The Sunday Oregonian., February 11, 1912, SECTION SIX, Page 3, Image 73

.8 "
ATALQGUE
p r2 PSSEiRyfr' SPINSTER
ai4 widsws;
Bn a L;st: o the Most Eligible Bachelors of
the Realm and a Discourse Upon the Most Ap
proved Forms of Feminine Popping Single Bles
sedness Among Our Public Men and Multi-
Millionaires V nusual
Bachelor Crop This Year
What They Have to Offer
in Position. Pedigree and
Pocketbook.
PT JOKX EtFUtTH WATK1NH.
THE leap year proposal which an
ardent Texas ladr has addressed
to the young and statuesque
restmaster-General suggests that a
catalogue of bachelor Americans,
worthy of being termed "good leap
year catches." might be of interest. If
not of value, to tha many worthy but
neglected spinsters' and widows of ths
Isod.
And fnr the guidance of all good
ladles tired of a single existence It
will not be amiss to add a few classic
and historic precedents established by
brars ladles who have proposed to
their future lrds and masters, and
who hare thusestabllshed a code use
ful and essential to tha fine art of
leap year proposing.
'Twere radlly prelvd why tha
Tost master-General should have re
ceived a leap year proposal within
the first few days of this magic year.
Only recently has be arrived at that
age of discretion when men are ripe
enough for the matrimonial market
tor of Cummers he has seen but 44.
Like Washington and Jefferson, he la
red-haired, and stands several Inches
over the sis-foot mark a combination
bespeaking as great emotional as
physical powers.
With cheek, chin and lip as caked as
those of Adonis, he yet preserves the
figure of the Apollo Belvlder a
shoulder broad and square and a
waist vJIna fully preserved. 'With a
year ard a month yet left In his terra
of office and mavhap four more
years into the bargain he has abund
ant time In which to heap upon soma
ladv fair the exalted, honor of being a
Tablnet wife and of assuming a so
cial eminence second only to that of
the land's first lsdy herself.
IT is the only bachelor adorning tha
Cabinet board, and none grace the
bench of tha Supreme Court. But in
the Senate there are three.
Oar Bachelor StateaairB.
The youngest of this defiant trio Is
Senator Brandegee. of Connecticut.
only 47. who haa to his credit a wealth
of good looks. But tha leap year
BT BATTERMAK LINDSAT.
WHEN I came upon the House quite
unespectedly. 1 experienced a
shock of startled recognition,
but no surprise; for I bad been seeing It
now and again in my dreams for many
years. No dwelling could have been
mnr commonplace and unattractive In
appearance. The long way of It abutted
upon the road, and the steep weather
beaten alope of Its roof enhanced the
gray monotony of Its exterior.
It was two-storied, with narrow
porches expending Its whole length,
above and below: and from the dust
of the highway one could step directly
Upon the unralled lower one. In both
toties. It had a door In tha middle and
two small-paned window on either
side, which rreaiell an uncanny Im
pression of empty eye sockets.
Evidently it was long deserted, and
so I had always seen It; but It was
still in good condition, for those whom
It had once served as a roadhouse had
long since passed another way, and
there was none to molest It
The Interior of this house had never
been shown to me; so I swung from
my saddle to the porch, determined to
have the secret of It before going fur
ther. Tha door was not locked, and
admitted me to a small square entry,
with a door on either hand, and be
tween them a stair, occupying the
whole width of the ball, and ascending
before me to the upper regions.
The portal to my right led Into a
parlor, where the cheap and gaudy pa
per was still Intact, though faded and
discolored, and from an empty stove
pipe bole sooty streaks ran down the
wall. Behind this was a large apart
ment which no doubt had once been
the dining-room; from her on passed
through a pantry under the stairs Into
the whilom kitchen, and from there
Into the front room on the left of
the entrance, formerly the bar and
office of the tavern. Here was a huge
fireplace of rough stone, and a large
table of home-made workmanship.
Other than this there was not a ves
tige of furniture, not a closet or cubby
hole which could have concealed a
mouse.
The secret was not hidden here.
I climbed the stairs, my tread echo
ing hollowly In the empty edifice. A
narrow hallway divided the house In
two from end to end. and In each half
were four small chambers. One after
another I entered them, and gaxed wltn
fatuous gravity at bar walla and
floors; baldly naked to the wan light
of the Autumn afternoon, staring la
through curtalnless windows. In two
or three of the rooms were the soot-be-.
whiskered stove-pipe boles, and I ex
plored these with a serious attention
of which I should have bated to think
there was any witness.
