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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 19, 1908)
6 THE SUNDAY OREGONTAN, PORTLAND, JANUARY 19, 1908. L ,lpiglgf Rumor Has It That Beautiful YMMm Nora Langhorne Will Become the Bride mml'' of Prince Francis of Teck - Jliiiliillli I f .N ' ffe V 1 - I v . I v. jtJ , - ' I -e-Sf- JtSJZZALD J3LR.00JC u jw" LMOST before her entrance to so- ctety has been made, six months In advance of her presentation at court, a ceremony set for next June, Miss Nora Langhorne has the chance to make a more brilliant marriage than even the notable unions to the credit of four sisters. Prince Francis of Teck, the good looking brother of the Princess of Wales, Is mightily smitten with the beautiful young Virginia girl, and Britain actually begins to believe that Miss Langhorne will become a relative by marriage of the future King of England. If she does so. It will not be sur prising, for her four sisters like her self had no other dower th'an that of beauty, that Charles Dana Gibson Im mortalized in his famous creations, yet each has married wealth and high so cial station. "The Five Beautiful Langhornes" is the way the girls have always been de scribed, and the designation Is one whose accuracy has never been ques tioned. They were brought up in the old Langhorne family mansion, near Char lottesville, Albemarle County, Va. "Mirador" the house is named, and before the war Us owner, Mr. Chiswell D. Langhorne, was the possessor of a thousand slaves and a big fortune. As a result of the conflict much of this wealth passed from the family, and nothing but the lure of a personal charm passing description carried the girls to their present place. The oldest of the five is Mrs. R. Mon cure Perkins, the Mrs. William Astor of Richmond society. Next' in the list comes a woman whose beauty has been carried by the art of her husband to every corner of the world Mrs. Charles Dana Gibson, wife of the well-known artist. Zl was the skill of Mr. Gibson that first caused the five Langhornes to be come known as "The Gibson Girls. In the course of his many drawings Mr. Gibson had occasion to transfer to cardboard the faces and figures of every one of the five, she who after wards became his wife and her four sisters. Third on the list comes Mrs. Waldorf Astor, wife "f the son of the member cf tho Astor family who out of his love for England quit the United States, expatriated himself and became a subject of the British crown. Toung Mrs. Astor has had perhaps tiu most Interesting career of any of the girls, and she Is cutting out a fore most place in English society. It was at "Mirador" in 1S97 that Nannie Langhorne became the bride of Robert Gould Shaw, of Boston. He was very rich, without any special oc cupation, and coming Into the public prints only because of his skill at polo. A year after the wedding a son was born to the couple. Not long after this the couple be came estranged. The trouble between them never became public, for the case was heard in Virginia, where It is pos sible for a woman to shield herself from unpleasant notoriety in the mat ter of divorce. Mrs. Shaw based her suit on deser tion, and was granted her divorce, on condition that her child be allowed to see his father and the Shaw family from time to time. No alimony was mentioned in the settlement, but the wife was amply provided for. Anxious to forget her unhappy mari tal experience, Mrs. Shaw plunged into the social gaieties of England. London was charmed with her. Mrs. John Ja cob Astor took the beautiful young Virginian under her protecting wing, and Introduced her to the best and smartest in London. Eventually she penetrated even the set that surrounds the King, and when Mrs. Astor was presented at court, Mrs. Shaw was also presented. Mrs.- Shaw's beauty, wit and superb riding made her a tremendous favorite. Names of some of England's foremost men were linked with hers, as those of admirers who would gladly have put a new name after the Mrs. that remained as a souvenir of her first hymeneal experience. Then the rumor became persistent that young Waldorf Astor had lost his heart to the fair divorcee. Astor's father did not at first favor the match. In his desire to get full social recognition, ho had hoped that his son, profiting by the family's great wealth, would wed some member of the British nobility, and thus advance the family standing. Astor yielded a reluctant consent, but it is one. that he has had no cause to regret, even from the standpoint that first formed the basis of his oppo sition. For thoush young Mrs. Astor has not the advantage of being a member of the nobility, she has earned a social standing that Is not surpassed outside of the royalty. ' Mr. Astor has been quick- to recognize this success. He began his bounty by presenting to the young couple "Clive den." his beautiful Thames' palace. Owing to the antiquated heating arrange ments this palace had hardly been habit ahle in the cold months, but resourceful Mrs. Astor promptly succeeded In getting an apparatus installed that made it en tirely comfortable. Then Mr. Astor decided that Mrs. Astor would be an ornament to bis London res idence in Carleton House Terrace. He has never been overly fond of this man sion, preferring his famous Hever Castle in Kent. Therefore he handed over the city home to his son's wife, and it is here that the youngest member of the five sisters will become intimate with the notables of London and have her campaign mapped out for her by a sister who is the pet of the royalty. Fine Furs Are Becoming Scarce "P1 TJRS, like everything else. have gone up in price in the last few years," said the buyer for a Fifth-avenue furrier to a New York reporter the other day. "The cause is chiefly the recent pros perity of our country. Sales have been so heavy that we could hardly meet the demand. So many animals were killed for their skins that they have had no chance to multiply. Conse quently every kind of fur-bearing ani mal has become scarcer. "Two years ago the number of al most every