Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-15
NEW YORK GOSSIP,
Some Of the Happeninxs in the 0reas Busy
Metropolis.

Metropolis
THE LIFE WORK OF TIE LATE GEORGE JONES
Special Correspondents of The Evening Star
NEw YoRx. August Is, 1891.
A FAvORTTE THEME FOR THE RO-
~Amancer has been TO imagine some very or
binary person playing the role Of royalty for .
brief time. Shakespeare tried his hand ct il
In bis immortal sketch Of Christopher Sly in the
prelude to 'The Tanning Of the Shrew."
Then We have the opera "King for . Day." and
other comedies Of the sort had an amusing
experience in this line myself during
the week. Il happened that after some
years OF stubbornness yielded . few
days ago to the inevitable, and began to take
lessons on the bicycle. The craze has fairly
struck New York, and the city in its navigable
parts il fast assuming the aspect Of the smooth
Washington thoroughfares. Both men and
women are learning by shoals, and when the
cooler weather comes there will be . great
how-d'ye-do in the parks and streetA But 10
my tale.
At the riding school found most attentive
and agreeable instructor. In fact, his minute
and assiduous attention struck me ~ some
thing extraordinary. I have scarcely ever in
my experience met with so polite and urbane
an attendant. He was unremitting in his care,
explained the intricacies Of the new art with
the greatest pains and courtesy and interpreted
In his more professional remarks q great num-
Der OF engaging domestic condolences which
interested me vastly. After the lesson I re-
turned homo even more pleased with my in
structor than with the new delights Of the
N NJ oh hA ho1 f~xr Ia
tainly for patient and intelligent instruction
and for . profuse flow of agreeable CONVERSE
ton l had rarely met his equal.
TAKEN FOB VANDERBILT.
On the following evening I took my second
lesson, and although the instructor was still
urbane and attentive, it seemed to me there
was an indefnable something lacking in his
manner. Perhaps ii was because had taken
the first plunge and did not need quite such
scrupulous watchfulness, or perhaps he was
feeling the effect Of the heat and was rather
demorallzed, like the rest Of Us. Whatever
the reason 1 could not but notice, how
ever, the lack of that utter beauty Of
behavior which had characterized him
on the previous evening. After the les
son we were sitting side by side reviewing
the work done and discussing the future when
suddenly the cause of this subtle change in his
manner was revealed to me. Said he, 'Do
you know who thought you were last even
ing?" said, "No, 1 cannot imagine"
why" said he, II thought You were Wander
bilt. You wear your beard something like
him, and, yes, thought you were Vanderbilt"
The mystery was explained. For half an
hour had had the perfect attention and defer
ence which are shown to the richest man in
the world, and by memory could still taste
the delights which attend such an exalted sta
ton. And 1 can assure you, gentle reader,
that it is q mighty fine thing to be a Wander
bill, only for q fleeing half hour.
The world turns Q very smiling face
toward you. To be sure, the world ex-
poets to be paid for it, but if you have the
money OF a Vanderbilt you can well afford to
do it. can say that enjoyed that half hour
OF royalty very much, and in spite of all denun-
Citations of great wealth both in the Bible and
among philosophers outside the canon Of Scrip
ture would willingly undergo whatever risk
attends the possession Of such riches As Arte-
mus Ward expressed it many years ago, "How
often do large fortunes ruin young men!
should like to be ruined"
THE VETERANS FALLING OUT.
The death Of George Jones leaves Charles A..
Dana and David NJ. Stone alone among the
group Of men who gave American journalism
its impulse and distinctive character and as
Mr.. Stone, while in some respects the most re-
markable Of any of the group, has devoted him.
self more to class journalism than to news
paper work in general, Mr.. Dana may
be said to be the only survivor Of
his coterie. Mr.. Jones was almost devoid
Of those marked. peculiarities which gave
his colleagues their personal reputation. At
the same time he was q man Of marked indi-
viduality and wonderful force Of character.
The last time saw him he was seated in the
city rooms Of the Times in an easy chair. much
exhausted from some slight exertion, and with
the weary look Of an aged man who could not
give up his life's toll. though every moment was
one Of painful exertion. In truth the Times was
Mr.. Jones life. Forty-one years ago he started
the paper, with the powerful help of Henry
]. Raymond. The capital was then 800, 900,
and, as will appear In moment, it has proved
In the height Of his power, and for the past
twenty-five years the paper has practically been
without an editor, Mr.. Jones engaging compe-
tent assistance, but having general charge him
self OF the news and opinions Of the paper as
well as attending to its financial aspects
that the Times had no editor, and this
is true to the measure have stated.
As he was able Mr.. Jones bought a larger and
larger interest in the paper, until at the time
OF his death he had practically the sole control
Of the property. The fierce and aggressive at
titude Of the Times made it very inconvenient
paper to certain parties, and many attempts
have been made from time to time to purchase
it. But Mr.. Jones has never tolerated any
such overtures. Within the past few months
there has been very serious effort to buy
the Times by a syndicate Of some Of the
most wealthy and powerful men in the country,
who would have ushered in q new regime. lit
erary as well as political, of most interesting
character. Mr.. Jones was offered O., SOC, 900
for the property, but he declined to listen to
that or any other price, saying that the Times
was not for sale and could not be bought by
anybody at any price. He said that he wished
his paper to become legacy to his children
and grandchildren, and it is understood
that he has now entailed the property
In such way that it would be
very difficult for his family to dispose Of it,
even if they wished to do SO. At present the
management. Of the paper will devolve on his
two sons, both Of whom have been trained for
the business One, having quite a mechanical
bent, has mastered the manufac turing side of
the business, while the other will attend more
to the counting house responsibilities. Whether
the young men will be as determined in hold
ing onto the property as their father was re-
mains to be seen.
NH. LOWELL IN NEW YORK.
think the last public appearance of Mr..
Lowell in New York was at the banquet which
formed part Of the Washington centennial two
years ago. He was then already suffering
from the chronic troubles which finally led to
his death, and it took the best powers of per-
suasion which Secretary Bowen could command
to bring him to the city. He was not
much in the mood for talking, either,
and his speech on that occasion
did him scant justice. He had 90 recently
returned from England with great reputation
for after-dinner oratory that expectation was
high. But he came very late in the evening,