New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-06
Broadway, reading "No Property for Sale"
Still, they never despaired.
A Ssoo.ooo LOT RESERVED FOR SISTERS

A S5000O0 LOT RESERVED FOR SISTERS
DOG
According to tale current in the real estate
Offices, on one occasion he did not on the spot
decline an offer. 1t was SSo0oo0 for the vacant
lot between his home, at the corner OF Filth
av. and 3oth St, and business building 'front.'
ing on the avenue in the middle OF the block.
He actually let the tenpter sing through his
siren song. If the sports among real estate
men had known at the time OF the oher per-
haps they would have laid wagers-at odds, OF
course-on whether not the lifelong resolu-
ton never to sell any land would be violated.
A date was fixed for final consultation at
which decision was to be reached. Mr.. Wen
del, despite the fact that he had reached the
"slippered pantaloon" age, knew his own mind.
1t was as vigorous as that of man IN his
prime. He came to the point instantly. There
were no wasted words Mr.. Wendell was ready
with his decision. Remarkable as the reason
for declining the half million dollars was, II
left no opportunity for argument.
"Well, you see," said Mr.. Wendell, Il did not
want to sell in the first place. Then my sister
has a small dog for pet which she values
highly, and she does not like to have him run
in the street. There is no place for him to ex-
ercise but in that yard. He runs up and down
and enjoys it. Under the circumstances do
not think can let the property CO."
So high board fence cuts off the view of a
vacant SsO0,000 site--for the value has risen
despite the fact that the dog has gone the way
of all good doggies.
JUST ORDINARY MULISHNESS, BUT
CALLED FIRMNESS OF CHARACTER
Mr. Wendell had rightly CT character that
few persons can afford these days. "Sot in his
ways" was the phrase applied to him. 1t was
not an aggressive or surly kind OF "sotness'
1t was only that, having reached decision, it
became as the laws of the Modes and Per-
slams. This decision never to sell any land was
one of them. The policy of land boarding was
begun by his grandfather even before the AS
tors began treasuring up that which neither
moth nor rust could corrupt He never was
discourteous but when ne had decided to talk
no more on the subject, in the phrase OF Marco
Polo he would shunt the topic of with
proverb or odd saying.
One day real estate dealer, having been
commissioned to do so by company which
was hungering and thirsting for the Fifth av.
homestead of the Wendels, climbed the stairs
to Mr.. Wendel's Office, announced his GRAND
and asked if it was for sale.
"You may say that you saw Mr.. Wendell"
said that gentleman, most ahably, 'and that
Mr. Wendell said not while the almighty stars
twinkle"
II is easy to see that sentiment played
large part in the development of his idosyn-
cracies One would like also TO ask how much
his fixed habits Of business and OF living were
shaped by the fact that he and four OF his FIVE
sisters never married.
WITH THIS MAN OLD THINGS WERE
BEST.
There are few men who feel that they can
afford to live behind the times, or, being able
to afford every luxury, deny themselves. He
had passion for leaving things as they are.
As he began his business career at least three
score years ago, this passion for leaving things
as they are resulted in making him a curious
figure in New York life, and every possession
an snachronism. Imagine New York multi
millionaire who not only made no effort to pre-.
serve his privacy by having private telephone
number, but had no telephone. One looked in
vain in the directory for Mr. Wendel's name.
No shrill tnkle from an insistent phone