The San Francisco call., 1906-09-30

agog over Hever Castle. the Won
derful retreat William Waldorf
Astor is fixing up for himself near
Tunbridge wells. Much of this interest
is due TO the fact that Mr.. Astor tries
to throw the mystery Of secrecy over
everything that is done there. Every
one connected with the building oper-
atfons and the laying out OF the
grounds has strict instructions to tell
nothing of what is in progress. But
thousand workmen are employed, and
consequently things will leak out 1t
shows the pains taken to keep the out
side world ignorant of the wondrous
transformation that is being wrought
on the estate that in the dead of night
several carloads of immense rocks were
conveyed there. They are to help form
the banks of an artificial stream which.
bordered by reeds. rare wild flowers
and tall grass. will be one of the fea-
lures of the place.
There is to be an Irish bog in the
grounds as bleak and lonesome as any
of its kind in the wilds of Connemara
In this woodcock snipe and wild duck
will abound Rushes and peat will grow
in it as realistically as in the hogs OF
Ireland Another poetic idea of this ex-
patrfated ulti-millionaire is TO have
deer forest and Scotch moor. For the
former nature has well provided. the
magnificent pine wood which skirts the
place having existed there as long as
the oldest inhabitants of Tunbridge
Wells can remember. For the moor
special vegetation has been brought
from Scotland, and by the time another
year is here purple and white heather
and golden sorse viii bloom as gayly
as on their native heath
when the place Is complete Mr.. Astor
will make II his home and transfer
beautiful Cliveden to his married son
and daughter-in-law. The irony OF fate
is we'll exemplified in the case OF the
latter. who, her friends are all saying,
is not keen on ever returning to Eng
land. owing to the fancied snub she re-
ceived on her marriage In not being
allowed to appear at court. 1t is pity
Mrs. Astor has got this idea in her
head. She should have known that no
divorced woman. or woman who has
divorced her husband. is ever admitted
to court in England This is a law as
irrevocable as any in the code of the
Medes and Persians and will never be
rescinded for any one.
Much interest has been aroused by
the rumor that Mrs Potter Palmer
is negotiating for the purchase of Os-
borne cottage. in the Isle of Wight.
from Princess Henry of Battenberg.
Once before. it is said. the clever and
ambitious Chicago woman sought to
ACQUIRE it. but at that time Princess
Henry would not entertain the pro-
posal Now. however, as it is her in
tention to buy a residence in Spain
as 10 be near her daughter. the yourg
Queen, it is understood that she viii
be willing to sell Osborne cottage for
a fancy price.
1t is difficult to imagine why Mrs.
Potter Palmer should eovet the place
unless it be the glamor that attaches
TO it as a royal residence. 1t is moth
ing more than a villa and an unpre-
tentious one at that 1t would afford
Mrs. Potter Palmer no opportunity Of
adding to her reputation as a lavish
hostess Cowes is smart for only
one fortnight in the year during the
yachting season. and for over ten
months the blinds are drawn in all
"chic'' houses. Princess Henry oceu-
found it comparatively inexpensive
and her limited means compelled her
TO practice economy. In these demo-
cratic days. when Parliaments are
much more disposed to decrease than
to increase royal grants. neither