The evening world., 1903-09-05
Famous Matchmaker, with All
i Her Children Well Bestowed,
Arranges for Her Grand
daughters Marriage to Duke.
SOCIETY. MOTHERS TREMBLE
Her Pre-emlnenee In Matrimonial Al.
fairs Makes Others with Marriage
able Sons and D. lighters Fearful
for. Their Chances.

GI0 GHBdBGIuOhL OIL E1lS5 &hdy
Goelet to the Duke of Roxburgbe was
announced simultaneously in the United
States and England a universal sigh
went up from the matchmaking man.
mas of society. 1t was a sigh blending
satisfaction over the fart that the mat
rimonial way was finally cleared OF the
most eligible heiress in New York and
OF apprehension caused by the inference
from the announcement that Mrs. r.
T. Wilson. known for years as the most
successful matchmaker in society. had
returned to the fray.
Even those not OF IN analytical turn
OF mind were aware that tho decision
OF Mrs. Wilson'S neutrality-suspicious.
for several seasons had amused herself
by rejecting ducal and prlncely %sultors,
trying half the coronets of Europe on
her pretty head. as 1t were. only TO find
them too small-was not uninfiuenced
by her wonderfully wise and successful
relative.
To some persons in society 1t seems
that. having married her five children
with a degree of good fortune unparal-
leled in the history of New York fam.
lies. this dainty gray-haired old lady
should have retired gracefully from the
MatSuuidhIHB arena.
Would Not Retire.
But Mrs. Wilson. to whom the pulling
Of the various wires by which the soci-
ETY. hear is operated had become
second nature. did not agree with them.
And having no more daughters or sons
to give in marriage. she has begun,
naturally enough. with her grand
children.
Therefore society-that portion OF 1t
which attends balls that its daughters
may have some one to come to between
dances. and sits in stolid expectation OF
supper-sighs. For with Mrs. Wilson in
the field carefully nutured bud
not Of Wilson stock can hope to attain
the full perfection of bloom that comes
To her who marries millions ?
The annals of New York society hold
no record of successful matchmaking
which In brilliancy or number can rival
the marriages Mrs. Wilson, a tiny,
shrinking w~hite-haired old lady, who
came to New York in the early '70s,
has arranged tor her five children.
Orme Wilson married Caroline Astor.
Mary became the wife or Ogden Goelet,
and mother OF the young woman whose
engagement to the British peer IS the
chief toptc In society circles. Belle was
married to the Hon. Michael Her.
bert. British Ambassador at Washing
n 5spi G ysSs.r Sssa% ne t and y Rif e q w, Cor
tr.. last year married Miss Marian
Mason, a beautiful Boston heiress.
Richard T. Wilson. Jr., was the last
Of his engagement was circulated the
matrons with marriageable daughters,
who had wondered at and envied Mrs.
she had left the field open to them.
But the fact that It was she who
finally brought her spoiled g~rand-daugh-
i British IS " dake to H%9 the Wilson anG fam nj sdf he =
made them aware that bhe most sue
cessful society diplomat Of the last
twenty-five years Is still alive to the
1t whenever she is so inclined.
story of successes.
The story OF Mrs. Wilson'S success as
n matchmaker for her sons and daugh-
ters, when written, sounds as !mprob-
able as n musical comedy plot or the
Before they came to New York the
wilson's, who were of Southern origin,
had lived in Kentucky and Tennessee.
fully in cotton and other commodities
Just after the civil war, and when
he had acquired e, fortune moved to
sow York.
Society at that time was very narrow.
Mrs. August Belmont was the leader.
The Astors were not the power that
they are to-day, and save in the fnan-
known. When the Wilson's came TO
New York. Mrs, Goelet, the oldest
daughter, was about eighteen; the other
and her brother, Marshall ormo viii
son. a very exclusive dancing class was
selected by their astute mother.
Meets Miss Astor.
There the young Wilson boy met and
danced with little Caroline Aston, daugh- |
ter OF Mrs; william Astpr. \ boy. and
had other views. Miss Aston Mas taken
abroad. But Orme Wilson Persisted IN |
his suit. and his sister Mary, who in
i Sss one msa Of time the h sha n I'D Ss ogden so. GSe:
sz5, Oon,co favored It, and after her
daughter,s return from Europe Mrs.
Asi9r withdrew thSdrew her opposition and an,
In 1885 Miss Belle Wilson maIe her
SeDSt Y 9ng ws siiE sg much sought after BY
greatly surprised two years later Ia
2 Of her engagement to the Hon,
AIshasl Mer9ert' an attSchs Of the
sure. young Herbert came or a diS.ino
guished family. but the matchmaker
who knew that he was not Particularly
began to hope that Mrs. Wilson's powes
to arrange successfui marriages for Ser
children was waning.
But since the young diplomat, after n
distinguished career abroad, has re-
turned TO America as British AmbaS-
sador, they rave been forced to admit
Mrs. Wilson'S foresight In selecting him
for n ~sonin-iaw.
Prettiest of Sisters.
About thirteen years ago Miss Grace
Wilson made her debut. She was the
prettiest of the Wilson sisters and when |
after several seasons In society she can.
tured the heart OF u Cornelius Van
derbilt, jr., no one was surprised save
the young mans relatives. The details
OF Cornelius Vanderbilt's Opposition 10
the Wilson alliance are wen known,
and the fact that the young man mar.
ried the girl OF his choice at the cost
OF the major portion of his inheritance
made him many friends.
Tho Vanderbilt marriage was Mrs. |
wilson's greatest triumph. And when
her youngest and only remaining ehiid
r, T. Wilson. T.. married Miss Marian
Mason, a wealthy and beautiful girl OF
boston, society heaved a Sigh OF re-
lief and the stock of other eligible
young men and maidens went up sew.
But Miss Goeiet's engagement shawn
that they triumphed too soon. And |
that they win now. have to wait IN