The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1938-09-22
But Burgess Doesn't Like 1t Be-
cause He Fails To Get
Credit For 1t.

81 don't like tit wasn't treat
ing us right" Oscar Burgess, owner
and manager of the Burgess Furni-
ture and Antique shop here, said the
other day in referring to an illus
trated news story that appeared in
The Charlotte Observer recently.
On the front page of the second
section there was large, three
column cut of and interview story
about a beautiful and rare old mir
ror which Mr.. Burgess secured last
month on one of his trips to Balti-
more and Philadelphia and sold to
Don Richardson, of Charlotte, states
outstanding violinist who spent his
vacation in Ashe:
In the story Don was quoted as
saying that he bought the ancient
mirror from an obscure antique shop
in Charlotte. Gle didn't do any such
a thing-he bought it right here in
our place and paid us $3.50 for it,
Mr.. Burgess declared proudly. "That
was a wonderful antique and I
should have charged much more for
it,"
Without waiting for someone to
object, Don Richardson wrote The
Post letter just after the story ap-
peared in Charlotte and said that
the reporter misunderstood.
"And also in today's afternoon
paper, The Charlotte News, I find
a very personal interview about me
in 81 Believe Everything, by Dor
othy Knox, in which she says I
bought the mirror in Winchester,
Va. My private life, it seems, is
now being put before the public IN
sundry ways, but what's poor dew
il like me to do! AS my old friend,
Jim Cowan, formerly president OF
the State Press Association, said to
me once after I had just answered
his query as to ''who made your
and I said, "God"-He said at once,
"that's a D. lie-the NORTH
CAROLINA PRESS ASSOCIATION
made YOU. So guess he was right
in a way and I do, way deep down,
appreciate all the fine things they
say about me even though they
know I am not worthy.
"Please tell Mr.. Burgess I'm sorry
about the little mixup. He has
good shop and I'm mighty proud of
this old Harp Mirror.
81 still think of all you good folks
up there every day and am coming
up sometime and give you real
concert. Thanks for the paper and
Il shall keep up with Ashe county
through your goodness of heart in
putting me on your charity list. -
Don Richardson.
The mirror was described in the
Charlotte story as follows:
There it stands in Don Richard
sons studio, colorful exotic, ornate
memento of the past. How deep IN
to that past it's history extends, Mr..
Richardson does not know. Ii 1t
could only talk
A mirror nearly three feet high,
surrounded by hammered brass
and bronze harp frame, age-old,
age-worn, carrying possibly a few
grains of dust from some ancient
Irish frame
On it's topmost point rides winged
Euterpe, goddess of music. Down
and around the brass and bronze,
frame is beaten chain of copper,
connecting Euterpe with other
Muses..
And at the lower right hand cor
ner is a dragon, with wings drag
ging, body curved and curled, its
sinister head wearing a helmet or
crown. Mr.. Richardson can't ex-
axtly associate this monster with the
music of the harp-but:
81 didn't make it" he explains.
81 bought it. I spotted it in Char
lotte antique shop. Thought little
of it until I started examing the
brass work and those MUSES.. The
owner didn't know where it came
from. He had hazy notion it got
in here from New Orleans. That
heightened my interest-so there it
is. Examine it. What do you think
fof it?"
It is a beautiful mirror. The en-
veloping harp undoubtedly is fin
ished piece of work. It must have
been hammered by sculptor who
was also a musician. Euterpe, the
goddess of music, holds in each
hand a baton as she prepares to
soar away. The MUSES. below seem
to be enjoying the music from an
unseen symphony. One has been
almost lulled to sleep.