As I prowleJ. Intermittent noises as
of stealthy footfalls and faintly rus
tling garments accompanied me. Once,
aa I entered a chamber from the hall,
av door connecting it with the next en.
we
cine "OHPLET
charmer who wins hint must possesa
sufficient magnetism to counteract tha
attraction of the seven cluha to which
he belongs one for avery night in the
week.
Moreover, she should not be of an
inquisitive nature, for as chairman of
tha mmmlttta that has lately uncov
ered tha evils of the "third degree" he
has become initiated into all or tne
secrets of forcing confessions. As his
Senatorial term will not expire xor
three years, there Is abundant time
for his captor to enjoy the social ad
vantagea of his rank after leading him
to the altar.
The two other Senatorial bachelors.
Burton, of Ohio, and Penrose, of Penn
sylvania, are looked upon as confirmed
misoa-amlsts. but there is always a
chance for the right lady at the right
psychological moment. Senator Burton,
having Just passed his SOtfi birthday.
can be more highly recommended for
hla docility than Senator Penrose, who
la only SI. But the Ohio Senator's be
ing a minister's son may compensate
for this discrepancy In years that is.
If we accept . the ancient belief that
rectory-reared boys are more prone,, to
mischief than those brought up in an
environment more worldly. In a pub
lished catalogue of Americans of royal
closed softly. I sprang to It, but when
opened it revealed only another empty
space between four walls.
Once. I sneexed. and brought a cloud
of Impalpable dust down upon me. and
Inaugurated a clamor of raucous echoes
that appalled me.
One by one. I completed my examina
tion of the rooms; all were alike in
their stark bareness, until I cam to
the eighth, a corner one. As I crossed
Its threshold, marveling at it Strang
obscurity, so unlike the others, a shad
owy figure advanced to meet me
through an open door, where no door
should be. but an outer wall.
I arrested myself, my grasp still on
the knob, and the other did likewise.
My hand instinctively sought my hip.
a gestur'duplicated by the other.
It was an appreciable time before the
comprehension grew upon me that he
who was thus coming to meet me was
m y o w n Imsge reflected In the opposite
window darkened Into a reflecting sur
face by the crowding gray-green
branches of a sturdy Juniper. A dis
regarded seedling when the house was
built, it had since grown intoa lusty
shrub, pressing closely against the
pane. I laughed sheepishly, and the
echoes mocked m with cacophonous
din.
It Is disconcerting to hear your own
laugh In an empty dwelling, and you
alone In It- I awore under my breath,
and quietly made my way back down
stairs. Standing on the veranda. I argued
with myself, attempting to convict my
self of folly In permitting a chanc
resemblance to the fantasy of a dream
to assume proportions of such Impor
tance la my Imagination. In vain; for
aa my eye roved over in scene, now
beheld for the first time. It too seemed
aa familiar aa the sound of my ' own
name.
On the opposite side of the road lay
a small lake with marshy borders oc
cuoylng the center of an oval basin
rimmed by low, bare hills of tarnished
copper hue. Out of the hlUs at the
upper end the old highway emerged,
passed the house midway and went
out of sight again Into the hills at
the lower end. The sky was overcast
by a uniform dull pall and so I had
always seen it. In every detail of it
featureless monotony, the seen wa
familiar. . . m
For me. this hous certainly held
something, and I must know what b
for taking th road again. I turned
and re-entered.
Again I received a shock.
Sitting half way up th stairs, with
a small derringer cocked across her
knees, was a young woman. '
"Don't move another step." ah said.
Th warning waa needless. Burprls
held me motionless more effectually
than her weapon. But for th entirely
human sound of her voice. I should
have regarded her as a second Illusion.
-What were you loosing for up
stairs?" ah Inquired after th mutual
star had endured several seconds.
"You can search me!" I replied fer
vently. "Though, now that 1 com to
think of It. I believe It must have been
you. though I did not realize It at the
time."
"Don't be flippant!" she admonished
crlfply- "1 am very much In earnest!"
Woold you, object 19. .turning that,
House
) & eg
If
7
v
on
descent Senator Penrose is entered aa
a direct descendant of Llewelyn Io.
werth, the lireat. who was Prince of
North Wales back In the twelve hun
dreds. Likeliest Catch la Coaarreaa.
But the Congressional' leap year
catch who can boast of the likeliest
combination of youth and wealth Is
Representative Butler Ames, ox Alass
weapon a little?" I suggested humbly.
