The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-05-06
MATBE THEY WILL
MEET IN THE MORNING.

The body of Col. John Jacob Aston.
which was picked up at sea days after
the wreck Of the Titanic, was taken to
Rhineclfff- on tn Hudson last Saturday
morning for funeral services. Later IN
the day the body was brought back
10 this city and inferred In the Aston
plot In old Trinity cemetery.
A special train bore the body and
the mourners, members of the Aston
family and few friends. who went
to the Episcopal church of the Mes
siah at Rhinecliff to attend the flu
neral. Mrs Ava Willing Aston. who
was divorced about a year and a half
ago. did not attend the funeral His
second wife. nee Miss Force. attended.
as did his daughter. Miss Muriel.
Mrs Aston tells the following story
of how carfully and cheerfully her hus-
band waited on her and guarded her
during the two terrible hours from the
time the Titanic struck until the boat
that carried her pulled away from the
sinking ship.
Colonel and Mrs Aston had both re-
tired when the ship struck. Whether
he was awakened by the shock or not
Mrs. Astor has not said. but. at any
rate he went to his wife's bedside and
awakened her.
Gently he told her that something
was wrong and that he thought she
had better get up and dress. He
dressed before she did and said he
would go and find out the extent Of
the ships injury.
But all the time he was getting
ready he was reassuring his wife.
saying not to be afraid, that the IT,
tanic could not sink.
Loud talking in the companion
ways near Mrs. Astor's door, the cries
OF the stewards awakening the pas
sengers alarmed her, but she re-
manned calm, as she had the utmost
faith in Colonel Astor's knowledge
of ships and the waayys Of the sea He
said hs-,&ould go and see Captain
Smith and find out just what had
happened.
When he went back his face was
graver that 1T had been, but still he
was sure there was no danger. Mrs.
Aston did not know at the time, but
since she has come to believe that
her husband must have known that
the Titanic and all her passengers
were In peril
The Colonel told his wife that the
Titanic had struck a submerged ice
berg and was apparently resting on
It, He assisted her in the final de-
tails of dressing, but without hurry.
and his calmness encouraged her
greatly.
Mrs. Astor did not have all OF her
jewelry with her. OF course, she had
her engagement ring, a magnificent
oblong diamond. and a string OF
superb pearls. Colonel Aston stood
by as his wife took these from a
jewel case and put them on, along
with other less important pieces. a
beautiful pin. among other things
that he had given her.
When she was ready they went to
another deck, probably the boat deck.
There were few other persons there
at the time. All put on life pre-
servers. This contradicts the report
that Colonel Aston would not or did
not at least take this precaution. He
saw particularly that his wifes belt
was adjusted properly
His solicitude for Mrs. Aston was
then shown in another way. She
shrank from the cold and he noticed
1t. He said
"You are not dressed warmly
enough. my dear. That suit you have
on is too light" and then he noticed
that she had put on one OF the light
est costumes in her wardrobe. Col
onel Aston then ordered Rollins, the
valet, to return to the suite and get
one OF Mrs. Astor's heaviest dresses
Rollins quickly returned with the
garments and Mrs. Aston changed heI
gown, putting the heavier dress
The nurse and the maid and Mr.. Aston
all assisted her in this operation.
The life preserver was again ad-
justed and also a fur coat was made
up Of several kinds of fur and pu,
over all. BY that time most OF the
boats had been lowered with their
human freight. and Mrs. Aston was
told to get into one She did so. She
thinks 1t was the last or next to the
last craft that left the Titanic. She
is of his opinion because other boats
were bobbing far out in the din
starlight and she saw no others near
er the laundering ship.
Emphatically she denied the report
any attempt to enter the 1ifeboat In
which she was. He was the Gaines,
man on the Titanics deck. so fal
as she could see. He said:
all right. You are in good hands
and 1 will meet you in the morning"
SOCIETY MUST LEARN