The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-12-17
NO USE 10 DENY
IT ANY LOEGER

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17.-NotwIth.
standing strenuous denials on the part
Of both principals. the friends OF each
positively assert that the marriage Of
Miss Maude Ashford to former Sena.
tor Henry G. Davis, OF West Virginia,
will take place within the next fort.
night. The ceremony. which will put
the bride in possession Of a large for.
tune and ally her with family which
has had political record OF long dura-
ton and no mean worth, may be look.
ed upon as the elimination OF n social
career that many women In much
more ambitious circumstances might
well envy. None Of Miss Ashford's
family have enjoyed the opportunities
that fell to her lot and that she made
her own way along the thorny paths
Of capital society Is tribute to her
worth and cleverness.
The only girl in the family. Miss
Ashworth was the dominant factor ii
It's uneyentful history. Both her
brothers married women outside the
circle frequentcd by their sister anil
neither at any time affected the same
associates. Though well TO do, tho
Ashfords have not at any time been
wealthy. The father. the late Mahlon
Ashford, enjoyed the respect Of the
business community and had certain
reputation for shrewiness in real es.
tate investments. while Mrs. Ashford.
who makes no pretense to social as.
pirations, is a woman Of retiring dis
position whose home hns always been
the center Of her activities.
Entrance Into Society.
For years the family lived unpre.
tentiously In an questionable quarte'
Of the city where one branch of the
prospective brides connection still re.
side. Foreseeing the increase in prop.
erty values in the northwest section
of Washington. Mr.. Ashford put his
accumulated savings In home in
that favored locality and. once in touch
with the fashionable life of the neigh.
borhood. the eyes OF the young daugh.
ter OF the household were opened to
the possibilities OF Il social career. As
a school girl she made the acquaint-
ance of Mary Letter. afterwards Lady
Curzon. while n still more propltious
fate brought her to the attention Of
Mrs. Donald Cameron. a neighbor. In
the heyday Of her youthful beauty AMI
high spirits and the wife Of a public
man many years her senior, Mrs. Cam.
eroa was at one time the observed OF
all observers and popular to degree
seldom eQualled in Washingtons so.
cial annals.
With n generosity her friends assert
Is temperameRtal. Mrs. Cameron be.
came sponsor for her fair young neigh.
Dor. Introduced right and left by the
acknowledged leader of the younger
matrons. the debutante made her AL
vent under the most advantageous cir.
cumstances. sharing with her patron.
ess the tributes that came from all
sides.
At Once Became Social Factor.
Not only official society followed in
the train of the dashlng wife OF Don.
aid Cameron. then senator from
PENNSYLVANIA, hut members OF the ey-
elusive resident set. diplomats and
the newcomers from each part Of the
union. who at that time were flock.
Ing to the national capital to take parr
in the diversified gayetIes Of its winter
season, rallied willingly to Mrs. Cam.
crOn's standard At one stroke Miss
Ashford achieved what many women
struggle for years 10 obtain. That she
made good use of her opportunities
was evidenced by her retention of 4
certain recognition after the retire.
nlcnt of Mrs. Cameron, who firing Of
Washington society. betook herself to
England and the continent there to en-.
JOY continuation of her popularity.
Gifted with ready wit and pos.
sessed OF Il keen insight into human
nature, Miss Ashford early developed
II capacity for making herself general.