Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1913-07-19


the two Mrs. Actors wonderful as the
transformations effected by an Arab
Ian Nights magician, says the Wash
hgton Post.
Mrs Astor No Java Wifling) v2l
UNFAIRLY accepted social obscurTy
when she divorced Colonel Astor
three years ago. The tragedy gave
her back everything she had lost en-
cept the husband whom she did sot
want. 1t gave hen too. much of value
besides.
Mrs. Astor No. 3 madeline Feree)
stepped into the full glow Of fortunes
sunshine when she married CoIonei
Astor two years ago, after protracted
efforts to find a minister. The trag-
edy thrust her back into the social
obscnrity she had enjoyed before the
wedding. with doubtless certain add
ed asperity among those who strongly
championed Mrs. Aston No. l.
Strargest of all, Mrs. Aston No.
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. Is leading her re-
tired life in her lonely Fifth avenue
palace. II is the one conspicuous AS
tor possession she retains, but the Sc
verely restricted income she enjoys
is scarcely proportional to 1t. she
has son named John Jacob Astor,
born after the Titanic disaster. he
was 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. Gossips even
profess to see an i'll omen in the fact
that an automobile ran wild and
leaped on the sidewalk Of his moth
ers 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 Astor
No. l, but that Is probably attributing
too much malevolence to social lead
ers. Then, too, the brave young moth
! err, Mrs. Astor 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
/ the virtual control of one of the
| greatest fortunes in the world. II
took that control from Mrs. Astor
| No. 2.
AS the beloved mother of Vincent
/ Aston, 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
Aston yacht, the Mona; of the splen
/ did Aston jewels, Of the great Aston
/ Hudson river estate, Ferncliffe; of the
charming old Newport Astor 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. Aston No
l regained by death her title as the
/ woman head of the family. After the
! Titanic tragedy it was announced that
| 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 Aston" and not as Mrs. John
Jacob Aston"
Mrs. Aston No. became by death
most decorously 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 Astor, and avoids giving
that title to Mrs, Astor No 2.
In London, where Mrs. Astor No,
has kept a fine house, she enjoys the
friendship of the king and queen. the
duchess Of Marlborough, and all the
greatest social magnates of the United
Kingdom. They always speak of hel
as 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 no
nance.
Mrs. Astor No. 2, the beautiful long
llmbed young Hebe, remains in tragi
obscurity, a pathetic yet a dignitie,
figure.
Society is about to witness a ney
demonstration of Mrs, John Aston
triumph.
viii Now Rule at Beechwood.
The next scene of her life will b
laid in Newport. where for the frs
time in her life she will rule a
Beechwood as mistress. In the earl
years Of her marriage she spent ever
summer there, but always as daugl
ter-in-law. never as head of the hous
After the death of Mrs. Aston, senio
when she might have reigned Their
she refused, and shortly afterward sh
began suit for divorce. Therefor
Beechwood, the old-fashioned mansio