kind ot fur-bearing animal caught was nearly twice as great as during the last year. In 1907 the whole Alaska seal catch was only 14,000. Fifteen or 20 years ago there were 20, 000 a year. "Despite the decreased demand this Winter because of financial conditions, sealskin coats next year will be more expensive, for none of the seal catch of 1907 will be ready for market by that time. "These skins are usually sold to the trade December 15 of each year In time to prepare them for the next year, but the sale has been postponed this year. If we do not get them now until March these skins cannot be dyed and dressed until the latter part of Au gust, and that will be too late for the following season. Seal will, therefore, be less plentiful and the price will go up. "Fifteen years ago a full-length seal skin coat could be had for J 500 or $600. The same coat today would cost from $900 to $1400. A three-quarter length coat would cost .from $700 to $1200. according to the quality of the fur used. "Sealskin is very popular. It wears well and looks well, and is equally suitable for ordinary as for dress wear. However, it is not as fashionable as some other furs. "For those who can afford it. of course. Russian sable is the fur of all furs for coats. It is the most expensive we have, and a short coat of 24 inches will cost from $4000 to $30,000. It The fourth of this wonderful bevy of beauties is Mrs. Reginald Brooks, . of Newport and New York. Only one remains, the lovely Nora, and with all her advantages it is hardly pos isible that she will fail to do as well, if takes 60 sable skins to make a coat of this length. A full-length coat will cost in proportion. The advance in the price In Ave years has been 20 or 30 per cent. "There is no fur or fabric so remark able for Its beauty of color and text ure. It is valuable as it is dark in color. There are many grades of these skins, and some of them bring com paratively low prices, although they are extremely beautiful. "The costliest Russian sable is very dark. The lighter .skins are colored so skillfully that only an expert could de tect the imposture. These skins, how ever, fade rapidly and lose their hue. The best Russian sable skins cost $600 apiece, and we have even paid as high as $900 a skin. A very fine sable coat can cost a fortune. "The Hudson Bay sable, which is an American product. Is much inferior in color and quality of fur, but is ex tremely popular. A 24-inch coat in the best quality will cost about $5000. This fur, although very handsome. Is much lighter in color than the Russian. "Mink ranks next In popularity. The largest and finest skins come from Labrador and Northern Canada. These are a dark brown in hue, dense, short and fine. Further south the fur is of a lighter hue and not so valuable. This animal is also becoming scarce and the price has Increased materially in the last five years. A mink coat of 23 inches will cost from $700 to $1100, ac cording to the quality of fur. A long or three-quarter coat can be had from $1300 to $2600. The body of the animal is very slender and about 12 to IS inches in length. "Chinchilla is fashionable and will continue to be so. A coat of chinchilla will cost from $1630 to $3000. The finest chinchilla is a' delicate clear gray in color. This fur is especially popular for coat linings and collars. "One of the most fashionable furs of the day is moire Persian, which has a watered silk effect. It is especially suitable to elderly ladies. It is a spe cies of baby lamb and is more expen sive that broadtail Persian, but the latter has a heavier fur. The moire Persian or baby lamb is supposed to be the fur of the animal prematurely born. not better, than any other member of the family. The millions of William Waldorf Astor for one thing are at her command. In his affeetlon for Mrs. Astor, the head of the family also Includes her sister, and he has made clear, so it is said, that when the time for her marriage comes he will see to it that she does not lack for a dot, if such be needed. In her brief experience In London, Miss the parent animal's life being sacri ficed for this purpose. "A three-quarter coat of this fur will cost from $500 up, according to the quality, the best about .$800. A 50-inch garment will cost in the neighborhood of $1100. "The Persian sheep is in color black, brown and sometimes white, and the fur of the lamb is very beautiful, being closely curled. For use all these skins are dyed a beautiful black, and this can only be properly done in Ger many. Broadtail is the best wearing. It Is as durable as seal. "The prevailing fashion In coats is the three-quarter length or the full length. The skirt is full and the sleeves are large at the shoulder, the regular coat sleeves. The loose-fitting coat is the most fashionable, with a slight fitting around the hips to give shape. "jackets or short coats are almost unsalable. The 40-inch coat is taking the place of all small coats, even Etons. "The fashionable fur lining for cloth coats is mink, chinchilla and squirrel, or brown coney. "Men's coats have a lining of mink, muskrat, brown coney or French dyed muskrat, with a collar of Russian sable, sea otter, mink or beaver. They range in price from $135 to $1300. "There was a time when otter was fashionable for coats for both men and women, but it has been found to be too heavy and is not used at all now except for trimming. It is also ex pensive. "White coney is a very fashionable fur for collars, stoles and muffs, and is inexpensive. "Dyed lynx is the fashionable fur of the year in black for stoles and muffs and collars. This fur is also growing very scarce and the price is rising. A set will cost from $50 to $125, accord ing to the length of the stole. "Black marten and brown fox are staple furs, but are not much worn. Lynx, or mink,' or silver Alaska fox take their place, but any kind of fox wears poorly; the hair is too fine for durability. "Silver fox, so much worn last year and so highly prized, is not much sought this year because of an imita tion now on the market