The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-10-30

In the Palm of Her Hand, SO 10
Speak - All California COnjectur-
Ing What She VIII Do With It
Pacific Railway.
| The newest and greatest American
| heiress, one, according to all predictions.
destined to carry the -Four Hundred" by
storm during the coming season, is
| California girl
A little over month ago this same girl,
very quietly dressed, with an unmistaka-
BILE excitement In her manner. boarded a
train that was to carry her from San
| Mateo to San Francisco. 1t was not more
than an hours ride. But during that
hour she dreamed dreams and built castles
that seemed not impossible Of construc-
ton, even to her companions, says the
New York Journal.
Before she returned to San Mateo that
evening the young girl. until then little
Mary Croker, had become one of the
great heiresses of the world.
Four millions of dollars in one day had
passed into her possession without re-
striction or proviso. 1t was absolutely in
her own hands.
All her life she has lived in luxury; she
has had gowns in plenty and jewels that
a young girl may wear with propriety.
She has been petted and feted by large
family of cousins and aunts. She has
cultivated her tastes and gratified her
pleasure. Her father, who was Col.
Charles F. Crocker, denied her nothing.
But-yes. even after all that. there is a
but-she was not her own mistress. There
were those considered wiser, those older
and more experienced, who advised gent
ly, who insisted, if need be, on the score
that it was for little Mary's good.
And now suddenly, on day memorable
in the calendar of her history, on the It'll
of September, Mary Croker came Of
age 1t was her eighteenth birthday. Be-
fore the sun set she would hold, as it
were, in the palm of her hand. A,eOO,OO0
What will she do with it?
Conjectures are rife from one end OF
California. where her father was for
many years known and respected as vice
president Of the Southern Pacific rail-
road to the other where her mother
retgned in the heart of many swain as
the loveliest of her sex. Col Fred
Croker, when he died, some three years
ago left each of his three children mill
ions In stocks and bonds and in real
estate.
Mary Croker has all this and the in
terest which has been accommodating since
her fathers death What will she do
with 1t?
Those who remember her mother, pretty
Jennie Easton, charming, gentle, anna
BILE, gracious, say that she will continue
to live quietly with her grandmother,
who has brought her up since her mother
died. They look at Mary's dark eyes and
tall, sylph-like figure, and trace there
resemblance to the admired Jennie.
Others again who knew and admired
her father are equally certain that she
will not be content to remain in San
Francisco They see in the strong, sturdy
girl the desire that her father had to lead
and to be victorious. These predict that
she will go out into the world.
For the edifcation of both let 1t be said
that Mary Croker will shortly come
East, where she Will be launched into
New York society to conquer or to be
conquered.
Her entree will be made directly into
the most exclusive center of the most ex-
elusive Four Hundred. And this she does
not claim solely by right Of her 1900, 600.
Her mother was Jennie Easton a cousin
of that -'Teenie" Mills who married
Whtelaw Reid. Another cousin is the
husband Of Mrs. Ogden Mills, so exclu-
sive that she declines to meet more than
seventy-five Of the Four Hundred
Her aunt. who was once the well
known, Titian-haired Hattie Crocker.
married Charlie Alexander, and has since
been famed for her entertainments in the
Fifty-eighth street house. Unfortunately
this aunt Is in mourning for her father
in-law, so the Introduction Of this new
million-dollar heiress will devolve
entirely upon Mrs. Whtelaw Reid. At
least 1t may be said that she will be her
chief sponsor. There is, besides, to see
that the young woman has a good time,
Mrs. George Croker, she who was once
Mrs. Rutherford and last year became
known to New Workers as the hospitable
Mrs. George with couple Of charming
daughters of her own.
But with $1,000, Geo it Is safe to predict
that Miss Croker might hold her own,
even without sponsors. 1t Is certain at
least that she will not lack for suitors
The much more absorbing and interest
ing question is whom she will favor.
w nat udnfleF OF man Will she fancy!
Must he be a multi-millionaire backed
by an amount Of gold to match her own?
Or will she. realizing that she has
enough for two or more, give her hand
where her heart leads, even though 1t be
captured by poor man? Does she look
for title? What are her tendencies-phl-
anthropic Or frivolous? All these ques-
lions are hurled, one on top of the other,
at the family and friends of Miss Crock
er. Every scrap of information is eager
ly sought
Her absolute freedom, her complete ex-
emption from all control in the matter of
her fortune, makes her somewhat unique
Motherless since she was thirteen, an or
phan since she was fifteen, she has been
accustomed to place more reliance upon
herself than most girls of eighteen.
She Is not altogether unsophisticated.
nor is she wholly without a knowledge
of the world She has spent some years
at Dobbs Ferry, at school there with the
daughters of other millionaires who
have taught her their ways. She has
also spent a couple of years in Paris,
bringing back with her some knowledge
besides that of the French language.
She is very sweet, which is one reason
why the pseudonym "ntt1e' has chung to