The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-08-15
HER GORGEOUS
 GOWNS AT COURT Mrs. Stickney Amaze5 British
 Royalty BY WONDERFUL JEWELS Career of WaItham, Mass, Girl, Who, Covered With Diamonds, Dazzles King Edward and Queen
 Alexandra.
From the Boston Post.

From the Boston Post
 From the seclusion of the ivy-hidden veranda of a modest Waltham cottage to the gorgeous throne room of Bucking- ham Palace, where she dazzled the sight of Britain's assembled nobility by the magnifcence of her beauty and costume, is the social achievement of Mrs. Joseph D. stickney of s74 Fifth avenue, New York formerly Caroline Foster of 76s Main street. Waltham
 Her appearance at court was the cli- max of a tour of social conquest that stretched around the world. Only a short while previously the MiSado of Japan gave her special audience and pronounced her the most dazzlingly striking Ameri- can woman he had ever seen. Then fol- lowed conquest amid the Oriental splen- dor of Lord Minto's court at the govern . or-generaps palace in Calcutta Then on to the final and most imposing conquest of all with the titled nobility of England watching, at the court presentation at Buckingham Palace.
 King Edward, blase and perfunctorily | i prominent foreigners, showed unusual in- terest in finding out the personality of this beautiful and gorgeously dressed wo- man. For nothing like Mrs. stickney's splendid court costume had ever graced the presentation ceremonies. There had been Lady Granard. formerly Beatrice Mills, wearing fortune in jewels, esti- mated at s35O0O0, and Mrs. John Ward, born Jean Reid, with all the jewels of i the famous Mills family at her disposal. but the brilliancy of Mrs. stlekney's dis play, joined with her regal beauty, eclipsed them all
 Talk of London.
 For the next few days London talked only of Mrs. Stickney. Her jewels and her costume were the subject of all the drawing rooms, and her beauty reached the smoking rooms of the clubs She was the envy of all the wealthy Ameri- cans who curry favor with the court. Mrs. Whitelaw Reid wife of the Ameri- can ambassador, and Mrs. Stickney's friend and sponsor at the presentation, held her for her guest at the weekend reception at the Reid country home. Mrs. Stickney was the reigning beauty of Lon don.
 When she learned that she was to be presented Mrs. Stickney resolved to con form to court customs in every particu- lar. Knowing that she had a certain lat itude in costume, she prepared to wear one that would show nobility what an American woman could do when she set out to surpass others.
 Accordingly on the night of the presen- tation Mrs. Stickney, sponsored by the wife of the ambassador, appeared before King Edward in the richest and most costly gown that had ever been seen even in that splendidly gowned court. From head to feet she was ablaze with dia- monds. The court gasped with amaze ment at the wealth shown. There were diamonds in her tiara; about her neck sparkled a diamond necklace; In her cor sage shone 8 magnificent stomacher; her dress scintillated with diamond trim mfngs, and even her shoes bore buckles studded with sparkling gems
 Her closely fitting sheath gown showed to excellent effect the beauty of her ig- ure. So tightly were the folds of satin drawn about her figure that 1t was the wonder of the court attendants that she negotiated the deep obeisance required by presentation etiquette. It was the most beautiful creation that W&rth turned out this season.. Combined with Mrs Sticlney's regal beauty and fine figure, it made of her the most striking of the many American and English women presented that night.
 A little more than 40 years ago, not to be too exact, Caroline Foster was born in Waltham. The family then lived at what Is known as ''the Foster place. now numbered 76S Main street, Waltham. There Reuben Foster of the old firm of Foster & Weeks, commission merchants of Clinton street, this city, lived in re- tirement The family was not wealthy, but rather well off as fortunes went in Waltham in those days. He mingled in the best society and was great friend of Francis Buttrick. then the wealthiest of Waltham's citizens
 Educated for Social Life.
 When Caroline and her sister Grace were old enough they were sent to the town schools and mingled with the daughters of other families in like cir cumstances. Both daughters were re- markable from their early years as pos sessors of great beauty, but of the two Caroline was the better looking. As they grew older the father wished to pre- pare them for life in the best manner his means could afford, and so the young women were sent to Lasell seminary
 The sisters had not been long at school when Caroline showed the course of her ideals and dreams. She began to culti- vate the friendship of the girls of the seminary highest In the social scale and girls whose influence was apt to bring her that social recognition she craved. It was not difficult for this beautiful girl to win her desires. She early became one of the most popular and most sought after girls in her class. When she grad uated with the class of 1887 her teachers and professors predicted brilliant social career.
 Among the girls of her class was daughter of the Barron family of White Mountain Hotel fame. This young lady was among Carolne's most intimate friends. Nothing more natural then than following the graduation Caroline should go to the mountains as guest Of her friend.
 Meets StIckney.
 While there she met Joseph Stickney, a native of New Hampshire and at that time a multi-millionaire of New York. She captivated the millionaire's heart. Though he was man about b2 at the time, he was well preserved for his age and did not appear to De 25 years her senior.
 Following the marriage Mrs. stickney moved to New York, where her husband had a residence at 874 Fifth avenue, and a summer home at Williamsburg-on.tne Hudson About eight years ago NIT.