The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1901-01-18
N GAY NEW YORK.
Scenes and Incidents Of Everyday
Lie In the Paris Of America. u

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The other day F. J. Allen, the proprie-
tor of the Astor house, died after an i'll
ness that had incapacitated him for near
ly two years. He had made a consider
able fortune from his profits in this hotel
and in one or two others. He had no inn
he had provided for her in his will, SO
that. she will be able, if she chooses, to
live in luxury. Among the large clientage
that the Astor house has always had un-
der Mr.. Allen S management, and espe-
cially among the hotelmen of New York.
good deal Of curiosity has been mani
Tested; since it was known that Mr. AL
disposition he would make of this profit
able hotel property.
1t is to &c to young man, Harry
Thurston by name, who by this inheri-
lance makes it possible to tell a romantic
story of sudden lifting from poverty to
brought up in Poughkeepsie. where Mr..
Allen had his summer nome. The boy
was bred in poverty, but if he inherited
penury and the necessity for gong to
work at a time when most lads are at
the primary school, he also had an inheri-
lance of energy, kindly disposition, and
integrity.
He was brought to the notice of Mr.
Allen some years ago and a pleasant ac-
quaintance soon ripened into friendship
Mr.. and Mrs. Allen took much interest in
the lad and speedily discovered that he
was worth all the attentions they were
willing to pay to him. Mr.. Allen brought
him to New York and gave him en-
ployment in the Astor house, first at one
thing and then another, evidently with
the purpose Of discovering whether the
young man had qualities which after
good training would enable him to sue
coed to the management of that hotel.
He must have been satisfied with the
test, for shortly before his death he in
formed young Thurston that he intended
to bequeath to him the lease and bust
ness of the Astor house. The bequest is
the equivalent of business of some
thing like 100000 year. and although
no formal announcement has vet been
made of the bequest, it is informally
stated that the young man is soon to
be the owner of the business of this his
toric hotel.
Everyone is saying that Mr. and Mrs.
Cornelius Vanderbilt will be among the
best-known society entertainers Of the
Immediate, future, They have given
some notably fine dinners of late at their
spacious dwelling on Washington square.
The dinner-dance they gave on Wednes-
day night at Sherry's was brilliant and
gay function. AS the dinner was served
IN the big ballroom the fourteen tables
were not huddled together and the guests
had chance to see one another and be
seen. There were about IT'S people seat
ed, all told. Mrs. Vanderbilt looked no.
tlceably lovely in her superb pale-green
panne velvet costume, with ornaments Of
emeralds and diamonds.
Persons who have occasion to visit the
American line piers when a steamship is
pulilng out OF her dock invariably note
a rush OF part Of the crew for one of
the port lifeboats just as the vessel has
cleared the pierhead. The boat is low
cred tye or ten feet, then it is hoisted
again, the davits are turned inward and
everything is made fast. 1t is custom
instituted by the line last year and is
tives and friends Of the passengers stand
ing on the pier. 1t is an object lesson of
the ease and rapidity with which the
small boats can be manipulated.
Mrs. Aston gave ball Monday night
at her residence. The floral decorations
were profuse and effective. Just beyond
Inc entrance rance there were masses of the
dark green folia &c. There We're many any
plants in bloom in the hall. Hedges Of
roses lined the walls. Although there
were nearly 800 guests. there was annie
space. the adjoining dwelling of Mrs.
!Astors son, Col. John Jacob Astor. be-
ing thrown open also. Some of the
guests arrived as early as II o'clock.
:, Mrs: Astor stood in the long salon on
the left of the hallway. near the door and
opposite the foot of the wide stairway.
She wore a superb black velvet gown.
embroidered with silver. and diamond
TARA collarette: sprays and pendants.
Mrs. NJ. Orme Wilson stood a little dis.
Allen. '"n
A buffet supper was served during the
entlre evening from a long table in the
tapestrled dining room, which opens info
the ballroom. On the buffet table was
tne display Of Astor silver. When the
time arrived to serve the regular sumner
regiment of servants swarmed IN from
the basement bearing sixty or more
tables whleh they placed in the dining
Astor sat at the end of the table in her
dining room. Mrs. John Jacob Astor
presided under her own roof,
The cotillon was led by Craig W
WadsWorth from one end, who danced
WITH Mrs. John Jacob Astor. and nv
Harry Lehr from the other, whose parf-
ner was Miss May Van Allen. In one fie-
ure flowers were distributed, The other
fayors were SNOWFALL wands with game
ribbons. spangled bags, wreaths of roses
memorandum books, and flower fans for
the women, and for the men canes and
pen wipers, framed miniatures, stems and
spinning tops. = - -
Two sastronomic novelties have made
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