which can be had for $75 a boa. The same in silver fox would cost $1800. For one skin alone the price Is $400. It does not wear well, however: the hair is very One and dellcats and breaks off." Nora has had enormous success. Next only to Mrs. Charles Dana Gibson, she is said to be the most ravishing of the quintet of beauties, and already she has been compelled to turn down suitors that any other girl would have considered most desirable. The Prince Francis of Teck, mentioned as the most likely of the swains, Is not rich, and It Is rumored that he Is only too anxious to make an alliance that would better his fortunes. From Miss Langhorne herself he could expect no dot, but Mr. Astor Is ready to take care that the alliance will not be made im possible because of Miss Langhorne's modest means. Some Curious Fads and Fancies ONE of the most remarkable freak newspapers ever printed ' was the Lumlnaara, published in Madrid. It was printed with ink containing phosphorus, so that the paper- could be read in the dark. Another curiosity was called the Regal, printed with non-poisonous ink on thin sheets of dough, which could be eaten, thus furnishing nourishment for body as well as mind. Le Blen Etre promised those who subscribed for 40 years a pension and free burial. A Russian does not become of age until he Is 26. The first photographs were taken in England in 1802. In Australia there are nearly 247,000 more men than women. London uses 50,000 tons of sugar annual ly for jam-making. For every ton of gold in circulation there are 15 tons of silver. As a rule a man's hair turns gray five years sooner than a woman's. The average amount of sickness In hu man life is nine days out of one year. Germany sends 29,000.000 feathers per year to England for millinery purposes. The coal consumption per head Is greater in England than any other coun try. It requires 50 pounds of candle to pro duce as much light as 1000 cubic feet of gas. The average life of a woman is 44 years and that of a man 41 years. A snail student has ascertained that it takes the little creature 14 days to travel a mile. Special clocks, which need winding up only once in 400 days, are now manufac tured m Munich. France imports about 170 tons of hu man hair every year, and about 100 tons of it comes from China. The temperature of countries with sandy soils is higher than those with clay or other compact soils. For penknives the steel is tempered at 470 degrees, for tableknlves at 530 de grees, for saws at 660 degrees. Frequent use of the microscope Is said to prevent near-sightedness. Watch makers are seldom afflicted with it. High heels. It is said, ows their origin For one present, no matter who she marries. Miss Nora is likely to receive a home that would bear comparison with the beautiful estates of England, for her brother-in-law, Mr. Waldorf Astor, dur ing his recent visit to the United States; went down to Virginia and spent a time at "Mirador." While there he suggested to Mr. Lang horne his desire to restore the estate to the same magnificent condition it was before the war curtailed the family ex chequer. The object is that ultimately the estate might go to Miss Nora and whoever leads her to the altar. It is said that only money Is required to put "Mirador".' in a condition where it would fairly rival the palace of the Vanderbllts "Biltmore" Young Mrs. Astor's conquests during the present Winter have been the talk of London. One after another she has drawn to "Cliveden" the most prominent leaders of the British nobility. Not even the American girls who have married directly into the families of tho earls and dukes have succeeded In -establishing such a vogue, and this in spite of the fact that her father-in-law was by no means popular prior to her introduction Into London society. With such a sister for a sponsor, and the millions of immensely wealthy Astor at hand, it is hardly possible that Miss Nora will fail to add still further pres tige to a remarkable quintet of girls. to Persia, where they were Introduced to raise the feet from the burning sands. Organ grinders in Vienna are not al lowed to play In the morning or evening only between midday and sunset. The tip of the tongue is the most sensi tive part of the human body the tips of the fingers come next and third the lips. Of a million girl babies born, 871,266 are alive at 12 months. Of the' boys, SO.OOO fewer live through the first year. The Japanese lover. Instead of an en gagement ring, may give his future bride a piece of beautiful silk to be worn as a sash. The larger kind of West Indian firefly gives a light so brilliant that by it print ed matter may be read at a distance of two or three inches. Every soldier in the Russian army is to be provided with a pocket compass with a luminous needle, and 300,000 compasses, costing $400,000, have already been or dered. The teredo, or shipworm which, In the days when vessels were made ot timber, was responsible for more disasters than any other cause is -now threatening the Canadian timber trade. What is reported to be the largest ap ple tree in the United States Is In the garden of Charles Waterhouse, South ington, ' Conn. It yielded 50 bushels of apples this season. Red seems to be the most popular of national colors, if flags are to be used as criterlons. Of the 25 leading national flags. 19 have red in them. The same cannot be said of any other color. Denmark's kings for centuries have all been named Christian or Frederick. It is the law that Christian must be suc ceeded by Frederick and Frederick by Christian. To attain this every Danish prince, no matter what other names he may rective. always Includes Christian and Frederick among them. In some parts of West Africa the girls have long engagements. On the day of their birth they are betrothed to a baby boy a trifle older than themselves, and at the age of 20 they are married. The girls know no other way of getting a husband, and so they are quite happy and satisfied. As wives they are patterns of obedience, and the marriages usually turn out successes.
