Lan rvanclsco^aiixla^ta'l.
Mrs. Philip .Van Volkenburgh.
SHE sat all curled up in the damask
depths ."of a big ■ arm chair—no,
you must ; call 'it •'.- a fauteuil - when
you're In the Hotel Vanderbilt, next to
•"New York's social-heart.
Mrs. Philip Van Volkenburgh was
thinkingthinking ; very T; hard. And
Mrs. Van Volkenburgh? Why, 'she's
the-Mrs.'William -Hays Chapman, that
was—best known as "the $10,000,000
widow," because ; of; the fortune Mr.
Chapman left to her. :) Only she's mar
ried again now, .though Mr. Van, etc.,
doesn't live at; the Hotel.-' Vanderbilt
with her any more. In fact, the wid
ow —that was—brought him ;to court
the other day. because) he hadn't ) paid
her expenses) at all - since they .'separ
ated, and poor Mrs. Van fVolkenburgh
nad to pay them out of her own pocket
—just. $100,000 for two years. v.: - ;
And, mind, these were not for £ lux
uries but for: the' barest necessities of
4 - ■ •- •: - ' - . ■-■ -.-■ .: ■•. ■•■. --. ■■.
- v ........ ■'. . ■■ -' :-•:.■• - , rr. ~.-■;.■, •
SCRIMPING - WITH $100,000 A YEAR!
her-life. _No jewels'! were putin, no
entertainments, - no* "charities, nothing
but maids and motors and hotel rooms
and travel and . food.) And Mr. Van,
etc., seeing the sterling 7 justice of >it
all,, promptly ; settled , without S letting
the case go to trial. Even a rich man
has to pay the : expenses of a richer
wife—in New York! ; y . ,
"No woman," she said slowly, weigh
ing every word, "who is the wife of a
millionaire 'can be really comfortable
and have all she needs nowadays on
less than $ 100,0001 a:" year, especially
if she has a house to keep up. . -.
"Why, -when I went to Europe last
year I had ,500,000'; francs with Mr.
Morgan's .bank. . When I came) away
all I had left was about 50,000 francs.
Of my $100,000 there, was only $10,000
for me to get home with. And I
wasn't extravagant at all, not one bit
of it. Just take clothesdear me,
good clothes Co3t; such lots of money
wait, I'll show you some I got in
Paris." - • ;...!_!'--!
And out came the clothes from
closets and chiffoniers innumerable
no, not clothes, but- confections, .cre
ations, objetsd'art, and all from
Paris- In - chromatic confusion Mrs.
Van Volkenburgh piled them up all
arounda Japanese evening wrap of
apricot satin embroidered in blue and
lined with apple-hucd taffeta which
cost $110; a cerise satin wrap
trimmed with white fox for which she
paid $1,400; another of pale blue and
gold brocade, lined with pale "• yellow
satin and trimmed with blue fox, for
; which the bill was $900; a dainty ' lit
i tie $65 waist of pink panne velvet
; trimmed with real lace; a short sa
ble coat which cost $3,000 at Worth's;
a black crepe meteor semi-tailored
afternoon gown by Lucille,; trimmed
with lace frills,;" which -cost) $200 ;_ a
white crepe .meteor of the simplest de
sign billed at $225; another $225
brown taffeta tricked) out with) white
ruches; a $500 Callot creation of wa
termelon pink? panne, garnished; with
Venetian lace; :.'a) $300 black char
meuse frock* finished );• with jet and
point-lace; a stunning evening
of American '"- Beauty panne trimmed
with old Oriental embroidery which
cost $190/■-.! v *.r .- . •-.-.-■: '.■""';
--"And *do ycu know," the ran; on,
"these are only a small part or ; the
wardrobe I just have to have. All m # v
summer things I have left abroad and
you've only seen . a small part of what
I have here.- I suppose I simply must
spend $10,000 a; year for clothes. You
see, I have to keep seven tailor,suits
on hand and - they; have' to go) as - soon
as \ they;. get demode. v ; This ;is notr- ex
travagant of ; me; not a soul -would
say that it is! •)' : ■):..-; ..;■-.>; ,"
"And jewels—oh, you can spend anj
■
"No Woman Who Is) the Wife
of a Millionaire Can Be Really
:).. Comfortable ,on Less Than
$100,000," Says Mrs. Philip
Van Volkenburgh. . - "I Can't
and I'm ; Not Extravagant."
