Newark post., 1912-05-01

Few OF us claim ana leW ueSlfe
to claim descent from the North
American Indian. Yet the writer
recalls among many acqualnt-
ances. one family that does.
Seated at the table Of a Virginia
household of distinction. we OBJ
served several things. First. that
the mahogany was dark with age
and polished with the uses of hos
pitality. That it reflected the glow
of candles in stands of an antique
workmanship. That these stands
were intrrspcrsed with great
dishe, of solid silver, Of which the
FURNISHED covers and elaborated
handles were net of our day. Ihat
the plattors and serving trays
were nI a size and costlineS$ never
before encountered by us i'll jour
ucys through private realms.
All were Inherited relics Of a
cherished past. so was the White
hairod negro stunning himself III
the -atcry without.
Ncy2r a house servant. Henry
wa, nopc the less ndrt and parcel
Of both house and family. for hr
nra belon4aG" tot3nm GH'" huns
Ia~I years.
.a1. host "yorm~t ii, that this
Negro. EaH ~.T.0 to Nr. thomas
\r.>nu i'a.r, material for his Nir-
ainia tales. lie Was still alert For
.-hcar hunts" ana never forgot
his place as servant and retainer
Of the establishment. But these
things were not what interested us
most.
On a wall Of the drawing room.
somewhat dimmed by time, hung Il
portrait in. oils. Of Pocahontas. Il
princpss of the blood. She. it was.
eur host told us. who was the an
cpstress of his spreading race. Yet
Pocahontas was AngllclZed. as
these people We're AmerlcanlZed.
br circumstances over winch she
had no control.
Thus it has been with all OF lis.
strive as we may to remain true
blue. we get washed out and de-
ridpdly faded by the waters OF
Immigration and mixed marriages.
vet i'm spite Of this. or because OF
if. Americans are having a spasn
of hrrulGrr. Perhaps the fact that
King George has drawn the lines
of court presentations bit tight
pr than formerly. has had some
thing to do with our noble fervor.
We desire to show those English
men. those Frenchmen. those SnObS
Of Austria that we also have de-
Scended. Whether the Spasm will
result in disease. or cOnvaleScence
remains to be seen. In any case,
it is an interesting experience.
Having buried our grandparents
and parents knowingly with re-
sppct and civility. having cherish
ed with loyalty those relics Of the
past which fall to the lot of all
homes. we have on the whole cor.
Sidercd our tilial obligations as
performed.
But within the past twenty
years. this security Of virtue ha;
suffered doubt.
"Whose son is this man?' 1t is
a question Of divine precedence
ana authority. "Why." we be
Gin tC enquire. "have we so dill
gently studied the lives Of saints
and heroes not Of our blood, while
we have thrown the mantle of 81
lence and obscurity over the deeds
and personalities Of our own kins
men and kinswomen. who have
figured in the world s history fol
its service and often its grea
honor? Because. we have replied
it i'll becomes us to exploit Oul
own" But does it? How abou
the commandment. Honor thy
father and thy mother?. Is on
self-rightcousness content to leave
their ri ghtcOuSness unrecOrded?
We are answering these ques
tions better now than formerly
We are finding out tardily that th'
democratic American may, with
out scandal. give honor to whom
honor is due. We are payins