Dewey County advocate. [volume] (Timber Lake, S.D.) 1910-1913, 1913-07-11

the two Mrs. Astors wonderful as the
Transformations effected by an Arab
ian Nights magician, says the Wash
ington Post.
Mrs. Aston No. 1 Java Willing) vol
UNFAIRLY accepted social obscurity
when she divorced Colonel Astor
three years ago. The tragedy gave
her back everything she had lost. ex-
cept the husband whom she did not
want. It gave her, too, much Of value
besides.
Mrs. Astor No. MADELINE Force)
stepped into the full glow of fortunes
sunshine when she married Colonel
Astor two years ago, after protracted
efforts to find minister. The trag-
edy thrust her back into the social
obscurity she had enjoyed before the
wedding, with doubtless a certain add
ed asperity among those who strongly
championed Mrs. Aston No. 1.
Strangest Of all, Mrs. Astor No. l
became once more through death the
mother of her own son. While his
father lived he was mostly In his
society, and to that extent separated
from his mother. Now he lives with
his mother entirely, to whom he is
naturally devoted.
Mrs. Astor No. 2 is leading her re-
tired Tie in her lonely Fifth avenue
palace. 1t is the one conspicuous AS
tor possession she retains, but the Sc
verely restricted income she enjoys
is scarcely proportional to 1t. She
has a son named John Jacob Aston,
born after the Titanic disaster. He
was a child Of tragedy. in many senses.
Obviously he will miss the many bene-
fits that would have come to him as
the dear little BENJAMIN of the family
had his father lived. Cosstps even
profess to see an i'll omen in the fact
that an automobile ran wild and
lea1ed on the sidewalk of his moth
er's house on the day OF his birth.
Fear society's Animosity.
They predict that he will suffer
from the attitude of the very powerful
families such as the Vanderbilts, who
have always championed Mrs. Aston
No. l, but that is probably attributine
too much malevolence to social lead
ers. Then, too, the brave young moth
er. Mrs. Aston No. 2, has been greatly
troubled by the fear that an attempt
might be made to kidnap her young
son.
Death gave back to Mrs. Astor No
S~k~, re ~ he
greatest fortunes In the world. II
took that control from Mrs. Astoz
No. 2.
AS the beloved mother of Vincent
Astor, the richest unmarried young
man in America, Mrs. Aston No.
became the director of his palaces
his possessions, and his expenditures
She regained possession of the great
Astor yacht, the Mona; OF the splen
did Aston jewels. Of the great Aston
Hudson river estate, Ferncliffe; Of the
charming old Newport Aston villa
Beechwood; Of the motor cars, horses
carriages, plate, and other treasures
of the family.
BY the same tragedy Mrs. Aston
No. 2 lost all these things.
Becomes Head Of Family.
Most strangely, too, Mrs. Astor No
regained by death her title as the
woman head of the family. After the
Titanic tragedy 1t was announced thai
she would be called Mrs. John Aston
and not Mrs. Ava Willing Astor.
On the other hand, Mrs. Astor No.
is always spoken Of as Mrs. Madeline
Force Astor" and not as Mrs. John
Jacob Astor."
Mrs Astor No. became by deatf
most decorously a widow, whereas be
fore that she had only been divorced
woman. Practically everybody In so
ciety now refers to her as the widow
of Colonel Aston, and avoids giving
that title to Mrs. Astor No. 2.
In London, where Mrs. Aston No.
has kept q fine house, she enjoys thu
friendship OF the king and queen, the
duchess OF Marlborough, and all thu
greatest social magnates of the United
Kingdom. They always speak of hel
a. Colonel Astor's widow. and over
look the second widow. The British
are very expert at overlooking little
things like that
In short, Mrs. Aston No. 1. the beau
tiful, stately, high-bred matron, hal
triumphed beyond the dreams Of 70
nance.
Mrs. Aston No. 2, the beautiful long
limbed young Hebe, remains in tragic
obscurity. a pathetic yet a dignifiet
figure.
Society is about to witness q new
demonstration Of Mrs. John Astor'l
triumph.
viii Now Rule at eeeehwood.
The next scene of her life will b
laid In Newport, where for the hrs
time In her life she will rule q
Beechwood - mistress. In the earl!
years Of her marriage she spent ever!
summer there, but always as a daugh
ter-in-law. never as head Of the house
After the death of Mrs. Aston, senior
when she might have reigned there
she refused. and shortly afterward sh'
began suit for divorce. Therefor
Bsechwood. the old-fashioned mansion