;amount for . them," she -began, again,
"but 1 am very careful. *; If you want
to keep on: looking your best you must
add a string or two to your pearls
every year or so. My jewels are not
so '■-; much— were -." inventoried at
$250,000! at the pier when : I brought
, them over last time. All - I 'bought to
add to ; them ') this year was an)' $8,000
string of pearls, every one the same
size—that's 'not' very. much. Then I
just had to have an emerald I saw, all
set in ) white diamonds) It was $10,
--000." - -:,■)) ' f * *-v■ v.-';'■."!"-)"-"' : ~
".„■ Mrs. Van Volkenburgh was fiddling
with ■• a ; platinum ) chain from which
dangled a -lorgnette set with pearls
and diamonds. .- '
) "Oh, yes, I had to buy this, too—
isn't)it exquisite?" / :
It certainly was. It cost $7,000.
"And shoes, oh, dear!" she ran on,
warming 'up to her subject. ? "I; really
must have thirty ; pairs working) all
the time :to keep up "'-•with other wo
men. You simply, can't get-_ a decent
pair of shoes in Paris * or ? less • than
$18, ! ; and the gold )buckles; cost $100
more a pair. Of course, I don't have
but a few pairs of these; my maid
changes them for -me, so you see I'm
quite economical. • Why, to-day *- I
bought just three little ) pairs of shoes
and the bill was $50. -For all my
street gowns I have to have the tops
made of the same material as the
dress and that's where the bootmak
ers-get you—nothing less than $20 a
pair. But:that's the topnotch; of ,style,
you know. ) --' -.;-.••-■> -)-.-.■ -•;'•;;;;
"Hatsl. almost forgot them.
They're awful; I suppose T" have to
pay/$2,000 a year for. mine and I'm
; very : careful. The cheapest thing you
can get -is $45 and it's more apt to be
j $75. <; Alphonsine, in - , Paris, r' thinks
I nothing of charging me $100 for a hat;
a perfectly plain one there cost me $€0.
IHe wanted $300) for one trimmed with
| sable, but I was too clever for him-—
iI - had my own sable put on and the
! hat ; was only $75. ';. He charged '•) me
j $90: for . just one mauve plume; but
I then, of course, I can use it again. At
] that,; 1 have.to have at least twenty;
five hats a year. ' , -'•*
"But" there's one thing we women
} -can, ? save -on nowadays—that's lin
gerie. ? It's so skimpy,,that just a little
material is* needed. "But it wears : out
awfully quickly and. you have to have
a lot of it. Of course,)T get the very
nicest of everything, but I; don't spend
much more-than $1,000 a -year for) all
i of it, and that includes my silk stock
rings", too." ' . *\ ' ~' J '.;.";•;.;. .',',.""
I;) T Mrs) Van- Volkenburgh") stopped foi
* breath. : The all-important ) subject 6;
r "clothes had;been disposed of—now
high cost of living. The rich feel"i
even more- than the poor—when thej
entertain. : ; -.. ;). *;;) \ '*'..<
i ; "This-*** nothing extra,") she added
.; looking) about. her dainty apartment"--:
"nothing but a drawing-room, bed
.'.. room, ; bath and ''and"' a ) room ; fo:
my maid. But it costs me $25 a,day
' AtWeauyiller:it was $100 a day for th<
■■-■1..;- ■'■-■■. '-.'.-■■■■ -■..-■..•■.-'.-.■-. ~..-. .* -,
big :week, but 1" stayed' six; weeks—
'one ; really, must be * there*) in,<-the
season,: you know. *; It is cheaper in
London; really quite)absurd compared
tc-other, places. But the menu is
frightfully-expensive;. "" * ?•.'•')
"A duck only big enough for one 1*
$5 and; peaches are 7, $1.25; apiece, { _i
never gave- a s dinner.• there {for.':- four
people-that it didn't cost.me $75 or $80.
