St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-01-05
Elegant Simplicity the Rule
in Most Very Wealthy
Families.
The Everyday Life Of the
Vanderbilt Grandchildren
Briefly Referred To.
A Model OF Good Taste to
Aspiring, But Foolish
Parents.

| among the queens OF IaSIllOildDio SOCi-
ETY., she might read the mothers Of New
| York most interesting and valuable
sermon-on the care and training Of chill
dren. This calm, stately, beautiful
woman is tenacious in the belief that
| the little folks are just what the parents
and teachers make them; that their
training should begin at the cradle and
that an ideal should be established as
soon as the child is able to perceive
it. AS prominent physician re-
| marked: "Mrs. Twombly is not rear
| ing her children for fun or funerals. nor
| is she likely to have any dolls or dudes
! in the family" In her opinion. happl-
ness is nothing more than good diges-
| ton. and beauty is only another name
| for perfect health. COntending that the
! mental and moral development Is IN
! fluenced by and dependent on the phys
! ical nature, she insists on making as
| perfect as possible the animal life OF
| her children. To an outsider her meth
DDS would be misunderstood. A lenlent
mamma would call them severe, and an
| induIgent one cruel.
For instance. these children, like all
others, are fond of candy. How much
do you suppose they are allowed? One
chocolate caramel day! On Sunday
| and holidays the variety is often
changed to chocolate cream or a
marshmaIlow drop, but the quantity
| never varies, and the small boy who
will come into the fortune of a million
and half is allowed the sweet privilege
| of making one or two bites OF his soil
| taire chocolate. No questions are
| asked, and no request for a second piece
| is ever made. for the children under
stand that whatever is is right. The re-
| suits of this economy are various.
| There are 10 night attacks of Illness, no
] loss of appetite, no necessity for the
| doctors or the dentists visit. and no
| sticky fingers or sugar-coated lips to be
! washed This judicious doing out of
| sweets is also good lesson in content
ment.
The family consists of four little chill
| dren etw, Ell the ages Of twelve and
| five, al d there is not a quartette OF tots in
| all New York with better manners or
brighter prospects. Three are girls
Alice Vanderbilt. Florence Vanderbilt
and Ruth anderbilt-graceful, beauti-
full. gentle children, of great physical
and unmistakable mental promise.
They have the look of high breeding
rarely possessed by the scious of a
monryed aristOcracy. They are admir-
ably made. with the complexion that a
professional beautfier would call lilies
and roses, and they have what FEW
children of the rich can boast-fine con-
situations, great bravery and nndaunted
courage. the result of special training
| in the saddle and drive and with the
oar, bow and arrow, racket and rifle.
Last. but by no means least, comes
the lovely. .blue-eyed, fair-haired boy.
only son and heir. who rejoices in the
magnificent combination OF v0wels and
consonants embraced by Hamilton Mex.
Twomby, Jr., which stupendous
appelation is engraved on his bread
and milk set, his fork and spoon, all his
linen. and is lisped by the baby mouth,
to the amusement and delight of every
visitor who inquiries his name. This
small man has his own room, furnished
with the same nicely of deteil char
acterstic of the apartment occupied
Ivy Hamilton Mex. Twombly, Sr.
Dresser and toilet table. couch. bed.
chiffonier. hangings and open fire, are
almost reproduced III elegance. but IN
stead of valet, red-cheeked nurse
waits on the young gentleman.
The girls rOom together in the nursery.
an apartment the size of an assembly
Ill,
shine AMI freight. The apartment is
trisected so that each sister has her own
little brass bed, her own wardrobe,
toilet table and bureau sacred to her
Individual use. A nurse y gOvernesS
and two maids attend item. and are
eypecJed to look after their physical
welfare. their toilet, and personal habits.
The life of these children is so simple
and calm. so Systematically arranged,
and so wisely ordained, that they are
never ill, and rarely troublesome.
Obedience is the enc rule in the family
that cannot be questioned. This every
child understands, and one word from Il
servant carries more weight than a
threat from the average tender-hearted
parent.
Three hundred and siXty-five days in
the year bedtime is at D. M. No child
is ever called in the morning. but as q
rule all are up at and ready for break
fast at 7:3O. This meal consists OF oat-
meal, sOft-boiled eggs and plenty of
fresh milk. fresh fruit and bread and
butter. Oddly enough the children
breakfast in their riding habits and go
from the table TO the saddle for gallop
through the park in town, or across the
country in the summer time. a riding
master and a groom ride with them.
After an hours exercise they are
brought home. taken in hand by the
maids. rubbed down athlete fashion,
nut INFO loose flannel suits and sent to
The nursery TO study. This room is
made to represent private school. 1t
is heated by big open fire, furnished
with globes. charts, bookcases. a piano
and library table. Each pupil has a
private desk supplied with everything
that is needed.
The LESSONS are just as a scholar in
the public schools would pursue, with
the exception that the governesser
speak more French and German than
| they doEnglsh. The children all chatter
iii these languages. always having had
French bonneS, but all their reading
and writing as yet are in English.
The studies last two hours. Then
there is recess to play with their dolls
or toys and dress for dinner. This
meal, which IS the mothers luncheon,
is simple in the extreme. but abundant
and wholesome. There is never pie,
adumpling or any of the modern pastry
to which so much American
liver complaint and dyspepsia are
| attributed The youngsters have
old fashioned soup, thickened
with vegetables. baked potatoes.
| rare, juicy beef, rice and milk, bread
and butter and fresh fruit for dessert;
! coffee and candy is served i'll the draw
ing. room. but INSTEAD of the demi-tasSe
| the tots get one chocolate caramel. AT
| 2:30 they go back to the school room for
music, French or drawing. Then
comes the walk or drive with the gov
erness. Sometimes they go up to the
park and stop at the menagerie, but the
| delight of their yoang lives is a walk
down to big toy shop on Fourteenth
street.
Each child has an allowance of 25
cents week. The purchase of sweets
| and edibles of all sorts is strictly for
hidden. Invariably the pocket money
is spent for toys. One girl shows de-
| cided talent for drawing, and her pen
MES are invested in crayons, eolOrs,
models and prints, while the youngest
| sister is lover OF the animal kingdom.
and sauanders her wealth all OH glass
dogs. china kittens and other domestic
quadrupeds designed in metal or ware.
The big sister. like all big sisters, loves
| n doll and hlfVS MANY more. china ba-