The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-08-13
OLD MEMS DARLINGS.
Impecunious Beauty Joins Hands
With Wealthy Senility.


NEW York, Aug. 1.-Long before and
since old Sir Peter Teazle in the comedy be-
walled the fate of an old man who marries
young wife, society has been startled from
time to time by such unnatural unions. But
now there appears to be an epidemic of such
marriages. Within the past two weeks an
old man has died, leaving a beautiful widow
of 90, with fortune of millions. He was
Christopher Meyer of New York, the great
rubber manufacturer. He was 70 years old.
Coming to this country from Germany a
poor lad. he managed to accumulate a for
tune of from eight to twelve millions of dol
lars. His family numbers seven-the eldest
son is As.
Old Meyer was by no means a pleasant
person socially, but after his first wife's
death he was considered a great catch, and
many were the schemes OF maneuvering
mothers to secure him for their daughters.
But the young and lovely Miss Effie Chase,
the daughter of a New Yorker, with Balti-
morean connection appeared on the scene
and at once captured the millionaire. Miss
Chase was poor but beautiful She was "a
poem" as she appeared ravishingly attired
in white at fashionable church in Madison
avenue as maid of honor at friends we'd
Nlb6s hohO WdS Oub ~ bhcl. n cui aibCi
ward she became Mrs. Meyer, with palace
ON Fifth avenue and a superb country
house at New Brunswick, n. ]. Now that
her husband is dead, and she has the COM
mand of millions, she will probably go
abroad and marry la Mrs Hammersly,
some prince or nobleman. While not In
society here, or recognized by Mr.. McAllis-
ter's 400. with her beauty and accomplish
ments, apart from her wealth, she would be
ap nrpo ont n thn p1nct fashion al hla aud ra
The earl Of Dudley, whose late father, by
the way, at 10 years of age with a grown
up family, married a girl of Is, has exs
pressed his intention of wedding an Ameri-
can woman. The earl is wealthy young
man who has just attained his majority,
and the widow Meyer would make very
suitable countess When Miss Chase be-
came engaged to Mr.. Meyer, his sons and
daughters were up in arms, and to add to
the Old Crpsus' misery Miss Annette
Schenck, niece of Gen. Poker" Schenck,
formerly United States Minister to Eng
land, commenced a suit for breach of prom
ise of marriage, asking 800, 900 for damaged
affections. The Schenck party did not hesi-
tate to insinuate that Miss Chase married
to save her father from ruin, and that the
union was in the nature of a business trans
action. The ancient Meyer had shown
was almost ION the shelf, " and not ravish-
ing beauty. Her woes are said to have been
soothed by the payment OF S25, 900. The
welded life of Mr.. and Mrs. Meyer was meas
urably happy, although he extraordinarily
jealous of his youthful bride, and is said to
have kept a confidential servant in livery
as her constant attendant
Another notable unequal marriage In
New York is that of Andrew g. Coffin,
who lives in handsome house on Clinton
street, Brooklyn, with his young wife. He
is said to be 81 years old, is a millionaire
three or four times over, and is head of the
large drug firm of Coffin, Remington &
Co. of New York and San Francisco. His
wife is a handsome, stately brunette. She
is about 3d. Her grown-up step-children
call her Mrs. Coihn." and they are, of
course, old enough to be her parents. All
the world says the union is happy one,
but in the natural order of things the
aged merchant cannot be long for this
world and then there will be another
wealthy young widow in the matrimonial
market.
But decidedly the most striking of recent
instances of May and December union is
that of the charming Miss Blanche Aspinwall
of West New Brighton Staten island, N. Y.
1t is not two weeks ago since this young
lady was married to DR.. James Clarke OF
the same place. He is a half-mllionaire,
over 10 years of age-she is but 10. He has
known her since she was a baby. Like
most other rich old men, DIR. Clarke has
grown-up family who are much opposed
10 their fathers taking TO him
self so youthful wife. In this case,
however, there is perhaps some excuse for
such an alliance. Miss Aspinwall is the
daughter of the late Thomas Aspinwall, an
Englishman of god birth and an import
er. On the death of his first wife, by
whom he had several children, he married a
Miss Lane, an American. Miss Blanche is
the fruit of the union. The family sepa-
rated wnen Mrs Aspinwall died, and
Blanche was left alone with her mother,
whose income was but limited. The old doc
tor loved the girl, and the widowed mother
gave her consent. Another rica and beau
tiful young widow will thus be looking for
a young husband within few years. Mrs.
Clark is Of the ideal type of English beauty
blue eyes, fair complexion, golien hair,
in combination with that nameless Ameri-
can grace, which she iuherits from her
mother These marriages point TO the fact
that the poor and beautiful girl can always
look forward 10 becoming rich and DASH
ing young widow, provided she marries
wealthy old man. She is de ecidedly ahead
of the maiden who is an heiress. As for
love with youth and struggling poverty,
that apparently is not quite as popular as IL
used 10 be. DAVID WEcHsLER