Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-01-25
H. B. PHILLE0, Editor.

"
fringed his hale and rosy face His ewes
were dark, soft and kindly at times, with
way of growing keen and steely on
emergencies. When the Commodore
puts on his railroad look he means some
thing" his acquaintance used to say. In
disposition he was quiet, not disposed to
be aggressive, but, when aroused, merci-
less. In the sense of church attendance
he cannot be said to have been a religious
man. He had profound reverence for
sacred things. "Had his early surround
ings and associations tended in the direc-
tion," said a gentleman intimately ac-
quainted with the Commodore, " he would
have made a clergyman, and a'successful
one." He is said TO have been paIticu-
larly fond of Bunyan's ''Pilgrin's Prog
ress," carrying it about with him wher-
ever he went. aa
The Commodore was most abstemi-
Gus man, never taking wine. He was,
however, an inveterate smoker, and, dur
ing his last illness, when demonstrated
with for continually smoking, said:
when l have to give up smoking, you
may give me up.n
Business never appeared to trouble Mr..
Vanderbilt much in late years. His Gus
tom was to sped two or three hours daily
home early when there was no trot. He
used to devote great deal of his even
ings to whist, of which he is said to have
been a superior player. At any rate, he
respected the game heartily, and was q
particularly careful observer of The silence
and concentration it demands. An anus
ing incident illustrating this devotion is
furnished by testimony he gave before
one of the Legislative investigating com
mittees, which it was his fortune to en-
counter. He was asked what he had done
when some important news was told him.
didn't do anything" he said, g was
playing whist at the time, and | never al
low anything to interrupt me when | am
PLAYING whist" Up to year or two ago,
at any rate, he used to stop in summer at
Congress Hall, in Saratoga, and under
the ballroom, across the street, was lit
tie corner room known to visitors as "The
Commodore's Card Room" This was a
plainly furnished room, and here he
played with pretty much the same party
every evening, but occasionally with new
corners specially invited. Great stories
are told about high play in this room, and
it is said that the Commodore thought
nothing of having $1,000 on the rubber.
However, whatever was on the table, at
ten o'clock at night precisely, the old gen
tleman stopped short and the game ended
Com. Vanderbilt never boasted of his
wealth, his power, his gifts, or his su
perior abilities. But one thing he did
boast of, and that was the manliness of
that son of his who was lost in the war of
the rebellion. He was also very proud of
his first wife, and used to say she was the
finest woman of her age in New York
city.
As business man, he was bold, but
that no man could prevent him keeping
an engagement, when once it was made.
If he had bound himself to pay million
of dollars on the 1st of May, he would at
once provide for fulfilling his engagement
in such manner that no failure on the
part of others, or any contingency what
ever, could prevent him doing it. In
other words, he would have the money
where he would be sure to fiud it on that
day.
He never was fond of talking. Once
he was at dinner in London, and, his
health being given, he was urged to re-
spond in a speech. All that was got out
of him was the following. Rising, he
said: Gentlemen, | have never made a
fool of myself in my life, and | am not
going to begin now. Here's friend of
mine (pointing to his lawyer who can
talk all day. He will do my speaking"
Still he knew how to express himself with
clearness, force and brevity, and some of
his business letters were models of that
kind of composition. He also possessed
the more difficult art, that of not saying
what he did not wish to say.-N. 7.
World