The Osceola times., 1886-11-27
MODEST HEIRESSES.
What Three Philadelphia Sisters
Do With Their Millions.
The Daughters OF the Late Banker Drerel
Following in the Footsteps of Their
Charitable Parents-Their
Sensible Life.

The three capital prizes in the matri-
monial lottery of the Quaker City arc
the three single daughters Of the late
Francis A. Drcxel. who was the head
and front Of the well.known banking
firms of Drexcl, Morgan d Co., of New
York; DreXel, Haries d Co., of Paris,
and Drcxel d Co., of Philadelphia. In
February, 1885, Mr.. Drexel died, and
his wife's death having occurred preyi-
ously, the three girls were left with a
vast fortune to manage. The exact
amount which came into their hands it
is impossible TO estimate accurately, but
an equal vision gave each something
over 100000. The Oldest Miss Eliza
beth DreXel has not yet seen thirty
summers. Miss Katherinc's age is put
down at tweuty-siX, and that of Miss
Louisa, VINO is the youngest, at twenty
two. Though not possessed of any re-
markable beauty of feature, all three
have graceful figures. Plenty Of out
door exercise has given them splendid
health. which many will envy them even
more than their riches. and the fact that
they spend seven months out of every
year in the country has doubtless had
much TO do with the requirement Of
cast-iron constitutions and an almost
total freedom from the ills that flesh is
heir TO. Their city home is at No. 1903
Walnut street-a tall, four-story. brown
stone dwelling. of the plainest archi-
lecture, with low doorstep, and an iron
balcony, rough-coated with sand, stretch
ing along the second-story windows.
Here for years the family have spent
their winters, and here il was that both
The master and the mistress of the house
pass d from the present to the here
after
The doors and windows are tightly
boarded now, not to be opened, proba-
bly,. before next year, for the young
ladies are at present travelling on the
continent of Europe and do not pro-
pose to return until next April, when
they will. it is thought, 90 at once 70
their quaint old country seat at Torres
dale, Pa. sixteen miles distant on the
New York Division of the Pennsylvnaia
. railroad. Here they usually live from
the lst of April TO the lst of November,
and there il is that much Of the charit-
able work for which they are noted is
accomplished. Very plain, indeed, is
the house: less imposing, even. than
their town residence, aud, situated
mile and quarter from the station and
fully two miles back where the Della
ware river flows placldy on its course
toward the sea, no one would ever I'M
aqne that il was the home of the three
wealthiest women to be found in this
country. A long, tree-bordercd road
leads 10 il from the TOrrcsdale station.
a road which, on the occasion OF a re
cent visit 10 the locality by corre-
spondcnt. was three or four inches
thick with dust. and not so free from
ruts and holes as one would expect to
find on the very threshold OF the coun-
try home Of the orphans OF man so
well provided for in his worlds goods
as was Mr.. DreXel. A low stone wall,
covered with thick ivy, separates the
dusty highway from the rich green
lawns, shaded by dropping FIR trees ana
traversed by winding paths OF gravel
The house. some dsiance back Is
curious old colonial Of succeed brick,
two stories in height, with a mansard
roof, which is about the only indication
that it has been at all altered since the
days of Washington, powdered wigs
and knce-breeches.
Within every thing is as PLAN as
without There is no gaudy richness
of furniture or decoration, ana the
house seems lacking in many OF the
little knick-knacks which are generally
supposed by women to be almost nee
cessary to the making inhabllable OF
any dwelling. whether in town or c0un-
try. The farm--on one corner OF when
this domicile has in all probability stood
a century or more comprises lZo acres,
composed of rich pasture land cool ana
leafy virgin forest, and iertiie 'ruSN
fields, amid which the brooks gurgie'
while the lowing of the COWS ana tnc M
blealing Of the sheep are occasionsiy
borne 20 the ears of the fair owners py
the cool breeze that even on the warih-
est days of summer sweeps over tue
gentle slopes from the slow-run"'"S
river couple of miles away.
A large barn and stable built on woou
occupies a place IN the rear OF me man
sion, while a summer-housc, IN whicn
the young ladies are wont TO chat sum
mer evenings, is almost hidden by trees
which surround it. on TO the North
west, across rolling fields, may be sen
the farmhouse in which with ms laln,iy
lives the farmer, james Brady, who
has entire charge of the details OF i'ie
farming. though always aciing unues ss
instructions from one or the oihsr o'
The Misses DreAci, all of whom nav