Everybody drinks 'vintage ■ champagne,
and.it;is terribly expensive abroad, you
know. Then the tips are enormous.
•There are only) three • tables 1 like -in
the Ritz) dining room, and ) I have -to
give the head waiter two louis —that's
$B—to reserve;one of. them. ; I always
pay 10 per cent, of the bill as tips for
the waiters, and sometimes when 1 like
,the service very much i double that.
~. "Coffee I and V- liqueurs, cigars ..and
: cigarettes are served in the. hallway
outside the restaurant at<the;Ritz.- To
be smart one• must stop there after din
ner. The night :of {my $140 litfle party
for six we had some old brandy for the
gentlemen; /,- some "liqueurs ),- for - the
ladies,' one .cup "■) of coffee for)) each;
cigars for the gentlemen and cigarettes
for the /ladies.' Just for this the bill
was $18 more. V That's the way they
treat Americans • abroad." -• ;- L
I; It was 'only/a' twist of the conversa
tion to turn to ) motors —quite a neces
sity of to-day, as Mr. Van Volkenburgh
■ has adimtted )' by paying the $10,000
Item in his wife's bill without even the
quiver of an eyelash.
--"Oh, yes," laughed Mrs. Van Volken
burgh, '"a motor ;is - just as ;• necessary
as one's breakfast nowadays.);.! .have
to -.be very careful, too, :or the expense
would run away with me. -, '-• . *
i :. ;."I had...to buy a new French car, but
ilt wasn't much of a success, so I had
ito hire one -with; a chauffeur and a
l footman. That isn't very, much abroad,
thank goodness!'- '.-- You can get ;a-. very
nice car- for $15 a day: I had a fine one
■ for the three :? months ;It was :in VParis
and enjoyed -it every minute."
-")'-..From -motors ; to travel —another.slo,') j
TOO Item. ,' Mrs. ) Van Vo 1 k engh j pays!
$G"0 or" a cabin acrossshe sailed on j
the) Berlin the other day; for, Genoa.
| She's to jnotor to Cannes, Monte Carlo;
and; Paris,)where she hai taken )a 4 - little!
S house belonging to Mrs. ' Don ) Cameron, |
j for which she Is.to'"pay!sl,soo for three I
months, though occupying ;it ') but eight J
; weeks. Then! to gjy'London ? and Swit-|
j zcrlaud after the English season, and J
; home again on!; the Lusitanla^, at the!
end of August. •'■ ■ '-~'"- '\
i "Any other expenses?"
k "Well, there's charity," answered j
l Mrs. Van*'; Volkenburgh. .seriously, )';. "l j
"J suppose; I give away % $5,000 a year." ■
); "And toilet things?"
; "Oh, perhaps" $."00 if I include mas-1
sage. I don't . need it, you know, " but'
; we all have it just as a luxury! . .;
"And" don't forget," said' Mrs. Van j
' Volkenburgh, with all earnestness,' as
! she led -the way down, the velvet-car
i peted hallway toh«?f own private outer
• door. "I haven't even ;a' house to;
."'keeplupt'V" '* - : '" '* ';-' *
■■ I . ■' ' ' ' , :■'■■■■..■■' ■ -■■. ■■ ■ ■ .■'.".■,'.! ~ '■-! '..'■ « .-?»..;,..'.
MOULDING A
HARRIMAN
Career of Power Open
to William Averell
Haniman;Elder Son
of the Railroad King,
Who Is Being Trained
to Step Into His
Father's Shoes and
; Direct the Family's
Immense Interests.
