The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-08
"BY THE NEWSPAPERS

"A man in middle age, who is the
titu!ar mead OF the richest American
family, is about to take for a bride n
slri young enough TO be his aught
fi!S hrSt WIG, a woman OF rare beauty
ana grace. divorced him, presumably
LOT conduct unbecoming a gentleman,
Whatever the specific charges were
ne mas two children by that woman
II there is anything interesting or
inspiring in this middle-aged man.
WIN ms pockets full OF dollars, ,yo
nave never heard of il. He has been
Il uaopler IN elementary science. a
literary eXperimcntalist and a short
term amateur soldier. Those are his
major accomplishments. He has been
q 4Iocral patron OF outdoor sports. and
"ur!hg the closed in months a social
out'erhy' The least fortunate of us
mas known a number of men of his
age who from any one OF these stand
points are his sUperiors. They could
TAX unto themselves a bride and the
lact would never create the slightest
interest except among their personal
acqualntances. II they were divorced
the act would create but little more
comment. but If IL created any it
would probably be much more severe
man mas been passed upon this mid
a'e-aSed man to whom we are al
luding.'
That is taken from the New Haven
Journal-Courier; but II looks to us as
If Colonel Osborne. the very canah,s
ana distinguished editor of our Yankee
contemporary, were shooting a, tho
wrong mark. The middle-aged man
% whom he makes uncomplimentary
al!usion is Colonel John Jacob Ast6t
the head of the Astor house ana n.
iady to whom he is 10 be married is
MISS Force. who is said to he n vary
charming girl. 1t is true, as tho rour-
h~"i-Courler says. that their pictures
are beng printed broadcast: that n
Is daily Interviewer, that TODAY he
is being more talked about than the
President of the United States" ana
mat "her future in society is being
considered oy the newspapers ad
nanseam' BY the e~wspapers. Why
not hammer them? Why should thcv
talk about Colonel Aston? He is nor
IN politics: he holds no public position.
he Is not a candidate for any office.
ne has not given his pictures n ,bo
papers nc has not sought the present
Hood OF publicity. indeed, we venture
to say. ii Is very unpleasant to hin,
and the girl he expects 10 marry has
not forced herself on the public. WHY
don't the newspapers let them alone?
what business is it of theirs that he
is going 10 marry again?
Then there Is the case OF Theodore
p. shonts and his family affairs. which
have received much attention from
the newspapers. His picture and the
picture of his wife nave been printed
broadcast" Somebody in Paris sent
word to this country that they were
not getting along we'll together. and
that Mrs. Shonts had Instituted suit
for separation from her husband. Last
week Mrs. Shonts came back to the
United States accompanied by her
daughter, the Duchess do Chaulncs.
and her son. the little Duke. Mr..
Shonts went down to meet them at the
steamship when they arrived In New
York. SO far as the reports showed.
there was no scene" at the ship. al
though one very sharp-eyed reporter
noticed that Mr.. Shonts seemed to he
/ particularly interested in his grandson
and did not appear to pay as much
attention TO his wife as the reporter
! thought he should have done in view