Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-03-12
MRS WILLIE VANDERBILT.

w ll0 C!laTaCttIIStiC St' Niit~'i4 Va Si.'A
acter. Mrs. w. X. Vanderbilt has gone
her own course, from horse show week
to the Lenten period, and introduced 10
fashionable society her young daughter.
Retaining the custody OF her children
and the use of the three family resi-
dences, in New York, Newport and
near Islip, L. l., the millionaire's divorc.
ed wife has formed her own circle and
received society, minus only the Van
derbilt contingent and their allies who
did everything in (and OUT OF reason
to dissuade her from divorcing her hus-
band
1t is, indeed, the general feeling that
falling some arriere pensee separation
would have sufficed. a headstrong
woman, who ruled her husband in every
detail of his life. might well have re-
membered that she may have been
partly TO blame, and even if she could
not have condoned the crowning out
rsge of placarded iniidelity ''welcom
ed the wandered home" This, indeed,
is said to have been the course pleaded
ior by Cornelius Vanderbilt, who,
dev0ut church member aud an ex-
emplary man into the bargain, feels
deeply his brothers derelictou, while
that distracted friend OF the family,
Chauncey Dspew, aghast at the cut
break of wild oais in man of 10 ode,
is reported to have made far more elo-
quent, if less witty, speeches on the sub
iect than he ever INDUCED in at club
dinner.
The butterfly world will all the more
regret this definite rupture, because,
relative popularity apart, Mr.. and Mrs.
w. X. Vanderbilt seemed in many su-
pelfcial respects well-mated couple.
Both were comparatively young and de-
cidedly prepossessipg, both were fond
of pleasure, and both were devoted to
exercise aud sport. As riders and driv-
ers as devoted to yachting, as dancers
in a ballroom, as amateurs Of music and
the drama in all their branches, from
the grand opera to 1.-The little theatres
of Paris" this comely couple were ever
replete with "the JOY oflivng." Anus
ing and prepared to be amused, willie
K.n was always at his best in society at
a ball-toward the end, when the Vir-
cinia reel permitted him to dance with
truly boyish exuberance, or in the
waltz, where he was an Incompatible
partner.
Mrs. w. X. Vanderbilt has always
appeared to the most advantage in her
box at tho opera, where she looks as
handsome and inspired as Euterpe. II
is her custom to sit leaning slightly for
ward, drinking i'll every note of the
music, and paying so close an attention
to the artists and the score as to be
we'll nigh unique. She affects white,
which throws into relief her dark
brows and hair, and although she nat
urally has whole museum of jewels
is most distinguished for her pearls.
As fond mother of q sweetly pretty
daughter, with touch of pathos in
her young face, Mrs. Vanderbilt has
this winter achieved unwonted popu-
larity. She has at least eXerted her.
self to please general society, and it re-
wards her with its partial sympathy
and welliwishes.
Mrs. Willie X. Vanderbilt is one Of
the heaviest spenders among the fash
ionable women of the day. 1t is be-
lieved that Mrs. Vanderbilt spends
fully 100000 year on trifles. 1t was
her terrific extravaganza which wider :
ed the breach between herself and her
husband. Mr.. Vanderbilt has for
tune of SSO,000,000 ana an income Of
81, ,O0O, 900 year. He spends mere
than any other millionaire in the coun-
try.
As an example of Mrs. Vanderbilts
qualities as a spender, the final straw
that broke the camers bacE-other-
wise Mr.. Vauderbilt's good nature
the following is timely illustration !:
1t occurred when she and her husband
were at the Continental Hotel, in Paris,
Just before they separated. Mrs. Van
derbilt did not like her apartments Or
the furnishings, so she engaged an en-
tire floor of the big hotel, and then, to
the surprise of all Paris, had it COM
pletely furnished at her own cost. AS
she was going to remain in Paris only
six weeks, this was regarded as one of
the greatest pieces of extravaganza in
the history of the French capital. The
| furnishings of the floor cost in the
neighborhocd of $4,000, and the
| weekly hotel bill of the Vanderbilt
party amounted to $4,000.
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