G' 'LISTENING I gold \ does not • dazzle
• .William /Averell '! .Harriman-)
Fortune has looked -"upon; him with
threatening ;-' eye. Yet .here -is; a
young "man, "just turned twenty-one,
who seeks to write 'his better deeds ;of
achievement v not in water, .';.). but on
■ marble.); •, ;■'; );■).' '. • ":';.' f;'' ,_ '
■-. :! Harriman, like ■). Vincent Astor, ) has
great : aspirations! ') '■' )'; " ' *-' -
The frivolous work of polished Idle-)
ness is not for this elder son of Edward
H. Harriman. He is designed ,to suc
ceed " his famous father as the t head of
the enormous railroad ' interests -of ) the
Harriman -'.estate. 'That ":\ prospect is
enough to dazzle and confound many a
youth. * r But such joy as ambition finds)
animates 'young Harriman i and bet has
accepted eagerly) the chance -;to) strive
fort aVplace among the princes/ in
empire of constructive endeavor. .. )
< What a vision to thrill even one who
was ! born to luxury and millions!;) :,)
Already Harriman has put' one foot
on the ladder.'Although stilL a senior
:a: Yale,* for V little more than a month
Ihe has : been' a ;director of the Union
I Pacific "Railroad—the? medium of -many
iof his father's triumphs— and 'also) of
j the powerful Harriman National Bank.
%;>. Modest and unassuming, Harriman
.;-■;-;'..-.-;--'-.-_'„■. ::.-..*. -' ■'* ■ : , ■ ■.■-■-■■-'■..•: v -" :-■■;■.
has , shown - signs of; tenacity and . thor-
I ougliness;) that : have ; delighted .'- the old
1 associates jof ■ his ; father -who i are keep- j
(ing • a close■) eye - upon -.*• him.) And "he i
| knows something of railroading, too, i
1 for he was working as a chain bearer ,
for a ' surveyor's ; party on the * Oregon l ;
Short Line Railroad at ; $65 a month
when called East to the bedside of his
dying father. He has ) been ; also en
gaged in the operating and transporta- •
tion (divisions of * otfrer . roads i domi
nated by the elder Harriman.- :
.It is related of him that several years
ago when E. H. Harriman was making
I tour of inspection- in : Wyoming the
fireman: of the big Mogul engine that
pulled the special train out of Laramie
was surprised * when Averell crawled
into the cab and grabbed a shovel.
The fireman and engineer looked wise
and expected to see the youth soon tire i
from his self-imposed task of hurling
coal into the furnace, but he stuck
to it. * ; . ■
v": To the astonishment and admiration *
of the crew. Averell fired the huge
locomotive all the way over the) moun
tains to" Rawlins, a distance of ;forty
miles, and the run was) made 'on perfect
time. 1 :"• '->, " ''".'.■ ' "■''."•
That incident .urnishes a keynote to I
his character.r; );*;-' : ; '
He showed his calibre in another j
way when he entered ) college. He;
doesn't; looklikf.- a rugged- lad and was =
even slighter then. ", But he started out
at once to mak> the : freshman crew.
The sharps ; shook) their -heads and
prophesied that h'- wouldn't/last, ;' •
:?i But' he " won, and at ■■-- the ■ same • time
lost," only to turn hi? defeat into a tell
log victory. "
- -.- . .'" .- - .-- . -.- .
"k '<-»'.',; '.""'..'.. ' .■.■''■'',''■'''"-''..,,','"'" '.',) -.4-, ' ■■'»"."'- ?
;. He.was working as a chain bearer
'•!' for a surveyor , party on the Ore
gon Short Line Railroad at $60 a
month when called east to the
!-; bedside of his dying father. •>'
- -';.-- ' .-..'■■-■■■:■;:- - , * » —Cus- '.'•..";
r Harriman had just been selected for
the first varsity boat when he was
drieieclrby/hls physician to)stop row-);
ing. permanently.;; So what does Harri
man do but mak<- a j scientific study of!
oarsmanship, with the result that ■ at!!
the end rof ; his sophomore year an un- [
precedented occurred. -
The frail youth was appointed coach
of the) freshman crew!';') -.-■• ,:-■"; :j
;Capt. ))Radcliffe ;Romeyn and the '
graduates agreed »that she would make j
good.) He certainly did. ; All of last'
year he quietly labored with)the fresh- j
man crew. ) He had everything his own j
way, > and in the end, out 'of [ common- j
place material, "turned out the best
crew of neophytes that Yale had had
in years. '))" ')))"'--) 1 --.*.'' - ; ",. ..-.-'|
— Several weeks l*st) spring were spent
by Harriman in England watching the
j stroke of ; Cambridge and Oxford. • His
j power to easily master all his studies
! won him a furlough from Yale. . He
: also 'studied the" Cornell stroke, lie-*
j turning to college the fall he spent"!
