Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1915-03-09
AMONG THEM
LIKE AERMITS
No Change Since 1855 Ia
Fifth Avenue House.
= Only Outings h
Yard

under the massive mahogany table, Of
colonial style. IN the center Of the big
roein. The baroness Of the tiled Aoor
u accumulated by the scantiness and
|, simplicity u the furniture. Four old
fashioned ana massive high backed
chairs surround the table, and . high
old secretary with glass doors stands
In the corner.
On the paneled walls hang pictures,
but every one. IKE every other picture
In tho house. II carefully covered with
white muslin.
There 10 neither elevator. dumb wait.
e., Telephone, electric light nor any
other modern improvement And In
this, house Of many rooms I've Just i've
women-the three Wendell sisters, the
youngest past hfty, and two maids,
whose age Il probably little less.
Each Of three younger sisters y a.
most Z replica, on an even quieter and
more unobtrusive pattern. Of Mrs..
Swope. There is in each case the same
gray hair, drawn tightly down over the
ears; the same dead black clothing.
cut In the style Of two generations
back, and the same family cast Of fea-
lures. But the self reliance Of Mrs.
Swope's manner is entirely missing.
Unknown to Passing Throng.
In all the years during which tho
tide Of New York life has been flowing
unanimously up and down the avenue
beneath the blank windows Of the old
Wendell house not one of all the mil.
lions has got glimpse Of one of the
jewellers within. On two sides the old
house is encompassed with a little
grass grown yard, surrounded In its
turn with high brick wall.
In this yard the three sisters take
their only outdoor exercise. At irreg-
ular intervals Of several days when the
weather Is fine the three venture forth
into this yard. but they never do so
until after nightfall. when the big new
Office building that towers beside their
home is empty and its windows are
dark uand still.
Whktndo they do In all those long
days? Nobody really knows. Save
for the trusted business associates and
employees Of John Wendell, not one
soul in New York now possesses the
privilege of entering his house. Many
years ago the Wendell family preserved
relations of friendship with q few Of
the other old Knickerbocker families.
such a. the Goelets and the Kings
lands.
With 10000. 900 to draw upon, the
three sisters make their own clothes.
These clothes, like Mr.. Gwope's, are
always black. always severely plain.
cut on patterns Of thirty or forty years
ago. and. always worn until shabby.
Not ono Of the four sisters, 20 far ~
known, has ever possessed an article
Of jewelry. The running expenses Of
this house Of millions probably d not
exceed 500 Z month.
Go TO Hvington For Summes.
Up at Irvington y The Wendd coun-
~ estate For . score q yearo The
annual migration b and from living.
ton has formed the sole occasion Of
tie tublis appearance Of The four d.
tern Every spring they. Mr.. Swops
and the two old servants leave the
house ct Thirty-ninth street and walk
the three blocks up to Forty-second
strest and two blocks 10 the Grand
Central terminal to take the train tor
Iryihgton. Even thia brief excursion
20 - tor |cr -.;"- ...paration and
= s.i.pa = 81. trembling.
:. tn lrs -. where the eg.
Tire family Invariably spends the whole
summer, - even Len known 70 the
public than TIE town h0qsA The ex-
tenatvs grounds are lncloss1 ~ = high
van. With massive eAtA
The permanent star g thQfeunszy
houss consists Of one vsnesabls ssv