The Ordway new era., 1911-09-01

person who had to begin the often
hopeless struggle up the social lad
der. Madeline Force had Newport
waiting expectant at her very feet
before she started for that famous
place.
The hundreds Of servants and at
tendants at Beechwood hustled about
preparing the huge estate for the COM
ing OF its future chatelaine. This
spirit spread in many directions. for
the things and homes that Colonel
John Jacob Astor controls are only to
be tabulated on a long and notice
able list. There are several Astor
yachts. and their crews lost no time
busting up" Probably right now
decorators are at work on the huge
mansion at Fifth avenue and Sixty.
fifth street in New York. Then there
are the shooting estates near Aiken.
South Carolina: the enormous farm
up on the Hudson. the camp in the
Adirondacks and probably Colonel As.
tor only knows what various places
and toys he has to amuse young
wife.
Mrs. Astor's Rigid Rule.
Under the reign Of the late Mrs.
William Astor. mother Of the pres
ent John Jacob Astor. society went
its way with a stiff back and a high
heeled shoe. In other words. Mrs.
Astor was matronly and eventually
elderly during the last part Of her
rulership. Her ideas Of social deport-
ment ran along the lines OF state din.
ners. operas and very prim and prud.
ish entertainments. It was under
this sitting influence that society
welcomed the innovations Of Mrs.
Stuyvesant Fish. who with Harry
Lehr and others introduced monkey
shines" and all manner OF outlandish
amusements. The reason why Lehr
and his silly antics prevailed was that
a certain element in the Four Hun.
dred craved any form Of diversion to
get relief from the rigid behavior pre-
scribed by Mrs. Astor.
This elderly queen Of the Four Hun.
dred ruled with an iron hand. Lord
help anyone that fell under the wrath
OF her displeasure. Mrs. Fish felt It:
SO that Mrs. Phil Lydig and host Of
other lively matrons. Then there
were some who got into the charmed
circle through devotion to the rules
laid down by Mrs. Astor. II was a
hard struggle for Mrs. George Gould.
who lived n very circumscribed exist.
ence for years In order to get within
the magic circle. Her arduous and
exacting conduct attracted Mrs. As
tor. One night at the Metropolitan
opera house the late Mrs. Astor turned
as she was about to enter the huge
Astor box and bowed stihy to Mrs.
George Gould. That was enough. The
courtesy was like magic. The very
next day Mrs. Gould's mail was rein.
forced with Invitations to affairs at
exclusive homes. She was made" in
a night and by a short and courtly
bow.
With the death Of Mrs. William As.
tor society took on a more lively as.
pect. The so-called smart set had
cropped up and fiourished under her
reign for the very reason that the
autocratic rules Of this dowager were
too stringent for the more gay and
clipper wealthy.
Made Marked Change.
When Mrs. Ava William Astor took
up the tiller Of the social craft things
changed quite a little. She favored
more unconventional amusements and
durirr her brief rule the smart set
drii' Cd into oblivion. The austere
regulations Of drawing room and tea
table society were blended with the
desires OF the giddily inclined with
result that happy medium seemed
to have been struck.
Upon the divorce Of this Mrs. As.
tor and her subsequent abdication Of
the fashionable throne the members
Of the Four Hundred have been like
q ship without a rudder or flock OF
sheep minus a shepherdess. Society
has been drifting. Mrs. Drexel and
Mrs. Mills both were high In the In.
ner social councils. but neither was
able to have the socially elect en-
thuse over their leadership. As q re.