The St. Louis Republic., 1900-09-02
Evidences of Her Amia-
bility-With Her Pet
Dog She Is Now Hap
py as a Sand-Digger'
on the Beach at Mar
ragansett Pier.

old she sat for her portrait to a well-known-
painter Of the city. As a general thing chill
dren Of that age make 1he most di1lcult
subjects. II being often an utter impossi-
biity to keep them still. Enforced stiffness
has often the effect Of producing Sulienneao
and Of developing an expression of counto-
nance which. II transmitted to the canvas
would make the picture only fit for fright
ening the child In its undutiful moments.
During the entire period Of portraiturA
however. Vera was in the same state Of
good humor usual with her. and although
the tedium Of sitting still for a long period
must have been considerable. she never az
pressed her fatigue at 1t. And many other
minor instances might be quoted to Illus
trate the same point.
She won several prizes when a baby In
the various baby shows of the East. taking
the first prize for the best baby at the
Brighton Beach show some years ago. In
several other children's contests her child
ish cleverness has stood her in good stead
and she has come out the winner. In fact,
her constant comranionship with older peo-
pie has done much to sharpen her faculties
more than is common in children OF her
age and to give her a clearer sense Of the
fitness OF things
1t is also generally considered that being
surrounded with ali tina. childish heart
can require is apt to make the child pre-
maturely blase and TO deprive him or her
of much Of the enjoyment usually derived
by children from their sports. Here again
testimony Is in the affirmative in many
cases. but it cannot be put forward in
Vera's case. She takes as hearty an inter-
est in her amusements as any other little
girl of her age, and is especially devoted
to pets.
Her amusements at Narragansett where
the family goes each summer and where
they are at present. are much the same a.
those Of children for ages back. The sand
offers an irresistible attraction to her and
the usual seaside 'amusements of bathing
and wading also prove greatly attractive.
She is also fond of driving and is especial
ly devoted to dogs.
The care which has been lavished upon
the child since her earliest days is remarka-
bic. A solitary instance may be given by
recounting the manner in which milk was
furnished her and at what a cost. IL was
decided to purchase cow especially" for her
benefit. and a prize Jersey animal was Sc
cured. The COW was tethered on q lot At
the corner of Kings highway and Lindeil
boulevard. which might have been rented
for several thousand year, but was re-
served for pasturage purposes instead. It
has been computed that the milk furnished
in this manner cost her grandfather sew
eral dollars a gallon.
II would be impossible to chronicle all the
purchases and expenditures made in her be-
half, but 1t is certain that the sum amounts
to hundreds of thousands of dollars. And
through it all the natural good tenpsr and
disposition of the child has remained the
same, which Is certainly q tribute to her
raising.
The prospects Of the little miIlionaire0
are as great as those of the children. in the
families whose names have become sDo-
ciated with wealth for years. Being IN .
more unobtrusive household, however. she
has escaped the notoriety incurred by tho
younger Goulds. Rockefellers and other d.
scendants Of the wealthy families
In addition to the money left her BY hsP
mother. she Is also bequeathed the sissrist
residence In Westmoreland Place. This
house was erected and furnished at . cost
estimated at $4,000. and the FURNISHINGS
therein are psiatial in their equipment. The
decorations were the work Of the best are-
lists In the city. and the entire house may
be mentioned a. . work Of art itseh.
Mrs. siegrist was considered one Of the
handsomest women In the city, and a1so
one Of the best dressed. And II her dangh-
ter n not able to attain the same posttioa
should she desire H. Il will certainly not
BE- through lack Of opportunity.