The St. Louis Republic., 1900-09-02
Only Child of an Only
Daughter, the Little
Heiress Is Cared For
as SolicitouSly as an
Old World Princess.

WRITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY REPUBLiC.
Through the terms of her mothers Will.
filed last Monday for probate, Vera Law
renee siegrist. years Of age mas become
belress to a fortune estimated in the MIL
lions. which will make her the richest child
in the West. In spite Of her eight years
Vera seems as ye: utterly unconscious OF
the magnitude OF the sum which she VIII
inherit and II will doubtless be some time
before she realizes what her fortune really
means.
There are a number Of reasons why she
should regard the matter less than other
children and why she should be TO q great
extent unconscious of what the money VIII
do for her a few details about the child
and her surroundings will make this easily
understood.
Vera is the only child Of the late Mrs.
Henry A. Siegrist, who separated from her
husband some time before her death Henry
Siegrist is still living. but the child is en-
tireIy in the care of her grandparent. Doc
tor J. J. Lawrence. the well-known million
aIre Since her birth she has been idoiized
by her grandfather. and IT is likely that
more care has been bestowed upon her and
more money spent In her behalf than is
spent upon many of the children in the
royal families Of Europe.
Vera has always been the center around
which the Lawrence home revolved. and
she was also the idol of her mother. whose
only child she was. Her mother, Minnie
Lawrence Siegriest, was accounted, during
her lifetime, one Of the hacdsomest women
A. -l Lar g.
much like her in spite OF her youth, It is
but natural that her grandparents should
be deeply attached to one who is a con-
stant reminder of their dead daughter.
The child is at present a perfect picture
Of health. her ill-health of few years ago
having almost entirely disappeared under
careful treatment. She has light blond
hair, light grayish blue eyes and a clear
complexion resembling her mother in all
these points. In height she is about the
average size of an s-year-old girl, although
when years old shs was accounted large
for her age.
When Mr.. and Mrs Siegrist separated.
Vera lived with her mother and grandpar-
ents. and since her birth she has never
known an annoyance that could be possi-
bly, kept from reaching her. II is safe to
say that anything she desired she could
have had, If II were purchasable. and since
her mothers death two years ago her
grandparents have taken the same assidu-
GUS care Of her that her mother did.
II can be readily seen that under these
circumstances the little girl is apt to con-
slider her legacy a mere trtie until she ar
rives at an age when she appreciate It.
! Money is Of no possible interest to her, fol-
everything she wishes she can have for the
asking. Surrounded by everything she Can
possibly wish. there Is no reason TO imagine
that she would care for the bequest OF an
added million or So
child reared under auspices Of the sort
is generally accepted as being either Of the
hothouse-plant type or Of the style of the
proverb;sl petted infant Vera would come
under neither Of these heads. however, and
II there Is one thing more than another
upon which she is to be congratulated, 1t
Il upon the possession Of disposition which
would mako her contented under much less
favorable circumstances.
II can be argued, of course. that as she
has everything to make her happy there is
no reason why she should not be so. The
Dessession of the greatest sufficiency for
our needs does not always bring either hap
paness Of conteutment. however, and every
ons can recall some instance bearing wit
nsss to the truth of this. n fact. judging
from common appearances. It is more often
the child OF the millionaire who stands IN
need OF peace of mind than the child IN
poorer circumstances That Vera possesses
the disposition she does Is another thing
to be added to her list of advantages
| A case Of her easy-going nature may be
mstanced by stating that when only years