New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-09

oo.;o, of making some lest akin to the subject,
and under cover Of the laugh which
foIIowed TO turn tho conversation into another
channel Unless his questioned had rare lorco
and bodness this generally answered ltS puipnstI
| remember for instance, on an excursion vi ian
road men on our line a question of some importance
was asked him concerning the eieEatols III"
building the North River. MS answer tbo "' ,oh
suppose If | pat twenty more men on iHe Iop
they won't get through tor ten years. AS IL ~ ten
may finish it IN six, but II ,ake en- az
OFF it will be finished IN year. hi. Inc bv ui t6e
way touches on another peculiar side OF MS cndr-
actcr lie was not a suspicious man nave never
seen him IN Il passion in my HE, but ne had OF az
sumed to have "A rather low opinion OF human nat-
ure IN general. This he generally brought OUT III
good hlIpoIed chatting sort OF way, Dut Nc DcNon
seemed 10 free himself from the idea that every one
mater nI r,"G and d / don't think wished ill to
a single human beng NOT d m0' If whom
| think he would have wished TO see seriously
iniuIed I'm this he differed from his father VINO
seemed to feel constant. bltter hatrea against
certain men whom he classed ms his enemies -,
"In conversation he wassometlmes brusque to the
verge of rouphness and this laid him unfairly open
to the charge of rudeness when nothlng i Oh h
from his intentions. That phrase OF MS Wlcn mas
become so famous The public be - was ut
tered in fit of petuance without an idea Oh any
such meaning being found In IL as the puD'lc Viy
Too readily found for itself. 1t never struck MIN
until he saw II in print and read the construction
placed upon it by those unfrlendly to hlul' that
AS n rule he was but little affected by what was
printed about HIM. Such at any rate was the
impression he took pains to convey. lie Ielt lie
said that the patiently false statements at times
made about him would be appreciated at their true
worth by the public who, he thought knew nm
pretty thoroughly. During the last few years, as
Won NAV have noticed, he grew TO be fond 0cca-
sonally of being interviewed. and speaking on
occasion with the utmost frankness OF matters
which others thought it more advisable 10 preserve
silence about. ..
"Mr. Vanderbilt, in short. was mass OF curious
Inconsistencies and cOntrndictio LAVISH ana
generous IN some directions in Others he was eau
tous and careful Frank and outspoken on 0cca-
SION he cOud still be exceedingly reserved and Tetl-
cent Simple IN personal testcs, he vet had weak
ness tor display 90 not think he loved money In
itself but no devoted his life TO increasing large
fortune ior the sake of the feeling OF
added power which he derived from it. IL was for
tins reason and not from avarlce that he never
missed chance to enlarge h sncan4. lie was iona
of his pictures for their own sake, but Al the same
time he was careful 10 select those winch were IN
themselves n good Investment In his domestic ana
personal relations Mr.. Vanderbilt left nothing to be
desired He was kinu and IudlCi0uS father
and the bond between HIM and ms children was
strong one lie had the satisfaction OF seeing ms
family a happy one. AMI for this he had himself
chiefly 10 thank. Finally. can only repeat that
the full extent OF his abb ties and good quantities
are known only 10 his lutimatcS."