The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-18
LOVE IN THE wHrrE-HoUsE.
A Romantic Story from AIbany-The Presi
dent Smitten with Its Social Ladder

A Romantic Story from Albany-The Presi-
dent Smitten with Its Social Leader.
New York Special to Boston Herald.
Avery astonishing story comes to me from AL
bany where it has been for few days the COM
mon talk of the highest and most exclusive So
cial circle. The tale is simply that President
Cleveland is engaged to marry Miss Van
Vechten, a young lady who may justly lay claim
to being the social leader of the capital of this
State. The lady is tall, and most beautiful
In face and figure, and she has many charms
and graces of manner. The circle in which
she moves is one of the most exclusive in
the United States. The high society of Al
bany is unquestionably the most difficult to
penetrate of any in she country, and Hiss Van
Vechten is its central star. She lives in SPLEEN
did house that is situated directly across the
street from the executive mansion, where Mr..
Cleveland, when he was in Office, could without
difficulty have looked into Miss Van Vechten's
window The lady has rich complexion, dark
eyes, and wealth of waving brown hair. There
is quite striking resemblance between her and
Miss Jennie Chamberlain, the beautiful Cleve-
land girl whose personal attractiveness has been
the talk of Europe for year or two back.
When Mr. Cleveland was Governor of New
York State he frequently met Miss Van Vechten
at the various receptions which occurred in the
executive mansion and elsewhere in Albany.
and he exhibited a marked preference for her
society. 1t is, indeed, said that he took
every possible occasion to be at her side. and
it is now noticed that she is spending great
deal OF her time in Washington, where few, il
any, of the social gatherings of which the Presi-
dent is feature are allowed to 60 by without
her presence. She is the lady who will be re-
membered as one of the personages concerned
in a curious story which had tragic ending
only few months ago. There is in Albany
young gentleman OF great wealth named Pruyn.
Miss Van Vechten was at one time apparently
much attached to him. and when she went away
to the Adirondacks for the summer he proposed
for her hand. She considered the matter for q
day, and then, wishing to take plenty of time
for the final making up of her mind on matter
destined to effect her whole life. she asked Mr..
Pruyn to wait for his answer until the end Of
the summer season. He urged her to consent
without further delay, but she was firm in her
decision on that point, and passed on her
way. Mr.. Pruyn went to the White
mountains to spend his summer, and while there
he met the family of New England clergyman.
With one of the TWO charming daughters he fell
desperately In love, and meanwhile it is said.
Miss Van Vechten accepted his proposal Of mar
riage In reply he wrote her frank letter tell
ing of the change that had come over him. and
she, with womanly generosity, released him from
his bargain. Thereupon he became engaged to
the clergyman's daughter. The engagement
was most desirable one to the minister's family
by reason of young Mr.. Pruyn's wealth. social
standing and pleasant personal traits. The
young lady seemed to be highly pleased with the
situation, and her father, mother and sister
most cordially urged the suit of the young AL
bantam. A day was finally set for the ceremony,
and. just on the eve of its approach the pros
pective bride eloped and went to Europe
with young cotton broker of New York,
with whom she had fallen desperately
in love. The results of that act have been extra
ordinary. The clergyman is reported to have
become q total mental wreck, and believe the
mother and second daughter are both dead.
Young Mr.. Pruyn was terribly broken up by this
series of events and the talk of Albany society
is that he is going through life at gait not cal
culated to extend the term of his earthly career.
The part played by Miss Van Vechfen in this
tragic affair was at all times digni6ed and wom-
anly, and, if fate has been unkind to Mr. Pruyn,
it appears at least to have contented itself with
treating him to dose of his own medicine.
Miss Van Vechten is very highly REGARDED
wherever she may CO. In investigating this re-
port of her engagement to the President, as far
as it can well be done at this distance. l have
heard the lady spoken of with great and univer-
sal praise, and there are few, if any, who know
her who will begrudge her the the distinction of
marriage with 50 distinguished parsonage as
the President Of the United States.