Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1902-04-21
TT LACKED NOVELTY
A COLLECTION OF HElRLOOMS THAT
WEAR.ED AN OBSERVER.

Glory and Supplying Ancestral
Trappings at SO Much Per Hour
Has Its Drawbacks.
Two guests were being shown through
n Philadelphia mansion in which a
nouyeau richie broker was entertaining
n party of Fashionable friends. The
splendid array of family heirlooms, all
bespcaliing ., lineage of earliest colo
NAL origin, deeply impressed one of the
party. He was Il stranger but lately
arrived from Baltimore. Oddly enough,
his companion Il phiadclphian, seem
ed fippantly Indifferent to these treas
urcd relics Of Il family's honorcd his
tory.
"Rcmarkablc collection Of hcirl0oms
cur host has" remarked the stranger
as he stopped before Il battle Scared
sword Of Revolutionary days.
Yes drawlcd the Philadclphian
cynicaly. very interesting But nn-
fortunately it lacks the charm of nov
city for me. Already this season Eve
seen the same batch of relics in three
ether Philadelphia houses
How could that be?'
"Oh. simple enough. 1t only means
that all four families our host and the
three others | refer to, hired their an
cestral trappings from the same man"
Hired them?"
"Ycs, hired them. We have in this
city an cntcrprising collector of colo
NAL junk who makes Il business of
renting out family glory TO all who
were unfortunate enough to be born
without it,"
'Whcw!' was the only comment the
astonishcd Baltimorean could utter.
And doubtless many Philadelphians
would be moved to say "WheWr' if
they could learn how many members
of the Quaker City social elect arc con-
strained to seek the assistance of the
heirloom dealer when they wish to
give brilliant function.
1t is Il deception that is forced upon
them, for unless you have distinguish
ed appearing forbears you stand little
chance of penetrating the sacred pre-
cincts of the local fashionable set.
Ancestry, not cash. is the open ses-
anne, and even il a man can claim some
sort of family tree his pretensions are
questioned unless he can show some Of
the furniture or portraits that his
American forefathcr brought with him
on the Mayfiower OF the Welcome.
OF course if the two vessels named
had 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 de
sccndants of Pilgrim fathers into So
ciety. Hence the need of an heirloom
dealer.
He has his WareroOmS in Pine street,
in a part of the city Which was once
the center of fashion, but is now Dc
serted by that element in consequence
of the westward movement of the city's
elect
Ostensibly he is Il ci!rjo dealer, but
MS revenue is mainly derived from
furnishing and hanging the walls of
Fashionable dwellings With century Old
portraits.
This clever manipulation of mems
vaniti"s has ancient, straight backed
furniture and copper kettles ana snuff
crs for candles and hNllseye watches
and similar relics of ancient grandeur,
all at Your disposal for a nicht, When
you, poor fellow, With money, but no
ancestors, want your friends 10 know
what an old family YOURS is. He also
has rare furnishings for libraries and
drawing rooms which Nou may rent if
you have the price
1t matters not from what part of the
country the applicant halls or what
particular descent he wishes TO claim.
his needs are promptly filled.
For those who Wish to pose as lineal
descendants of the stanch old colonial
patriots who fought the stamp tax and
deiied the power of King George ;;t
Bunker uill and drew up the Dcclala
ton there is especially attractive stock.
For the naughty cavalier who "came
over with Lord Delaware there are
costumes and furniture and portraits
of more elaborate style, us BELTS the
past Of cmi@raNts Who in England
basked in the favor of the King and
were participants in brilliant court GER
emonials.
The Quaker City allegiance to the
honored memory of William Penn is a
sentiment that the curio dealer has
been careful to cherish.
On his walls he has portraits of stu
dious looking Quakcrs. On his shelves
arc modest Quaker clocks that did
service in the days when tho founder
WAS exchanging thirty blankets for
Philadelphia
There are ,uaker walking sticks. tin
der boxes. documents on all subjects,
household utensils legion.