Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-05-08

in person to the address given instead of
sending an agent, as was his custom.
The house was in Attorney street. After
much delay Mr.. Aston was admitted to a
forlorT-looklng room on the third floor.
A woman came forward and began to
bless her visitor for coming to her relief.
But in the midst of her blessing Mr. Astor
detected mans foot protruding from I'M
ner the bed.
Who is that man." Mr.. Aston asked.
The woman changed her color. Then in a
hard voice said: You'd better come out,
Jim; it all up.
Jim" backed out from under the bed
He proved to be the woman s husband, and
an old time confidence and bunco-steerer
Mr.. Aston lost no time in getting away,
and it was only to his most intimate
friends that he related the adventure.
Beggars have been such frequent callers
at the Astor mansion that, of course, no
heed was paid them; but for years an old
man has watched daily for Mr.. Astor's
departure from the house He always
raised his hat to Mr. Astor and invaria-
bly, the millionaire placed coin in the
withered palm.
One Sunday afternoon, when Fifth ave-
nue. was thronged with carriages and prom
enaders, Mr.. Astor was seen to give his
arm to blind woman who had hest
tated before venturing to cross alone.
| Mr.. Aston always prided himself on his
robust health, His friends never
knew him to be i'll, for if he ever felt at
all under the weather he kept it to him
self
What is the use of distressing other
people with one's own ailments?" he was
heard to say. When | get sick mean
to try and pull through without alarming
every one connected with me-"
Dabbling In real estate was the one and
perhaps the only hcijby Mr.. Aston indulg-
ed in.
In catering this fad, corner lots were hi
pet articles to trade IL. Nothing on earth
would induce him to part with a corner
lot, especially if it was unimproved His
great business instinct taught him that if
the owners of property In the middle of
block improved their holdings, he could
rest on his oars with the satisfactory
thought that his property was increasing
| at q greater rate than any one else's.
Mr.. Astor was difficult man for the
| public to gain access to, but 1T was q
well-known joke among his few intimate
scquaintances that if any cne merely
sent in word that he had a corner lot
J TO sell he would gam the ear of the great
| millionaire without another moment 5 de
lay.
| A curious trait Of the dead man was that
| he would never sell piece, of property af-
ter once having purchased it. He believed
in holding on to real estate, no matter
what favorable offerings were made to him
to part with it. Real estate was his one
fad and he INDUCED himself with it to the
extent OF every cent not otherwise spent
out of his enormous income.
About year ago he owned piece OF
property on upper Broadway which WAS
worth between $3.50, 600 ana sgT5 600 A
newly-formed banking corporation was
very anxious to secure this property and
make several overtures to the great mil
lionaire with that end IN view He refus-
ed repeatedly, but the would-be buyers
were determined, and kept raising their
bids until their offer was fully 50 per cent.
over the market value of land. Even then
hr. Aston refused, and when he died he
was still owner of the property.
Mr.. Astor believed that real happiness
In life could be had emily by moderation
and a strict avoidance of everything that
pertainedlt TO prominence in public life. Els
ambition was to live quietly and away
/ from publicity as much as possible, and ia
this he succeeded, although many Tempt
ing offers were made him 80 do other
| wise
! Extraordinary modesty and a natural
Idisinclination to posebefor the public mad
| 1T easy for him to adhere to his resolution.
His ditfidence of character was we'll e.
emplifed during Hayes administration.
| President giayes offered the British mis-
| sion, and to make sure of the nEllionaire's
acceptance the President dispatched Wiz
sam N. Evarts OF New York with special
instructions to gain this rich mans ac-
esptancs at any cost.
Senator 1]varts dined with Xr. Astor
and spent the whole evening and far into
the night with him trying to induce him
to accept the mission, but without avail
Mr.. Astor refused politely but persistently,
saying thai he did not care for public
prominence.-NewY York Journal