The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-07-25
The Curious Will Made by
Miss LeO-WOlf.
Directed. Portraits of Her An
cest0rs Destroyed.
What Mrs. Belmont Proposes to Do
With the Marble Palace.

People who make queer wills generally
have some reason for doing SO, which Is
not always plain to the public after the
teststor's death. One OF the most re-
markable OF recent wills Is that OF Miss
Henrietta V. Leo-Wolf of New York,swho
was also well known in Newport years
ago. where she was accustomed to spend
her summers. In her will she gives the
following directions: 81 direct that my
executors destroy within one month after
my death the following family portraits:
An oil painting OF my iate mother,
Henrietta Louise Leo-Woif; painting OF
my late brother and sister, taken as
children; painting on wood OF my
grandmother, Mrs. John >. Crary; a
painting on porcelain OF my aunt, Nir-
ginia Crary, and a painting OF my de-
ceased sister,"
At first blush this appears very eocen-
tric, and one would &c inclined to the
opinion that Miss Leo Wolf had grudge
against the counterfeit presentments OF
her relatives and ancestors which
prompted her to direct their destruction.
such, however, is not tie case, for IL
was quite different and decidedly more
praiseworthy motive which prompted
her to make such provision in her will.
Miss Leo-Molf II appears took especial
pride in those portraits and her request
that they be destroyed was because OF
the fact that she Is the last OF her family,
and she did not wish these portraits OF
her relatives sold under the hammer or
hawked about for sale.
The rumor is afloat once more in New
port that the Vanderbilt marble palace
r. A - l.. - l. 49,
Mrs. Belmont, again denies the truth OF
the story, ana says that she has not the
slight intention OF disposing OF tho
magnificent mansion. She Is reported
as declaring that il Is her purpose TO give
the property 10 her two sons, young
William Vanderbilt and his brother,
Harold, as soou as they reach mans es-
tate. William Is now about IL years OF
age, while Harold is two years his senior.
There IL nt present In the marble palace
q house party. which Is presided over
by MISS Mamie Smith, STster or Mrs
Belmont. Newporters were surprised "a
short time ago TO find that the great
gates In front of the marble palace are
kept open continuously. Untii week or
two ago they mad been closed ever since
they were put up, except for the brief
periods during which some one was pas
sing in or out, and those who had not
the means OF entrance had never seen the
expensive structure and its approaches.
Now, though, the glare of pearly white
ness coming through the gateways Is
almost overcoming, and every one ac-
cepts the privilege OF psusing and mar
Yelling at the carvings about the great
round columns, and ABOUT the most efiec-
tive walls beyond. The excursionists are
making the most OF the opportunity and
may be found five feet deep in front of
the place most of the time, gazing with
fixed eyes upon what was for months to
the common among mankind a forbid
den picture.
The Gossiper had always supposed that
the use OF the incubator for Matching
chickens was a comparatively modern
device, but a gentleman who dabblcs o
little IN fancy poultry raising says that
artificial incubation is a very ancient
practice, as eaIly as the time OF Hero
.otns, AGO years before the Christian era,
being so well known in Egypt that as he
says 10000, 90 OF chickens were annually
batcbed ii the ovens used by the dwellers
IN the valley OF the Nile. As they had
no thermometers by the aid of which the
scat could be kept uniform, II becomes a
matter OF interest TO know what means
the, cmI loYed. 4 he Uncut ubation tempera-
ture Ia bout thut OF the body of the liv-
ing fowl, from 100 10 iC3 degrees Fahren-
heit, ana even with watchfulness and
delic1te appliances Tor regulating the
heat 1t is sometimes no easy matter to
rnaintain the temperature at or near tine
rame point. The Egyptians did II solely
by the toucn. by placing the hand in
ths oven and feeling the eggs, they de-
termined whether they were too cool
or too hot. and so knew whei her TO i'm
crease or diminish the heat. IL IL mar
veloua illustration OF the extent To which
the education OF the ssnsas can be carried
l,,.e-
mcney in 1t for them, and honce the
tralning,