The Washington herald., 1910-07-10

facing Central Park. between Sixty-third
and slxty-fourth streets
The older generation of my readers.
those who remember New York when
the late Mrs. Hamilton Fish wife Of
President Grants Secretary of state).
the two Mesdames Aston. and the mother
OF August and Perry Belmont, reigned
supreme in New York society, will be
able TO bear me out in what assert,
while the younger people. who are DIS
posed to doubt the relative simplicity OF
the life Of their immediate forbears, have
only 70 recall the general establishment
created by the newspaper descriptions OF
! the old-fashioned furniture and favorits
belongings Of the late Mrs. william
Astor, which were printed on the occa-
| sion Of the valuation OF her property
after her death. in connection with the
probate Of her viii.
That the extravaganee OF the very rich
IN Europe is greater than that of the
people credited with great wealth in this
country Is an undoubted fact Here the
possession Of millions may perhaps take
the form Of magnifcentiy appointed
steam yacht, upon the decorations of
which money has been lavished with an
unsparing hand Or else. IL may find ex-
preston in a gorgeous villa at Newport,
with q country seat on Long Island and
a house on Fifth avenue
| But none of the American multi-ni!-
/ iionaires maintain in addition to their
steam yachts and their town houses
| whole string of castles and country seats,
such as. for instance, the late Duke of
! Ossuna, whose proud boast It was, dur
/ ing the reign Of Isabella II. that, when
dispatched by her as special ambassador
/ Of Spain 10 the coronation of Alexander
II at Moscow. he could make the entire
/ trip TO that city from Madrid by road:
/ that is to say. in his own carriage, drawn
by post-horses, spending every night in
one Of his own chateaux OF palaces.
which we're maintained all the year
round. ready for his coming. with a full
staff Of servants.
| Some Of the great English mobiles. such
as. FOR instance. the seventh Duke Of
Devonshire. grandfather of the present
duke. was wont to complain that he had
/ in the neighborhood OF seventy country
seats. and that if he was even only to
spend a week In each he would not be
able 10 do the complete round OF them
IN a year
The number has now been diminished,
/ through the distribution OF some of them
among the various members of the house
OF Cavendish OF which the Duke Of
| Devonshire is the chief But he sfiu
remains burdened with some thirty or
forty, all OF which have 10 be kept IN
! repair and cost much in maintenance, in
/ addition 10 which he has a racing stable.
/ several packs of hounds, a private or
ehestra Of some sixty pieces. in which
each member is an artist: several private
chapels. and about eight private chap
lains, each Of whom ranks as a benefited
clergyman Of the Church of England.
The Duke Of Sutherland owns almost
the entire county from which he takes
his title. embracing more than 10000
acres; is the sole proprietor of the rail-
roads by which II Is traversed, and of
the coal mines, from which the fuel
burned by his locomotives is taken.
| II addition 20 this, he has a number OF
| country seats IN England. besides some
of the finest steam yachts afoat, and 8
! residence in London. so stately and mag
nifcent. that when the late Queen Veto
ria was wont 20 visit his mother there
! she on more than one occasion smilingly
remarked, My dear Anne, am coming
| from my house buckingham Palace 10
visit you in your palace"
The Duke If Atholl, who, more than
any other grand seigneur of Scotland. has
| preserved old feudal customs and ideas
/ on his great estates, maintains, with the
/ permission Of the crown, a full-fiedged
armed bodyguard. 600 strong. every man
six feet and oyer composed exclusively
Of members of that Murray clan Of
which he is the chieftain.
/ It's regimentaI colors were presented TO
1t by the late Queen VictoriaApn the &C.
casion of one OF her frequent visits to
Blair Atholl.
How many Of the private residences
here In the United States are equipped
with theaters? know Of scores of them
In England. one Of the most perfect of
them being that of Lord Clifford, Of
/ Chudlelgh. at Ugbrooke Park, his place
in Devonshire. The late Count ''Nikki'
Esterhazy had at Totis. his place in Hun
gary. a private theater, sufficiently large
/ to seat comfortably an audience OF near