The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1909-12-03

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$4,000 painting. n money talks. Mr..
Leeds was certainy an ardent wooer.
Women In Rivalry.
After the honeymoon. which was
passed quietly on Mr., Leeds yacht. the
Getvan. the Mrs, Leeds that was again
appeared on the scene. and was re-
sponstble for = bit of comedy which
lasted over two years and made the
smart set sit up and take notice.
With her WI private fortune and
the Sl.00O.0 900 which Mr.. Leeds had
handed over to her. the former sharer
Of the ''tinplate kings" Joys found life
rather easy. 20 she wandered forth In
search OF amusement. It pleased her
to follow In the wake Of the newly
welded pair from one end OF the
country to the other. No matter where
Mrs. Leeds No. 2 decided to stop. 1t
wal certain that In a few hours Mrs.
Leeds No. l would arrive, bag and bag.
gage. At Palm Beach and other IA
vortte resorts Of wealth and fashion
society was given a treat. Where one
woman appeared In public the other
q was to be found not far away.
Each Wed with the other in the
matter OF her artistic and expensive
gowns. and each wore every Jewel
b owned. So keen and notorious
wa this womanly duel that, at the
various hotels. the guests would line
up In rows to watch the contestants
- they entered or left the dining
room.
The pace was evidently loo nerve.
racking for the flrst wife. for. after
the second year. she gave up and left
her In peace.
Meanwhile the Leedses were getting
wealthier each day and enjoying life
to the full. Mr.. Leeds was q power In
the railroad and financial worlds. while
his wife was cutting . wide swath In
society in New York. Newport and
elsewhere.
HIS Far.Famed Pearls.
Early In 1906. however. Mr.. Leeds
health began to fail. He wal operated
on for appendicitis and was also
stricken with paralysis. He retired
from hta position a. president OF the
Rock Island railroad and. from that
time until his death. spent most Of his
time abroad. In search OF health.
During n OF their visits to Paris
Mr.. Leeds bought his wife a wonderful
pearl necklace, valued at 5000. 900. and
referred to in trade papers as the only
one OF its kind In the world. 1t con.
tanned so stones strung upon q silken
cord IA inches long. They were Of the
oriental variety and ranged In size
from twenty-five to forty grains. the
average being thirty-two. Each was
0awless.
But when the customs oflcials on
this side saw the necklace there was Z
hot dispute yer the duty payable on
II. For . perfectly matched necklace
the duty was SO per cent. but for IN
indiacximinats assortment It was only
IL ~ cent: The question arose ~ to
whether II t16ff necktat<.s % not. and
wAetAss Mrs. Lesds should pay $40.
900 o. simply $4,000. Mrs. Leeds won
td14h6 carrying QAtdispute esfOre Sec
lrotax2 a. the Treasury shay for settle
ment/ The disputs st1fted : pearl
erase u Newport. and these stones
displaced an others in the fashionable
ftGste for the time being.
In 1908 Mr.. Leeds va suddenly
stricken again while in Paris. and died
In the Hotel Ritz on June %.
The bulk OF his fortune, about S1l.
0oo. 1000. went : to his widow. There
was some talk at the time that the
frst wife would light for her share. Blu,
nothing eve came OF II.
Welcomed Everywhsns.
During the last year Mrs. Leeds has
| lived mostly in Europe. where heI
beauty, wit and wealth have given her
the entree into the most exclusive
circles. Her entertainments are at
tended by the elite society, and her
gowns and jewels are the wonder oil
all. King Edward recently took coca
sion to compliment her on the beauty
OF a particular ornament. which he
himself had admired and would prob
ably have bought had she not been be
fore him.
Evidently. though. her association
with royalty has not turned her head
when the petty French pFincelel
ttdried mp she turned him down with
real grace.
Several times rdmor Ia, connected
her mama With aspiring Americans.
One Of them ~ Do Wolf Cuttina
| ofvNeW YorA, Who has been attentive