The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-09
Duke Of ROxburghe To Ask For
the Hand of Miss AstOr.
So Say Observing London Cos
sipers Who May Know
DEBUT AS A PEERLESS.
Prospective Bridegroom is %
Years Old
And a Lieutenant in the Royal
Horse Guards.

London, Dec. s.-The warmth with which
two American heiresses, Miss Ogden Goe-
let and Miss Astor, have been welcomed
in duca1 society in Scotland this autumn
has given rise to considerable matrimonial
speculation. They have been feted and
petted to an extraordinary degree.
The Buccleugh and Roxburghe families
have both been paying them notable at
tention, and it seems understood that the
young Duke Of Roxburghe will ask for
Miss Astor's hand.
The duke the eighth of his line, was
born in 1876 and succeeded his father in
1892 His name is Henry John Innes-Ker,
and he is a lieutenant in the Royal Horse
Guards.
Miss Astor is staying at Floors castle,
Kelso, Roxburghshire, the ancestral home
of the ROxburghes on the border, for the
past week, and it is not unlikely that she
will make her debut at court as a peer
ess.
New York. Dec. 9.-NTiss Pauline Astor
is the only daughter of William Waldorf
Astor, and consequently one Of the richest
of American-born heiresses.
It is proper to say American-born in this
case because Miss Pauline has lived in
England almost all of her life, and natur-
ally has rather more the appearance and
quite the manners of the British-born
maid than her American-bred contempor-
aries.
William Waldorf Astors fortune fs con-
servatively estimated at about 900 900, OOO
There are two sons to be provided for,
William Waldorf and John Jacob, but
even so the heiress, prospectively Her
Grace of ROXburghe, will receive a doWry
comparable only to that of Queen Wilhel-
nina of Holland
No wonder that since she appeared in
heightened skirts and with her hair tuck
ed up, Miss Astor's marriage has been a
theme of international Importance
Miss Pauline is the one daughter of this
branch Of the great Astor house, and was
born 19 years ago in this city.
Her mother, before her marriage one of
the most beautiful of Philadelphia maiden
beIIes5 was the lovely Mamie Faul, dauSh-
ter Of Admiral Paul, U. S. n.
Mrs William Waldorf and Mrs. John
Jacob Aston, were both born and bred in
William Waldorf Aston, with his family.
perma nently took up his residence in Eng
Mrs. Astor's friends declared that Mr..
this country because OF the continuous re-
ception of anonymous letters addressed to
Mrs Aston containing demands for prod1g-
loQS sums OF money ana threatening 70
kidnap the little Astcrs If the money were
There We're other rumors of an absurd
difference between the two Mrs Astors-
doris to which was entitled to social
precedence and which should be entitled
to write of herself as Mrs. Astor' and
have her cards so engraved. The truth is
that Mrs. William Waldorf Astors health.
long in different, did break completely about
this time and that she grew alarmingly
anxious as to the safety of her little ones
blackInailing letters, and suffered for years
from a complete nervous prOStra ton.
1Ss slL''A . '-'e - '''i 0'-'- INV ''s" IL
Miss Astor resembles her beautiful
mother, although she is not so willowy as
the lovely Mamie Paul at the same age.
She was named Paulina to prettily per-
Inherits the lustrOus dark eyes olive skin,
beautiful mouth and teeth which have
made the Paul women for generations
Miss Pauline Astor will. like Miss Cor
Consuelo Vanderbilt, step from her school
books to the altar; She has never at
education and many accomplishments
through her governesses and tutors at
She has not been out at all socially. and
except that she has presided with gtrlish
and teas given by her father at his mag
nificent estate at Cliveden during the past
ga s S Werl a Of fasio9 10 the
The last time Miss Astor came to Amer
she might be confirmed in the church so
beloved by her mother.
Miss Aston was accorded the rites of con-
firmation in Trinity chapel, and afterward
knelt in her mothers place at the sacred
altar to receive the holy sacrament. Miss
Astors health is not rugged, and last win
ter she passed in Italy to get the benefit
of the mild climate.
The marriage of the charming American
to an English duke will unite two ire
mendous fortunes, for the Roxburghe es-
tates are princely, indeed.
The Duke of Roxburghe is the eighth of
his line.
He was born in 1876 and succeeded to
the title in 1892
His name for American purposes would
be John InneS-Ker.
He is good looking and amiable. He has
excellent health and landed estates alone
of IS 600 acres.
And also what is even more conducive
to peaceful condition of mind, unlimit-
kingdom
Miss Astor is a charming and accomp-
Hshed young lady, whose wealth is the
least of her attractions.
.-..a, 80. - -, 10. go.