fortunes
for trifling articles which have been be-
queathed from generation to generation for
centuries past. One of the most remarka-
BILE heirlooms is the "Coalstoun Pear"
which, a talisman, formed part of the
dowry of the daughter of Baron Coalstoun
three centuries back, and Is still preserved
in q silver casket. 1t was said that as long
as the fruit remained intact the fortunes
of the family would be upheld, but at the
close Of the eighteenth century the wife of
teeth, whereupon much of the Coalstoun
property came into the market The pear
then passed into the keeping of the Count
ess of Daihousie, and has long since reached
a state of petriication.
The fortunes of at least four families of
renown are vested with vases or cups. The
Luck of Edenhall' is a glass goblet owned
by the Musgrave family, and according to
the legend, was left by the fairies at ST.
Cuthbert's well, In the grounds of the hall,
many centuries ago. 1t is of fiawless crys-
tall and has since been vigorously guarded
Vast sums have been offered for ii by
many of the celebrities who have come
from all parts OF the world to examine It,
though they have been unhesitatingly de-
clined. Anothr famous heirloom is the cup
of the Muncaster family, which was used
by Henry VI when he was sheltered by
Sir John Pennington from his pursuers in
1851 During the civil war ii was hidden
in box, which was one day dropped by a
careless servant, and SO great was the fam
lily superstition that for upwards Of fifty
years no one dared open the box to see if
the cup were broken, but when this was
done, at the end of the sixteenth century,
the cup was found to be minus not even
chip.
A gold goblet incrusted with precious
stones is also the talisman of Lord Otway's
family, and is kept fastened to the dining
room table with chain of gold. The Port
land vase, although now in the gold orna-
ment room of the British Museum. belongs
to the Duke of Portland and is the heirloom
of the family. 1t is of glass, resembling
onyx, and of Grecian workmanship, stand
ing ga inches in height by 21A inches in cir
conference. 1t was purchased by the Duke
of Portland in 1886 for 1929 guineas, and for
the sake OF safety deposited twenty-four
matte named Lloyd deliberately smashed it
with a stone, but, as the duke declined to
prosecute the culprit, he could only be fined
$50 for breaking the glass of the case in
which 1t reposed. The vase is valued at
So, 600.
A woman's hand is the curious heirloom
Of the De Fleydeau family, one of the most
famous houses in the French aristocracy,
and now headed by Comte De Fleydeau.
On legendary evidence ii is said that in
1893 the family castle surrendered TO the
King after a siege OF three years, and in
lives spared the countess-the most beauti-
full woman in France submitted to having
her right hand cut off. The grewsome
relic, in mummified condition, Is still pre-
served in a gold oasket at the family man
sion of the Gironde, and, needless to add.
Is kept proof against thieves, since the for
tunes OF the owners are fully believed to
depend upon it. Perhaps the most cele-
brated family heirloom is the Lee penny,
which has been in possession of the Lock-
harts of Lee, in Lanarkshire. since the
Crusades 1t is a silver coin, and formed
part of the ransom paid for a Saracen
chief, but its value mainly depends upon
of curing any ailment, and for this purpose
was hired in 1885 by plague-stricken town
in exchange for securities of Si25.0O0 To-
day the penny Is just as jealousy guarded
by the present head of the family. Sir ST.
mon Lockhart. as it has been by his ances-
k1fo ,,;.