The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1909-01-21
pride Goeth Before a Fall. "
BY DOROTHY BLISS USHER.

Until a glib book agent sold hand
somely bound copy of Americans De-
scended from Royalty" to Charles Under
| wood, the Underwoods of Westfeld had
lived unpretentiously, at least for the
president of the. Westfeld National bank
and the richest citizen. But when Mr.
Underwood came home proudly bearing
the bulky volume under his arm, and an
nounced that he was descended from
Eustace Underwood, Earl of Oxford and
master of horse to his majesty James H.,
the family became deeply interested in
genealogy, and found before long that
Edward VII. was their fifteenth cousin,
once removed, and that the other crowned
heads of Europe were long lost kinsmen.
Each member of the household took a
touch of style of aristocracy. Mr.. I'm
derwood had his coat of arms placed on
a gorgeous stained glass window at the
landing of the stairs; Mrs. Underwood
sent to Chicago for dinner set marked
with the crest, which, when it came, with
every imaginable kind of plate, even
bone plates, had to stand for many
weeks behind the piano, for lack of room
| in the china closet. Ruth, the oldest
| daughter had the crest embossed upon
her calling cards and letter paper, and
also bought a beautiful seal ring en-
graved with it, but Dick, "our son at
Harvard" added the best touch when he
ordered his new pierce Arrow" to be
embIazoned with the coat -of arms upon
the doors.
| All in all the Underwoods were the
| laughing stock of Westfield, but so wrapt
up were they in their fad that they were
happily oblivious to it. But there was
one missing link in their chain of an
cestors-they could not find nything
about Eustace Underwood's wife or the
date of his marriage. The americans
Descended from Royalty was very hazy
in regard to the marriage, and genealo-
gists that were written to were unable
to straighten out the lines.
Eyes, we're going to run over to
England shortly" Ruth announced Ian
guidly at o'clock tea. eve wish to
see our ancestors grave at Litchfield,
and Dad wants to trace the lines farther
They're rather dim back of Charlemagne,
don't you know"
| But, before they sailed away, some
thing occurred which made them quite
forget the second great commandment
Since Mr.. Underwood had become so in
terested in his royal ancestors, his neigh
Dor, James Rosecrans, had made great
fun of him and his family tree,'' and
had long plotted to play trick on the
innocent genealogist. In June, when the
family went to Cambridge to see Dick
receive his diploma, his opportunity
came, and one fine morning they re-
turned to find an unfamiliar object
standing in the front yard. Upon close
investigation it proved to be totem
pole ornamented with four bears! They
easily found out from the servants who
the trespasser was. and in the opinion
of all but Dick he had committed a
grave offense. Mrs. Underwood did not
recognize Mrs. Rosecrans when they met
at the market, and Ruth carefully avoid
ed her at receptions and club meetings.
But soon the matter was forgotten in
preparations for their departure, and the
last of June they were ON the way to
Plymouth From there they went
straight to Litchfeld to learn facts, if
possible, concerning Eustace's wife. They
hoped to find her name in the records of
the church. The day after their arrival
they hunted up the sexton and went
with him to the old parish church to
search for the burial record. He led
them into small, dark room which was
without windows, and smelled as if it
had been closed for centuries. When he
had lighted Pickering candle he pro-
ceeded to examine the piles of nlusty
leather bound and iron clasped books,
which reached almost to the low cob
webby ceiling. AT the end of a long
interval, during which the Underwoods
sat comfortably on dusty boxes and
watched his every movement, the sexton
produced ponderous black volume, and
on a page colored by time, spelled out
for them the words ustace Under
wood, born September 10, 1667-died
| November s. but the year was entire
ly erased by age. Then followed a de-
scription from which they could find his
grave.
But no wife is mentioned ?'' Mrs. I'm
derwood inquired anxiously.
| 'None as / can see. ma,am., and dis
appointed, the family returned to their
hotel, too tired to seek the grave that
| day.
The next morning they started out
with fresh energy, and aided by the sex
ton, they soon found the desired place
1t was a small grave in an obscure cor.
ner OF the cemetery, and kneeling before
the gaunt, gray headstone, Ruth read
the simple inscription. "Eustace Under
wood, born September 10, 1667-died