The National tribune., 1909-07-01

1t seems it has been impossible to find
out much about it. The Coroner re-
fused to make his part in the affair
public or to have anything to say on
the subject While no names have
been mentioned it has been inferred
that Alfred G. Vanderbilt's money is the
cause of this silence. 1t is we'll known
that Mrs. Vanderbilt secured her di-
vorce on account of this woman, who
was the divorced wife of a wealthy
Cuban. She and Mr.. Vanderbilt have
been seen together in London constant
ly until quite recently. The cessation
of his visits are given as q cause for
Mrs. Ruiz taking her life. There is
nothing so very unusual in all this; it Is
the same old, painful story, better left
unread than read, better not spoken of.
The only thing that gives the case any
claim to the attention of proper-minded
people is the fact that the House of
Commons has taken it up. Peter Cur
ran, representing the Labor Party in
| Parliament, has asked Mr.. Gladstone,
| the Home Secretary, to have the matter
Investigated and the Coroner's inquest
made public. The suspicion that an
official has been bribed by a foreigner
or otherwise TO save himself from pub
| lie disgrace must be proven either false
or true. He and his colleagues were
united in the feeling that the thing
must be sifted TO the bottom. Mr.. Cur
rams request was thrown out by the
Chief Clerk of the House of Commons
on the ground that the Home Secretary
had no control over the Coroner, who
was on the same footing as Judge on
| the Kings bench. Mr. Curran will
probably not let the matter rest here.
/ and the affair may assume even more
serious proportions
Nothing more attracts us In the pa
pers and magazines than hints as to
the improvement of the health or ap-
pearance or advice as to the prolonga-
| ton of life, tho these as soon as read
are usually forgotten. 1t is perfectly
natural for people to want to live as
| long as possible, but very few do any
thing to secure that desired result. They
go on gaily. digging their own graves.
and 1t is only when brought low by dis
ease thar the majority of people pay
the least attention to the rules of health.
Prof. Metchnikoff says that any man
or woman can easily live to be 100 If
not 120 and keep well and quite active
to the last. He has written book
about it. and in 1T he says that 1t was
in Bulgaria that he discovered the Sc
cret of longevity, that the Bulgarians
live to a great age, deaths occurring at
100, 110, lis or even 120 being quite
common. He found these aged people
holding their own with the younger
population in appearance and activity,
which was so remarkable that the pro-
fessor began studying into the subject,
and finally came to the conclusion that
it was the sour milk the Bulgarians all
drink and which forms the chief part
of their diet. which preserved youth in
them. A little while ago IT was some
German professor who said buttermiIk
was the thing to drink IL one wanted
to live long, and SO II goes. AS said
before, these hints and advice are al
ways read with much interest and then
forgotten. To live long. which is some
times far from being a blessing de-
pends on many more things than what
one eats or drinks. tho doubtless these
play an important part. On the tenn
permanent on regular habits. on keeping
out of doors and on a thousand things
which frequently seem to lie quite out
side the small prescribed circle in
which some lives are cast:
The Marquise de Fontenoy gave a
very interesting sketch of Mrs. Asquith
some time ago. showing how she was
injuring her husbands career by her
independence and lack of tact. Mrs
Asquith, as all know, is the wife of
Englands Prime Minister, and 1t is in
her power to help or harm her husband
very materially Before her marriage
she was the brilliant Margot Tenant,
a handsome, witty girl, with whom great
men liked to talk. 1t is said that on
one occasion Miss Tenant was a mem
Der of yachting party which contained
Lord Tennyson and Gladstone and by
her wit and cleverness she SO charmed
these old men that they resorted to all
sorts of little ruses to get possession of
her society. Whoever the fascinating
Margot met in those days fell a willing
victim to her charms, whether noble or
ccmmoner, and 1t was no wonder Mr.
Asquith felt he had secured prize
when he won her consent to become
his wife. Since her marriage, however
she seems to not only have lost her
beauty, but to have developed a habit
OF meddling and poking her fingers into
affairs which do not concern her. The
Queen heartily dislikes her and the
King far from approves of her. Mrs
Asquith says just what she pleases, and
does as she pieases. keeping English
society in condition of constant ex-
pectancy of being shocked any mo-
ment. The middle-class supporters of
her husband could hardly believe their
ears when they heard that Mrs. Asquith
had given an entertainment at her
Downing street house. at which Maud
Allen, attired in a little. very little
gauZe, danced. And people are still
talking of her "mannequin tea," which
stirred up such scandal a short time
ago. At this. held in the mansion
formerly graced by such women as
Mrs. Gladstone, Lady Palmeston Lady
Russell and others, who did so much
for their husbands both in the political
world and at court. Mrs. Asquith had
number of beautiful Partisan Dress
makers models come over for the occa-
sion, who showed off some three dozen
most exquisite creations. 1t was said
she did this with view to the sale of
the costumes. presumably receiving
some sort of bonus for the favor from
the costumer. This has created no end
OF talk, and added much 20 the in
creasing unpopularity of Mrs. Asuuith.
Mrs Roger N. Durham can boast of
one thing. at least, that OF being the
only woman who ever took a wedding
journey in balloon. The Burnhams
were married at Woods Hole, Mass, on
the evening of the 18th. then came to
Pittsfield, where they took the balloon.
instead of the commonplace cars, for
their bridal trip. Provisions for two
days have been stored away in the big
ball. also plenty Of blankets and rugs
to keep the happy couple warm, and
in the midst of hundreds of autos and
a big crowd of people, who gave them
cheer after cheer. they entered the
basket. 1t was a beautiful clear night,
with the bright stars shining in the
heavens above and twinkling electric
lights surrounding the balloon below.
and more than one woman in the crowd.
attracted by the novelty of the idea,
envied the bride her heavenly tourney.