The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-03
Vanderbilt TUG of WAR.
Mrs. Willie KS Ball VIII Decide Her
Standing in the Four Hundred.


Newport r. I.-After twenty years of
exclusiveness almost equaling that of
lords and dukes and earls, Mrs. Alva S.
Vanderbilt. it seems. has decided that
New York society is a pretty good and de-
sirable thing. after all, and worthy of a
little cultivation.
In the old days few were the weeks she
degned to give to the wonderful palaces
on Fifth avenue and at Newport. Her de-
light seemed to be in cruising in strange
seas with a goodly and well chosen COM
pany. over whom she queened it right
royalty.
Since the late unpleasantness" the
beautiful yacht Valiant. which was built
to replace the Alva, is no longer under her
command and she IS wisely concluding to
find for herself new Pleasures and new
interests.
1t is said by those who ought TO know
that the grand ball she proposes giving at
Marble house in honor OF the formal de-
but Of her pretty daughter. Miss Consuelo
is really for the purpose Of making her
own temperance in society. She wishes
to find out just exactly where she stands
in the long list of the 400 and just how
many people are willing 10 desert the
bilt for love of her That II will be to
choose between the two factions no one
doubts for a moment A bitter struggle
viii be waged in the fair city by the sea
during the weeks when life seems best
! and bravest TO all on the outside.
II promises to be a struggle as bitter as
that which drove William Waldorf Astor
! across the sea forever. England gave him
what free American could not and decreed
that as the eldest son Of an eldest son he
was head Of the Aston family, and that
was what the quarrel was about
With Newport again as the arena, a
second battle will be fought between he
members of a family famous. like the As.
! tors, for the their rich, red gold. 1t Is
| predicted by those who know much of life
/ and of people that the result will be tae
/ same, and that at the end of this season
/ Mrs. Alva Vanderbilt will remove her
| charming self, her daughter and her lares
| and penates to the land of good Queen
! Vic.
But there will be plenty of fun for the
/ lookers-on in the meantime, and many
are perfectly willing to hurrah for the
winner whichever it be.
| As an evidence of good faith and of her
| having become in reality one of the peo-
pie Mrs. Vanderbilt has decreed that the
walls around Marble house are to fal
| and the heretofore vulgar crowd will be
| permitted to feast their hungry eyes up
! on the cola, Wnlte walls or Inc palace
and speculate as to the cost of draping
| the 100 or more windows with their filmy
| real lace curtains.
Down will go the gates with the fence
and this will do away with Mrs. Van
derbilts very unique and thoroughly orig
/ inal manner of receiving her guests. Wien
/ Marble house was opened for the first
time, two years ago, the gates were KEEP.
| religiously locked and there were two
| Swiss peasants dressed in their quaint
national costume stationed in picturesque
little lodges on either side of the drive
| Their sole duties were to find out tho
name of the occupant of the carriage and
telephone it to the house. The answer
came back as to Mrs. Vanderbilt's re-
ceiving or not receiving the guest that
day.
1t is needless to say that the innovation
was not adopted by the rest of the New
port colony, and most of the would-be
guests, after waiting twenty minutes or
more for permission to enter, never tried
a second time TO find the fair mistress of
the wonderfully beautiful mansion.
All of the hidden Glories are to be gen.
erously displayed this summer, and in
stead of the stately and somewhat form a I
musicals which were Mrs. VanderbiIf,s
only contribution to social gayetv in the
old days, there will be dinners. dances
bicycle meets and a grand ball to which
many will be hidden.
4ho SitdA IOOlIS OF Marble house re-
quire great number of people to fiji tbey7 D..
in the grand ball room the "lO0'' would
hardly make comfortable crowd. so il is
not likely that very exclusive entertain
ing will be undertaken
Who of the powerful New York neonIe
would be her guests is a question which
is puzzling a great many people. The
Vanderbilt family is so firmly intrencba1
socially and has won and kept so many,
friends since entering society that tba
course they pursue toward Mrs. Alva Van
derbilt will probably be adopted by half Of
the swell set.
1t is said that the occupants Of Marble
house are to be completely ignored nv
the Cornelius Vanderbilt family AT tbeir
New Breakers, and by Frederick Wander
bilt at Rough Point. Mrs. John Jacob
Aston the beautiful young leader. Is the
close friend of Mrs. W. Seward Webb
and she has espoused the Vanderbilt side
On the other side will be arranged Mir ana
Mrs William Jay. the Duers and the Rel
monts all social powers and extremely
popular people.
Those who will have the best Of tho sea-
son undoubtedly are the neutral peonla
who take no sides, but are perfectly de-
lighted TO accept the hospitality of both
factions and are rather glad on the whole
that the ties Of friendship are not close
enough to force them into taking sides one
way or the other.