The San Francisco call., 1899-09-17

ing and planning and helping. here and
there she was discussing with herself the
great question how best to use the bulk
of her rare fortune to further the highest
interests? 1t came at last-the answer.
CALIFORNIA; sons and daughters are the
fortunate ones.
From the beginning Mrs. Hearst has
aimed at having the University of Cali
fOrnia the most splendid in the world. She
showed daring thought when she first or
ganized the competition. Admitting that
few would have ever conceived such a
plan-hoW many of those few would ever
have held to it? 1t sounded like a story
book. And now to give realism to the
story, we have the report that several
millions from this California woman are
to start the great project on its road to
completion.
1t is in memory of her husbands tolls
and defeats and final succ0 IS that she
has chosen to give her first attention to a
building for the young mining engineers
who will come TO equip themselves at
Berkeley for the same kind of work. If
they ere better equipped than George
Hearst was, they may thank his wife for
the fact.
Mrs. Hearst has long admired the nat
ural beauties of the Berkeley grounds.
where the buildings now stand. and her
wish was to have this beauty not hidden,
but developed, perfected. This end was
tree where it had been put in the first
place, and preserved the beloved land
marks for tradition of future freshmen
who will talk vaguely of the old build
ings that once were.
As the time advanced toward the final
decision, Mrs. Hearst came west to be on
the scene. Four architects came to make
the awards. and with them brother archi-
tects and wives and friends. There have
been entertainments and the excitement
mas Wearted Mrs. Hearst more than her
friends like to See She has made her eS-
cape to the country, now that all is over,
and rest promises to make her like her
own strong, accomplishing self once more.
This same strong self is ueceiving by
the way. 1t is the big soul of a little
woman, who looks too slenderly nervous
to stand great strains; Her strength is
of a wiry kind that builds on the will
rather than the body She has a serene
expression and manner that give no indi-
thermore, her femininity is so pronounced
in dress and speech that one would never
guess that, the firmly executive brain
ness. Mrs. Hearst manages her own prop
erty almost entirely. She has the clear
est insight into business transactions and
is never timtd, although always prudent.
That little touch of sweetness and
warmth that turks in her smile and her
voice is the heritage of her Southern
parents. Both of them were Virginians,
and Virginians of the old school. Her
own early life. was spent in Missouri,
where much of the Southern spirit ling
Washington has fostered this element in
her nature. Southerners do not break
away easily from old customs.
L thought of this to-day as very
apron met me at the door of Mrs. Hearstis
apartments, and the tone, at once rever-
entail and protective, in which Mrs
Hearsts. illness was mentioned had the
true darky ring of loyalty. The mistress
of this maid clings to the service of her
youth-the negro service, with it's affec-
ton and its jealousy and its hero-wor-
ship still intact.
Although her work has brought her
much before the public of late years, she
has an instructive shrinking from tur-
moil This led her to take refuge in her
country home last week after the excite
ment of banqueting was over and before
the final decision was to be reached.
Across the bay, at the lovely Hacienda
del Poso de Verona, she entertained the
glimpse into the arcadian life of country
California. Then the architects came
back to their labor and left their hostess
In quiet. She did not return to town until
the great Thursday. She fed from the
crowd of the hotel where she has apart
ments and went to her own retired rooms
IN high sunny corner of her Market
street building. There she has been
hedged about by an army of still-footed
caretakers. 1t is a cosy retreat up there,
with the sunny windows and the flowers
and the hide-and-Seek screens that zig
gag across velvety carpets.
Mrs. Hearst's keen artistic sense is evil
reverences beauty IS one of the elements
of goodness. Her Eastern home is fuII
of rich hangings and pictures and curios.
which she has loaned many a tina for,
exhibitions where women who see little
of the beautiful might learn and enioy.
Her own education has been extensive
She is fine linguist, especially known az
a French scholar. Her breadth of learn
ing gives her a breadth of opinion that
only men usually achieve. Her gifts have
been made to institutions of more than
one religious denomination. Her position
as an educator has been recognized in a
way that no other woman's has ever been
In her holding State Regency
met a girl l know the other day-a
girl who has been fighting a hard waV m
hill for little sister as well as herself
She has always longed for university
education and. the little she had managed
to save from bread winnings bought her
one year of the coveted college life. Then
the money gave out and she was thrown
back to fight again. When / met her the
other day there was kind of sureness n
the grip of her hand and she hea1aed.
You are still at work." / asked
Tn a Varsity girl. now" she said
radiantly. I'm at Berkeley to finish nv
course: You see, it just happened that
when was staying over there I met Mrs
Hearst-and somehow-well, Mrs Hearst
IS putting me through college. And nv
little sister is living with me And we
are well and so happy
If Mrs. Hearst could have been there
TO see she wouldn't have needed any more
thanks.
That is only one little scrap of a story.
They are legion.