Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1903-05-01
PALM BEACH
THE BEAUTIFUL

InE DEAUIHUl.
The P0mp and Beauty Of It's Wealth.
Large and Distinguished Company-Pen
Pictures Of Noted Men and Women, Etc.
(staf Correspondence of the spectator.)
Our voyage back to Florida from
the Bahamas was tempestuous, but not
like the going over Grip and though
nearly all were made sick there are
degrees OF such sickness. We there
fore arrived at Miami iu fairly good
shape and spirits. Miami, though a
thriving new city and the home of one
of Mr.. Flagler's finest hotels, is yet not
the Mecca towards which all Florida
tourists journey. So after days view
of Biscayne bay and its attractive sur
roundings we hurried north to Palm
Beach "the beautiful the most beau
tiful and attractive winter resort in
the world. if the enthusiastic testi
mOny of much Travelled men is to be
accepted. What Europe has to offer
know not. Certainly we Americans
have no place it's equal Its beautiful
lake, it's tropical gardens, its magnifi
cent avenues of palms and cedars, it's
elegant hotel, the largest on earth
form a picture of attractive loneliness
which appeals with varying emotions
different to every one who views the
enchanted prospect. On the night of
our arrival, there was in progress at
the Royal Poincianna the usual even
ing concert, within it's parlO. and as.
sembly hall, in blaze of many colored
lights, was distinguished handsomely
dressed company, and a display OF ill.,
ported gowns and jewelry that marked
scene of great brilliancy and wealth
When the ladies Of our party were
first ushered into this scene of etful-
gence their delight was complete, they
wished to go no further, the shoulder
ing desires of a lifetime, the feminine
ideal of dress and loneliness were all
realized in one sweep of the eye over
this gay and elegant assemblage.
Without firing, they strOlled about
amid elysium until the concert was
over and the cOtilliOn announced; then
in the ballroom there was q renewal
of rhapsodies till the less patient men
of the party were off to the Casino and
Club, where entertainment more to
the masculine taste was in vogue.
While in the Poincianna parIors attend
ing the great concert, it was my pleas
ure and profit to have the company of
our fellow citizen Mr.. E. Ct. PeDdletOn
of Augusta Springs, who has an ele-
CANT winter home at Palm Beach and
Is devotee of the place. With Mrs.
Pendleton and little Ned, be goes there
each winter and remains till the close
of the season. Socially, Mr.. Pendle-
ton knows them and stands highly
accredited leader among the Smart
Set. He indicated to US the celebrities
of wealth, the patent medicine million
aires, the distinguished statesmen and
scholars, and the prominent men and
women in the public eye.
There were many perSonages better
known by the popular patent medicines
they own than by their Christian names;
for instance there was pointed out to
US Mr.. and Mrs. BrOmo Seltzer, Isaac
Emmerson and wife,. Who does not
know of them by reputation. There
was Mr.. Quinine Tablets, Mrs Pepsin
Gum and the like; there was the OIL
King, the Sugar King, the Kings of
finance and scores OF lesser lights,
whose effulgence was only measured by
the weight of diamonds that bedecked
their person. There we're in the com
pany men and women whose check for
million would have been hOnored
and others whose cash at command is
many times that amount. 1t ia really
surprising to know how many immense
ly wealthy families there are in this
country unknown to prominence. Prob
1ey vnn a.
here this season than ever before, GER
tainly more than has ever assem- bled
at any other southern resort. After
the grand concert one evening, there
was observed in the great parlors such
an array of celebrities as to create
comment, some of those Loted were
the Duke and Duchess of Manchester.
The Duke as l remember him, is a
stoutly built medium sized, middIe-aged
man. He wears no beard or nous
tache, is without lordly bearing and
might easily pass unnoticed in crowd.
His wife the Duchess, is an attractive
looking vivaciOus and stylish young
woman of the blonde type of beauty
and is very popular. This couple is
everywhere, toasted, feasted and made
much of. Mr.. Eugene Zimmerman of
Cincinnati, father of the Duchess is
also q ute society favOrite. In the
company, J ohm Jacob Aston, one of the
richest men in the world, has a tall
slender figure, wears dark mOustache
and is fond of and good hand at out of
door sports There was Mrs. George
Gould and her daughter, and Mis-.
Kingdom, there was ohm D. Rockefeller
and family, Joseph Jefferson, looking
for all the world as be Is represented On
the bill boards. There was August Bel
mont, Mr.. Henry M. Flagler and his
handsome wife, and many others. An
other parsonage present OF recent
newspaper notOriety was Mrs.
Dullas, the lady whose $50 900 dia-
mOnd necklace was cOnfiscated by the
New York CuStOm-house officials not
long since, because she had failed to
declare it before landing at that port,
on her return from Europe. Mrs.
Dullas, as she stepped from the
steamer. wore the necklace in full view
and made no attempt to conceal it
from the officers. Her story is a long
and interesting one, with which many
of our readers are familiar. 80 l shall
not attempt to narrate it, but whether
confscated or not, the lady has plenty
more of such valuable diamonds, for
those which she wore On the evening
before referred to were in themselves
a princely fortune. Her dress on that
occasion was extremely handsome, in
white and pink, and ablaze With pearls
Nor was hers the only fortune in sight.
Many of the gowns worn were the high
est production OF Partisan art, the
worth of which would make any poor
man comfortable for the rest of his
life. just for the fun of it We passed
into one of the booths along the hotel
corridors where are kept for sale ladies
ready-made dress goods and millinery.
The saleslady trotted out her best
wares for inspection and quoted the