The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-06-20
The AST'OR SKELETON.
Its Dry Bones Do Not Disturb the
Family Farmer.
HOW HENRY ASTOR MARRIED A
POOR COUNTRY GIRL.


That Is to Say, Some $500, Ooc-He Has
Lived Quietly and Happily But Now
His Wife is Dying.
Within sight of the lonely monument
that marksithe junctionsof the three states,
New York, Massachusetts, and Con-
necticut, an Astor is living out life's
romance. He is straight from the stock,
this Aston; the Oldest living representa-
tive of the family, honest. loveable, and
warm hearted. But he married beneath
his station" as the Astors of New York
city and London would tell you, If they
could bs brought to speak of him at all,
which they could not. And for this
crime he was cast off by his father, repu-
dated by his brothers, and stunned by
his nephews, William Waldorf and John
Jacob Aston, the controllers today of the
family millions. Had he consented to
throw over the woman who won his love,
Henry Astor would today be leading
citizen Of the metropolis, a millionaire
of distinction. But ne preferred to re-
main loyal to his sweetheart. and gave
up the millions and the position which
might have been his.
Whether he made sacrifice, whether he
has ever regretted the price he paid for his
loyalty, no one may tell. For Henry AS
tor has this, in common with his family;
gives no man his confidence. For more
than quarter of century now he has
dwelt with his wife in isolation among
the hills of Columbia County. His resi-
depce Is miles away from any railway,
and from years end to years end he
scarcely ever leaves his own grounds.
His visits to this city since he first went
into seclusion, could be counted on the
fingers ofione hand. The metropolis has
grown from place that sheltered hun
dreds of thousands to place that shelters
millions since he left it. The Astors have
built towering hotels, acres of residences,
and gorgeous palaces, but of them all
Henry Astor has seen nothing. Nor ap-
parently has he cared.
When he was disowned for his love he
was by no means left a beggar. Relent-
less as was the resentment OF his family,
they still saw to it that he was comfort
ably provided for. In the country where
he lives be is looked upon as a prince
with fabulous riches. In comparison
with his neighbors, he is certainly ma
bob. But when his estate is compared
with the wealth of those Astors who re-
main in the world, it is SO insignificant
rs TO count hardly as drop in the bucket
How much his family gave him when
they turned from him no one knows.
1t is thought to have been somewhere
in the nsighborhood of $3.50, coo or $780,
600. On the income from this Henry
As5or has builded very soundly, for, like
his relatives and his forefathers, he is o
fine hushandman, possessing to the full
that prudence which enabled the first
John jacob As5or to build colossal for
tune from the humble beginning as a
Bowery furrier.
Today Henry Aston is in his 9th year,
in excellent health and apparently happy
and oontented. The woman for W HON he
braved his family has been stricken with
an Incurab1e disease-oancer, it is said.
For severalS years no one has seen her
outside OF her home. The same devo-
tion that held him true to her when all
turned against him keeps Mr.. Astor at
his wife's side in her affliotion. He
scarcely leaves her for more than an
hour at time, and then only to wan
Ger among his flowers and plants al
ways bringing her back choice bouqu et.
On the whole, perhaps, it is doubtful
whether the other members of the family,
those who spurned him, had happier
and more conten ted time. His brother,
John Jacob. died in the shadow of a fam
ly feud that had sprung from bitter
social rivalry. His other brother, Will
liam, lived long enough to see the fam
lily name dragged in the mire of scan
dial that terminated in the divorce court.
His nephew. William Waldorf, after strly-
Ing in vain for prominence here. went to
England, where, after many heartburn
ings, he was finally successful, as the
cable tells US, in securing the counte-
nance OF that distinguished moralist,
the Prince Of Wales. And the other
nephew, who remained here as the pres
emit head of the family, has been close
pushed on all sides to hold the position
shat he covets in the front rank of the
social and business world.
All this strife and trouble has left
Henry Astor untouched among his green
hills. He has grown to a ripe old age,
and from present appearances has still
many years of life left to him. He is
big, broad-shouldered fully six feet
high, Of very large proportions border
ing almost on corpulency. His face is
bright and kindly. long patriarchialgray
beard covers most Of it, falling down on
his vest. His amiable eyes shins shrewd-
ly through a pair of gold trimmed spec
taoles that sit always on his nose. A
line forehead ends under bushy, we'll
kept crop of hair. His clothing is plain,
bat well made, such as any country gen.
tieman might wear. Altogether, this
Astor impresses one most fayorebly de-
spite his reserve, which is almost shy
ness. But as to his romaLce: