Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-12-03
WILL WE'D POOR GIRL
Ex-Senator Henry G. Davis to
 Marry a Society Reporter.
HAS FORTUNE OF s3o,ooo, 1000

Friends of West Virginia Multimiliion-
 aire Assert That Wedding Date Is
 Not Month Off and That They Have Seen Trousseau.
 Washington, Dec 2.-Former United States Senator Henry Gassaway Davis of West Virginia, eighty-four years old, multimillionaire and Democratic candi- date for vice president in the last cam paign, is to be married, so intimate friends of his assert. The bride to be, according to the announcement, is Miss Maud Ashford, daughter of the late Mahlen Ashford, poor in her own right and only few months ago earning her living by working as a society reporter for Washington paper Through her marriage she will come into vast wealth, as Senator Davis has fortune of $30,O00,OO0.
 The announcement will cause almost as great a sensation among friends of Senator Davis as it did to members of his family only few weeks ago, when, it is said, he finally told them of his approaching marriage. The same friends say the wedding bells will ring out before the new year dawns and that with the marriage of their father Mrs. Stephen E. Elkins, wife of Sen ator Ellkins of West Virginia. and Mrs. Arthur Lee will be cut off from mil | lions.
 Trousseau Complete.
 Behind the announcement of the con- ing marriage is story which threat ems to cause a break in the family ties of the aged senator as well as in the friendship between Miss Ashford and the daughters of the prospective bride groom. The misgivings which Senator Davis apparently felt regarding the attitude his family would have toward the proposed alliance are believed to have been reflected by the senator's action in giving to each of his daugh- ters $200,000 just before he made known his plans. There are stories of a rousseau which is even now complete. 1 Whatever the attitude of Mrs. FL kins and Mrs. Lee may be toward their father for taking a bride thus late in life and, according to report, practically cutting them out of his great fortune, it is known that the prospective bride frequently has been the guest of various members of the family, particularly at their country homes in West Virginia.
 Prospective Bride an Artist.
 Miss Ashford is a close friend of Mrs. Lee and when not doing social reporting has acted as a sort of social secretary to Mrs. Lee. She is tal- ented artist and has frequently de- signed and executed place cards for dinner parties, both for Mrs. Lee and Mrs. Elkins. Frequently she has ac- companied Mrs. Lee on trips out of town, and she has been shown many kindnesses by her.
 That Senator Davis contemplated matrimony has never been seriously considered by any member of his fam, fly. His name frequently has been ! linked with various well known social i leaders, many of them almost un- known to the senator, but he had ap- parently remained heart free until | Miss Ashford captivated him. it is said, during visit she made to Mrs. Lee last summer when she accompa- nied her hostess and Senator Davis with party of young people on a trip through the state in the senator's pri- vate car.
 Miss Ashford is we'll connected, cul- tured and very adaptable. Her family has lived modestly in rather unpre- tentious house in Farragut square, hardly a stones throw from the homes of both Mir. Davis daughters. She is perhaps thirty-five years old and has a charming personality, a musical voice and great self boise.
 In spite of Miss Ashford's denial of the engagement. her friends still as- sert that it exists and that the we'd ding date is not a month off. They declare they have seen the rousseau and that it is quite fitting for a wo- man who Is to marry a man worth S30,0O0OO0.
 vo,nn Hnray ninaa Witb Eafher