Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1896-09-11
REAL LIFE ROMANCE.
DIR. wrsB NAY BE A SENATE &.

DIR. wEBB NAY BE a sESAroa.
Vermont People Planning Higher Heasr.
fe- the Nan who ~ = Kind Act sPrasE
from = PssnIless Inferno into Great
Wealth.
We are indebted 20 Or. Sarah NJ. Hob
son for a copy Of the Chicago Times
Herald. and from il we take the following
sketch which we imagine viii leinterest-
ing reading not only socially but Politi-
cally:
In his election on Tuesday to the legis-
lature OF Vermont Or. ". Seward Webb
makes his political bow TO the American
public. This fact is of Importance ehiefiy
for the reason that it IS a step toward
higher honors for the millionaire railroad
and palace car magnate. 1t is ALREADY
said that Or. Webb's friends are shaping
his affairs in order to send him 10 the
senate of the United States irum Yer
mont. His friends in New York predict
brilliant career for him in national poll
tics, and his neighbOrs in Vermont are
pleased to find man of DR.. Wehhs
great financial importance taking an III
teresr in practicalgnvernment. Thecom-
plant has ever been that the railroad
magnate and money king dislikes to turn
statesman. In DR.. Webb's election to
the Vermont legislature and his more
than probable election to the United
States senate this complaint is unanswer-
ably laid.
Never was the story of Aladdins lamp
so perfectly reduced to the concrete as in
the life and adventures OF DR.. Webb. At
one coup he was lifted from the position
OF penniless inferno in a hospital to that
of the husband of one of the richest OF
the Vanderbilt heiresses. The magic o:
the yanderbilts millions touched him and
he bloomed into a director Of the New
York Central Railroad, the president OF
the Wagner Palace Car Company and
one of the leading powers in the nations
world of wealth. This story of his rise
and greatness is prettier than any ro-
nance OF the loves of the sons and
daughters of New Yotk's millionaire
families. In 1850 he was attached to
the Vanderbilt clinic in St. Luke's Hos
pital and was in charge of the surgical
patients of that institution. To this
clinic Miss Lila Vanderbilt, the youngest
daughter of William H. Vanderbilt, was
a constant visitor. One day little girl
was brought into the hospital with a
broken leg. The inferno had soft heart
and a sympathetic nature and the sweet
face of the child attracted him. He was
always by her bedside and watched the
case with solicitude that touched the
child-heart of the patient. The girl be.
gan to love him and spoke of him to
Miss Vanderbilt in terms Of extrava
gance that aroused the young woman:
interest. So, too, had she spoken to tn,
doctor OF the kind young lady" who
had so often visited her. One day tn,
little patient relapsed. The case wa,
critical, and the doctor, alarmed for he
life, watched at her bedside for hours
While the doctor was thus engaged Mis-,
Vanderbilt entered the room and an
preached the bed. She saw the hand
some young man and looked inquiringly
toward the little girl. The patient
smiled. This is the kind DOCTOR" sh
Explained, land this is the kind youn,
lady"
Miss Vanderbilt extended her hand an,
clasped the hand of the man w no was t,
become her husband.
Thus it was that kind heart opene,
the door of honor, fortune and goldei
success to Seward Webb. He did no
long remain an inferno in the hospital
To be one Of the Vanderbilts means to b
part ofthe great railroad sy stem owne,
by the family. Webb had studied med
cine. He must now study railroadine
for Miss Vanderbilt loved him. A firm
Worden & Webb-was created for hir
and opened business in Wall street. TIL
match was happy one, and was ar
proved by Mr.. Vanderbilt. How sui
stantially it was approved was mad
! known when, on the day of the wedding
the couple were presented with til
stately house at $50 Fifth avenu,
When the older Vanderbilt died Mr..
Webb inherited $15,OOO,OOO. Near
while, the young doctor, preferring raj
: roads to medicine, had progressed in tt
craft OF Wall street, and had stepped int
the position which his wife's wealth e.
titled him to.
The doctors personality and family hi
tory were pleasing to the Vanderbilt
r His father was James Watson Webb