Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1911-08-31

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
PENDANTS 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 Aston controls are only to
be ~tabulated on a long and notice
able list. There are several Aston
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 lear 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 a young
wife.
Mrs. Astor's Rigid Rule.
Under the reign of the late Mrs.
William Aston, mother of the pres
ent John Jacob Aston, 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. 1t 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 of outlandist
4 amusements. The reason why Lehl
and his silly antics prevailed was that
a certain element in the Four Hun
dred craved any form of diversion te
get relief from the rigid behavior pre-
scribed by Mrs. Aston:
This elderly queen of the Four Hun
bred ruled with an iron hand Lore
help anyone that fell under the wrath
of her ~displeasure. Mrs. Fish felt It
SO that Mrs. Phil Lydig and a host O
other lively matrons. Then there
were some who got into the charmed
circle through devotion to the rule!
laid down by Mrs. Aston, 1t was
hard struggle for Mrs. George Gould
who lived a very circumscribed exist
ence for years In order to get within
the magic circle. Her arduous an,
exacting conduct attracted Mrs. AS
tor. One night at the metropolitan
opera house the late Mrs. Aston turne'
as she was about to enter the hug
Astor box and bowed stify to Mrs
|, George Gould. That was enough. Tn
, courtesy was like magic. The yer
next day Mrs. Gould's mail was reir
; forced with invitations to affairs q
! exclusive homes. She was made"
, a night and by a short and COURT
j bow.
, With the death Of Mrs. William A
] tor society took on e more lively a.
! pect. The so-called smart set ha
/ cropped up and flourished under he
: reign for the very reason that th
, autocratic rules Of this dowager wer
I too stringent for the more gay an
clipper wealthy.
Made Marked Change.
!, When Mrs. Ava William Aston too
al up the tilleg Of the social craft thing
changed quite a little. She favere
8 more unconventional amusements an
n during her brief rule the smart St
t drilled into oblivion. The austel
& re~culations Of drawing room and t.
e table society were blended with Il
n desires Of the giddily inclined wit
& result that a happy medium SCENE
to have been struck.
d Upon the divorce Of this Mrs. A
). tor and her subsequent abdication
It the fashionable throne the membe
D. Of the Four Hundred have been Ill
t. a ship without a rudder or a flock
d sheep minus a s~hepherdess. Socie
has been drifting. Mrs. Drexel al
|" Mrs, Mills both were high in the !
ner social councils. but neither W
y able. to have the socially elect e
a thuse over their leadership. AS a