The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-11

in literary work, is a curiosity. He is like
the woman who keeps boarders for COM
pany-open to suspicion-and his fortune
and his reason are questions by has
friends.
When William Waldorf Astor went to
England to live, he went with a sore
heart; some called him "a sore-head."
Tired of society in America, he had
striven for political prominence and been
defeated in his effort to reach Congress
in district where he felt that his sue
cess should have been assured. Gath
ering up his family and leaving his chat
tells behind him, he went to London and
began negotiations for really and truly
castle. He wanted a good, old spot
where lords had lived and ladies had
died; he wanted a spot with traditions
hanging TO it, and he would be content
with no other. No prettier house than
Cliveden-on- the-Thames was in reach of
London, and William Waldorf Astor set
envious eyes upon it. But it belonged to
the Duke of Westminster, and the Duke
of Westminster is the richest man in
England. The duke knew a good thing
when he had it, and he realized that
Cliveden was such a one He also knew
a good thing when he saw it and he was
confident that William Waldorf Astor
was a good thing. Finally, after many
negotiations and many break-aways on
each side, the bargain was elinched for
the sum of 10000.
Ii was a goodly price, everybody said,
but Cliveden was worth it-so was Mr..
Astor. At the last moment his lordship
Il
recover certain historic spots upon the
property such as the stone upon which
the Earl of Shrewsbury died, after being
stabbed by his king in a duel, and a his
ioric chair, upon which the lords wife
stood while she watched the bloody fray
from one of the windows but Mr.. Aston
got all these and soon owned Cliveden
and its memories.
Mrs William Waldorf Astor was one
of the sweetest, genuest, most capable
women that ever lived. She died three
years ago, and Mr. Astor showed his
fondness for her by leaving order
with a New York florist for a blanket
of flowers TO be spread daily upon her
grave. Each day all the winter and
spring, the florist covered the grave with
lilies of the valley, making a warm
white blanket of the sweet flowers. Mr.
Astor only remained in America a week
when he came over on the sad errand,
but ne lGIL the OIQGf stduOluS, ana from
his English home he could look across
the seas and behold in his minds view
the spectacle Of that coffin, draped in
white lilies all winter.
Society folk at Newport have long had
a legend as to why William Waldorf As
tor so suddenly and SO absolutely desert
ed his own country. The Astors were
not Of English birth; in fact the founder
of the Astors came from the lite town
of Waldorf. Germany; and nothing Eng
lish had ever particularly affiliated it.
/ self with the family. Why then should
/ Mr. Astor shake the dust of an honor
able century in his own country from his
feet and transplant himself in an entire
ly different soil? Newporters say that it
was all on account of THE woman in the
! case"
Mrs. Waldorf Astor was a Miss Paul,
| one Of the proudest women as to family,
| that ever lived In manner, in bearing
and in speech she was fit to be a reign
ing queen but, alas, she had no ruling
| aspirations. She was content to grace So
/ ciety without ruling it. Ast
Mr. Aston being of a dictatorial nature
did not like this putting aside by society
of his wife, strongly resented il. He
wanted her to dictate, and it was gall
and NORWOOD TO him. Newporters said,
when invitations were received about
which she had not been previously con-
quilted. He wanted her to know when