J much' time with • the varsity crew, and'
; presently a still more) surprising event
; occurred. ';•-.
|!- He was made head .coach of the
(varsity.crew! : •■'_•'.'■'"'' '"-■, ■''.•'■-"'
j There has • been "only one other to
•win that 'distinction) To) be head
coach-while still ah undergraduate was
a record made by Bob Cook in the early
seventies. And Bob Cook's crew won.
If Harriman's crew,, should do . likewise)
after the five consecutive defeats at
j the hands of Harvard he would become
i the idol of "his * college '*. and of the
alumni. V V ' -'''''" 4 ' :
jAs ; a student Harriman has shown
I brilliantly, and' true to- his trend of
! mind, has been prominent "in the Yale
Economic *_ Club and l allied organiza
j tions. 1
r) His daily life )at Yale is quite dif
j ferent"; from what it will be) when he
-: bucks ;up'_- .gainst : the financial world.
j but'nevertheless it is cry busy. Here
jis the routine of a aay: ."
'* 7.15 A. ; M.—Kises, shaves and * has
| breakfast.
! 8.10 to 8.25 a. f M.-%:hapei
|; )< 8.30 A. M.—First i recitation of the
I day. ')" "' ■■ -
;) ; 12.30 P. M.—Luncheon. r
1.30 to P. M.—Coaching the Yale
crew, rain or shine, at the harbor boat
house.
* 6.30 P. M.—Dinner at) the training
table\ with the members of the crew;* f
,)• ', His evenings "are spent "in study and
I in-social occupations, alway; attending
the secret rites of Skull and Bones on
J Thursday and Saturday evenings.
At least one other c evening he spen Is ■
in the Psi Upsilonv-tomb.: a ; less
secret) and presumably as enjoyable a
| gathering place as that of Bones.. But
| he)) is not by nature' ir sympathy; with
I the) secrecy practised by such societies).;'
j) Aristodeinus wrote: " 'Tis ) money.
I makes the "man." It. is* an bid axiom
i- - ----- - ■ * : . . - ,"■'.. ...■■ ..--.,.....- . -. - •
j that '"He that lacks money, me-.ns and
| content is. vitho-t three -rood friends."
.r w '-.-*: "■'--." ;;. .;. . -'.-:■-- ...,-'--; *--- .-';'->:..;■-*'
j. Having those words of wisdom in
I mind, study ..he)plain;ways of Harri-
man's manner of living."-'
i That is best typified by -the fact that
jhe lives in Connecticut Hall,the oldest:
bu'ldins at Yale. It was put- up in
', 175 C - Nathan Hale and* John)C.)Cal
( noun had rooms there; To) the average
i student of . wealtl -the. luxury; ofkVan
' derbilt, Haughton -or Fayerweather.
I Halls offers-greater attractions, ,* Con
' necf cut Hall' is meant -/or youths of
! limited means-' It has four stories and
[ the top story' rooms are low and have
| dormer; windows
jAverell Harriman lives on the
I fourth story!
I 3 With Charles Henry Marshal! and
1 George A: Dixon cf New -York* he
occupies three rocms> Thes? lodginsrs
' cost each of the men $G8 a year. The
furnishings, as in the case of ; a.! Yale
men, are" proviaed by the- lodgers
themselves and *\re in good taste, but
in no way elaborated If a visitor were
told ; that the place was*occupied, by
Harriman lhe would be - likely to think
that the budding young financier .was
doing it on a bet.
I
):Averell crawled into the cab; and -
grabbed a; shoTei. lie gred the
V; large locomotive all the way orer
i the mountains to Rawlins. ■ dis
i tance of forty miles.