Evening journal., 1894-08-30
BOARDERS IN 4 PALACE
There Were Fifteen In Mrs. AS
tors Newport Cottage.
BUT MRS. AsToR DIDN'T KNOW IT.

They Were rlasterers, and Her Gardener
Played Landiord-cots Set Up In Beach,
woods Big Rooms All Winter Long.
John Was Promptly Discharged.
NEWPORT r. l., Aug 30 Mrs William
| Astor, who lives at her beautiful country
| place. Beachwood, in Bellevue avenue, for
several months every summer, was as
founded few days ago to learn that her
1 trusted gardener John r. Hammond, had
been using the place in her absence all
| last winter as q boarding house.
When the story caino to her, sho could
hardly believe it, for Hammonds father
| worked for tho late William Astor years
ago as q gardener. and tho son had al
most grown up in the family. He was
man Of parts too, for four years ago he
was q member OF the common council Of
Newport.
How Mrs. Astor got wind OF the story
is not known, but when she called Ham
mond in from his work on tho lawn IL Is
believed she had It IN all its detaila
Johu Had 30 Go.
When she acoused him, it Is said, be
made a denial, bnt that II 90, was Of no
avail with Mrs Astor, for she discharged
him on tho spot
The trust roposod in Hammond made
II particularly easy for him TO carry his
plan into execution. He and his wifo
| lived In the lodge in summer but whom
Mrs. Astor left for town in tho autumn
they transferred themselves and their be-
8 longings 60 the house itself, where Mrs.
I Hammond entered upon tho duties OF
D housekeeper.
. This took place last year early in Octo-
Q bcr Hammond IS thrifty and has down
B uast Innocence which Is not calculated to
. let him see the aspect OF things at times,
SO it is probable that when the Idea Of the
q boarding house came into his mind 10
+ struck him In no other light than as a
b dazzler Of the first wnter.
z There Is one thing about John, howov-
i or, and that Is that he's thoughtful. II
/ ho disoorncd nothing out Of the way IN
using Mrs. Istor's house for boarders he
4 at least had the delioaoy to infer that Mrs.
q Astor might not like so have his prospeo.
y tive guests sleeping on her superane haia
, mattresses and under her downy comfort
4 ers. Tint realization mny have caused
a HRS a pang, but he knew his duty and did
: 1t. Ho bought cots.
There were Is OF them and ho wen4 tl
n select them personally, because he didn
4 want the kind OF canvas cot that bas I
Z hollow IN the middle and iumbles sfeep
j er's anatomy
Il John Set Up Cots.
IS lie got the best kind, with Stats ono
Il. mattresses, and had them taken 20 Mrs
Astor's There he took great pains 10 70
them on correct level In Beschwood'
many rooms.
After everything had been arrnnge
u John looked about for his boardern. Their
we're carpenters and plAstercrs and othe
ve superior work folk who were employed j
" Interior alterations in some Of the hi
N houses along Bellovue avenue.
Nv To those no went and told in CLOWN
- colors the life no could offer them at
IL country villa, and he said that 1t wouldn
M be very dear.
~ Tho picture was a pretty one to the cal
= penters and plRsterers, and John had n
difficulty whatever in filling his 10 cots.
ot He could have got moro TO come br
"a his everlasting sonsitlveness about doin
"a something that Mrs. Astor might not lih
\, probably prevented him from maxim
~ Beechwood the largest boarding house
u town.
Tho function Of Mrs John in the houl
IA was the cooking Of the bonrders hroal
fasts and suppcrs. Their dinners sho gar
Il. thom to carry 60 their work In tin pals
~ =, Sho must have been good cook, for
the flvo months that the boarding houl
was running John didn't lose sing
H. boarder.
nls He, TOO, made an admirable landlor
20 1t Il said, and tho boarders were sorry
~ leave when the spring came and tho hou
" got ready for a furnishing before MI
'u' Astor's arrival