Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1905-04-05

hang the dilapidated remnants of
what was once magnificent cloak
of otter skins, given Mr.. Calhoun by
an Indian chief. This was his trav-
cling cloak, and securely wrapped in
its folds, he could bid defiance to the
weather during those long and
fatiguing journeys which he was
compelled to take before the days of
railroads, when it took four weeks
for him to go from South Carolina
to Washington to attend the sessions
of Congress.
The other interesting articles now
on exhibition in this room belong to
MIR. Clemson. A small pedestal in
one corner supports an extremely
curious brass plate about twenty in
ches in diameter. 1t is thickly COW
Q ed with engraved characters evil
IDENTIFY emblematical. There is
heraldic design in the center, which
is surrounded by broad band filed
with letters-an odd jumble with
no perceptible Specification, and the
rim is covered with fanciful tracery.
This plate was found by Mr.. Glenn
son in the streets of Paris when he
was a young.man, just after French
riot. 1t evidently had been dropped
by the rioters after pillaging some
building. No one has ever been
able to decipher its meaning, though
many connoisseurs have made at
tempts to do so. Impressions have
been taken of the designs and letter.
ing, and sent to experts, but the
meaning is still wrapped in mystery.
Two handsome easy chairs, COW
cred with striped silk velvet, were
purchased in Brussels at the sale of
the effects of Count de Woypa after
his death. He was German am
bassador and friend of the Glenn
sons.
ELEGANT FURNITURE.
The most elegant pieces of furni-
tire in the room are a royal arm
chair and foot stool to match, made
of rose wood richly carved and up
holstered in crimson velvet. These
were presented &c Mr.. Clemson by
his personal friend, ,ie good Leo
pold /, King OF Belgium, the favor
ite uncle of Queen Victoria. Each
arm of the chair is decorated with
an elaborately carved head of a
handsome man with a pointed beard.
1t is said that these heads are the
likenesses of King Leopold himself,
and Mr.. Clemson priced this chair
and foot stool very highly. They
were associated with the most bril-
liant period of his life. He was
nominated charge d'affaires to Bel
gium by President Tyler on June II,
1914. AS the representative of the
United States, he was shown marked
courtesy by the members of the
corps, and by Leopold,
who soon became his warm friend
a friendship which Mr.. Clemson val
ued most highly.
Letters from the King to Mr..
Clemson are now preserved in the
college vault with other interesting
papers. King Leopold loved the
arts and sciences and the society of
scholarly men. His gallery Of paint
ings was famous, and some of the
pictures in the Clemson collection
were copied by special permission
from the originals in the Kings pri-
vate gallery. One can easily under
stand why this beautiful chair and
foot stool, with their precious asso-
Citations, should have been most
highly valued by the Clemsons. Sit
ting now in the corner of the old
parlor, they appeal to the imagina-
tion of every thoughtful spectator,
and fancy can vividly picture court
scenes of sixty years ago.
Suspended from the ceiling in the
center of the room is a large blade
of sawfish, which has hung there so
many years that its history is forgot
ten but it is possible that it. was