The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-09-21
SHE WILL SPEND
HER MILLIONS
like PENNIES
Mrs. Edward Smith wilkinson
Proposes to Show N. Y. How
To Circulate Money.

Proposes to Show N. Y. How
To Circulate Money. 1
NEW YORK, Sept. 2i.--New York
Is to be taught how to spend.
A woman-and a European woman
at that's going to do 1t!
?. Mrs. Edward Henry Smith.wlkin-
son. reveling In the double distinction
of being the worlds richest woman
and the worlds best spender, Is going
to educate New York in the lavish art
of getting rid Of the coin.
She has spent some six or seven
million dollars for clothes for her trip.
and isn't half through shopping. That.
she says, Is nothing; it's when she
gets to America that the real spend
Ing Is to begin. Before she gets
through with Us she proposes to show
us up as rank amateurs, not to say
pikers. as spenders, and make US won
der how in the name of King Midas
we ever thought we know how to get
rid Of money anyhow.
The Spending Lesson.
Mrs. Smith Wilkinson lives in Lon
don, has almost as many figures to
her bank account as she has letters to
her name. and when her boat docks
she purposes to begin giving New
York its postgraduate course in
spending, leaving behind her trail of
gold that will necessitate an increased
force of street cleaners and give Fifth
Avenue merchants n pulse Of ninety.
For some time now she has been
~ ~ IN In. ale
and the gasp of Gay Paree. which
has seen a thing or two in reckless
extravaganza, gives reason to believe
that she will succeed in her boast
Of dazzling US with the CLINT Of her
gold and inc sparkle Of her gems.
Although she now has zoo COR.
geous gowns, including S5,O00 900
worth recently purchased In Paris,
She has only begun to buy for her
American trip. While blase Paris Is
still gasping for breath at the spec.
tacle OF her cloudburst of shekels.
the worlds champion spender naive
ly declares that her Paris perform
ance is tame and ordinary compared
with the things she is going to show
New York. ~
Nothing to Wear"
Mrs. Smith. wilkinson, with six or
seven million dollars worth Of gowns,
has not yet completed her wardrobe:
she Just hasn't . thing to wear"
although among her recent purchases
mas been gorgeous creation Of
Reville, court dressmaker Of chestnut
figured velvet, bordered with Russian
sable. The vest Is of exquisite ivory
satin. embroidered in gold and sill
yer wheat ears. Cascades OF sable
tails form the fringe effect. A wrap
or forty of the finest black Russian
SAME skins that money can buy and
hat OF many sable colored birds of
paradise complete the costly costume,
This Is just one Of her many gowns
and she. is still buying.
When she reaches America she viii
purchase the most costly yacht that
can be built--a floating palace beyond
the widest and most extrayaeant
dreams In shipbuilding.
What shall / pay for TT" she re.
peated In answer to the question nut
to her in Paris. price is no factor.
When ! see what I want, I buy it."
She has been twice married, and
from each husband inherited a for
tune. The war and her own shrewd.
ness multiplied this fortune many
times until she has no challenger to
her claim Of being the richest woman
In the world
1t has been said that she purposes
TO spend herself poor, and when she
reaches New York there will be plenty
eager to help her In achieving this am.
hilton. Already she has received hun.
dreds OF letters suggesting various
means OF reducing her fortune; many
ask her fpe; sums ranging from 81 900
to $4,000
Loves Husband.
Mr.. Smith Wilkinson. who has the
distinction of being the wealthiest
woman's newest husband, Is credited
with the talent for doing delightfully."-
unhecessary things. Whether he con.
siders himself another of his wife's
fantastic luxuries is difficult to say.
THE Most Extensively Dressed
Woman in the World" is said to be
very much In love with her young
husband. Nothing he does Is unappre.
ciated by his extravagant wife. and
while she spends her vast fortune
right and left, hubby looks on and
Is silent.
According to those who know
Henry, he Is handsome young
chap with a flair for good menus
and unusual dress effects. He PLAYS,
OF course, a minor role in the gro
tesque drama Of which his elderly
wife is the heroine but this does
not prevent him from asserting him.
self. Those who have an inside
knowledge Of their affairs say that
he has personality all his own,
and knows how to bring 1t out with
the best effect.
He is said to have told friends
that he looks forward to his visit
to New York. where his wife in
tends to dazzle the moneyed aris-
tocracy. with great deal Of pleas.
ure. He has the Englishman's Inn
perturbable temperament, and moth
ing startles him much.
The job of being hubby to the
worlds richest woman is not an
easy one, he Is said to have told
friends. One never knows what
whims his wife will follow from
day to day.