The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-11-19

disntcrcscd act on the part Of Mr.. Belmont.
Hc was then already worth 1--WE or six millions
of dollars. and no feeling VI patriotism being
obligatory upon him. he might have rcalized
most, If not tho whole of his fortune. and
returned ir Europe without bothering him
self about what was to become Of the Union.
With such II fortune hc would have been re-.
cciNcd with pen arms IN any country. Ouccu
Victoria would probably have made Sir August
If him 10y this time and Napoleon Baron dc
Belmont. But he preferred to share the urrils
Of his adopted country and his attitude during
the civil war will AWAY remain an admirable
feature Of his life.
Now. let MS turn the modal over and sec wha,
sort of man he il apart from politics and 80.
ccty. He is Of middle stature, vol built. with
small hands and feet. with side wh.skors turn.
INK gray. and finely moulded. partially baJ
Uranium. His features are handsome and row.
ular and his complexion quite fresh for man
Of his age. On looking at him. nobody would
.'rcdit him with the siNty-onc summers ho has
already soon. lie does not ride on horseback
any more. but he walks much. aud thinks moth.
Ing Of remaining for ten or twelve hours out in
the Held during the shooting season. II H. only
carly on winter mornings that he looks some.
what fadcd for he is in the habit Of sittngtiI
two and throo o'clock at hs whist table at the
Manhattan Club. and then getting up at cight.m
If he had enjoyed his full allowance Of rest. OF
lat" years dyspepsia. too seems TO have hoen
hard AT work with him. and his hip wound
has bothered him good dcul. apart from
the fact that II made him lame for life
These physical troubles naturally add
their bitterness to his temperament. which
Is said 10 have never been particularly
smooth and even. His amiability. when
he chooses to DC amiabl'. IL still such that
II raptivntes even his enemies and rivals but
when he feels like making himself dsagrec-
able. he can do so more successfully than any
other man Of his instincts and culture. His
nature il essentially graspng and authors
tatve. In expenditures he In lavish. hut in
business transactions he is very strict and hates
losses. Yet when. IA couple of years ago. tho
failure Of II large banking firm involved him In
loss Of some $3.50, coo. he appears to have boen
very lenient and 10 have even tried to help the
concern.
Like most men who feel that every bump Of
| their skull Is well filed. ho cannot stand any
nonsense; indeed. nonsense 10 such individu-
ais is everything they cannot agree with. Hence
| their arbitrary dispositions. In Mr. Belmont
| these dOmineering inclinations seem to he ex-
| coptionally strong. II he cannot have u thing
| his own way. he won't touch II at all. As an il
lustratton OK this tendency Of his. some Of his
| friends tell a nice story. very much 10 the point
I
| started the Jockey Club. he looking out foI
| II President. The name of Mr.. Belmont sug-
gested itself quite naturally. He was an excel-
| lent sportsman. "a very rich man. the leader Of
| society. one Of the biz guns Of the banking
world at the head Of a powerful political party,
| and "A person emnontly well 1T to represent
| American sport at the Jockey Clubs Of Paris
and London. Of which the President of the
| American club is an eX-oflicio member. Jerome
ia u man OF too broad intelligence 10 have
| wished to see n mere ngurchead presiding over
the club or to have eyer supposed that Belmont
wills II person OF whom Il lgurehead could be
made under any circumstances. But ne must
naturally enough have expected that he would
always preserve "A kind of complimentary intu-
| cnce over the management of an institution
upon which he had spent half million ot doll
lars Not n bit of it, BY the clos OF the worry
first season Of his Prosiden ". Belmont was rhe
autocratic ruler Of the club while jerome, like
q ghost oi Don QuiXote. stood powerlcss 10y his
side ns one Of the Ncc-pr,sdenis.
To find fault with Mr. T. ilpont for Nh. &c ab-
sohitist tendencies OF his would not be- in-t. for
such is his nnture. H., docs not s'.k power.
but when il is given to him he means to use it ut
his own discretion. IL would probably have
been hard to bear ~ % Prime Minister of n ma
ton under autocrutc rule; bat ns private
man ar "a busin. - man. lc is. like any other hu-
man being. at liberty TO let his natural dispose
tons taxi, their free courso. These whu ,lont
like him need not have ANYTHING to dowith him.
lie won't run after ANYTHING or anybody.
, OF the lavish literally and exquisite ins,e
which Mr. Belmont displays in private life.
. nothing Mood be said hero. They are =. we'll
I known. His mansion on The Fifth avouDr IL a
perfect museum. and lis treasures of e lave
been Ia. d. on one or two occasions. m. 10 ae-
.I.slnl, la TN. general public. II H. ,-. iIrh-