"I don't mind telling you that It makes
me feel quite a bit nervous."
There was Just the faintest per
ceptible twitching at the corners of her
mouth, which I regarded as a favorable
algn. She deflected the barrel slightly,
and looked me over consideringly.
"Can I be of any .use to you?" I In
quired politely.
"No, thank you," she returned with
equal politeness. "My' father will be
back in a few moments. Or yes! Tou
will oblige me greatly by getting on
your horse and going on wherever It
was you were going."
"I had Intended to pass the night in
this Inn." I replied.
"Please!" she said.
It was Impossible to disregard the
entreaty In her voice. I turned from
the door and stood on the porch, reflect
ing, while mv pony nusxled In my palm.
Mount and rid away: From in is
Siting Jzsf
V-
r
achusetts, grandson of the famous
Civil War hero. General "Ben" But
ler. Ha is only 40, a stylish dresser
and a great drawing-room favorite.
Tha lady who snares him will find
him a handy man about the house, for
he haa a natural genius lor tinner.
House of my Dreams, that held en
shrined in Its emptlnese something so
unexpectedly precious? So madly piqu
ing to curiosity! So evidently In need
of protection. That at least was sure,
whatever else was mysterious.
The tires of an auto had left their
broad tracks In the dust of the old road.
I had noted them on my It ret arrival,
wondering idly what errand could have
brought th machine into this deserted
and forgotten land. The car had stopped
in front of this house, people had gotten
out (the story was told plainly in the
dust) and then the wheel marks went
steadily on toward the hills.
Why was this girl left behind alone, a
prey to fear and suspicion?
No, I would not mount and ride way.
I led my pony to the lake, loosened
the ciivrh and let him drink his fill, then
brought him back and loft him before
the door, with trailing rein, for so he
was trained to stand till th last
trumpet sounded If left so long. Then
I knocked some boards off Hhe shed
which had once stabled the stage horses
and tsklng them In through the kitchen
door, soon had a snapping blaze in the
cavernous chimney. With a bough from
the Juniper tree I swept the dust from
table and floor, and with some of the
niched boards Improvised a seat.
Not until all this was done did I ven
ture a peep into the hall to see if the
bird were still there. It was; perched
In the same place a tired and worried
looking bird. Should JL be able to coax
It from Its perch" "
"Won't you come to the fire?" I In
quired cheerfully. "You may as well
bs comfortable while you wait."
With but a momentary hesitation she
compiled. She seated herself on tha
makeshift bench and bilked In the fire
light with evident enjoyment.
"It feels good." she remarked after
a moment. "It was getting right chilly
out there."
I sat on a corner of the table and
waited 'or her to make the conversa
tion. Judging that course to be more
becoming in me.
She unwound her veil and took off
her hat, stabbing the pins back Into it.
and lifted her hair lightly with her
finger tips. The worried look faded
measurably from her face, and the
nervous tension of her figure relaxed
as she gave herself up to rest and
warmth.
"If we only had a cup of tea now, we
would be quite coxy," she ventured v.th
a charming smile.
"Just what I was thinking myself!"
I agreed with enthusiasm.
"No! Really, we couldn't!"
"We surely can." I assured her, and
hastened to fill my camp kettle from
the lake; to rake out a bed of clear
coals, on th hearth and set the kettle
over them on two flat stones.- I pro
duced my package of tea, my few lumps
of sugar and my one tin cup. The top
of my flask made a second. If diminutive,
drinking vessel, and very quickly we
were drinking tea, and munching
crackers In perfect good-fellowship.
"It la Just like one of Mrs. Wharton's
or Robert Chambers' stories. Thels
people are always eating or drinking
something." my mysterious girl said,
giggling delightedly. She was very
young, certainly not more than It, and
though her manner was perfect in its
decorum, I could not doubt that the
Dreams
2 -Ji
IS
In sr. Already he has built himself an
automobile and an aeroplane.
Maidens seeking the traveled expe
rience of the patriarch In combination
with the grace and pulchritude of
youth should give careful considera
tion to the charms of that suave ana
roots of her soul were steeped In Joy
of this adventure.
Moving unthinkingly, from some
where about her the derringer dropped
to the floor. She gazed at It in round-
eyed horror.
"It mlirht have gone off!" she
Krefl t hud
"It was impossible not to laugh as I
stooped to pick it up. She grew prim
again instantly. s
"All the same, I should have used it.
if yon had not stopped when you were
asked!" she said.
I hastened to assure her that I had
no doubt on the subject.
"What were you laughing at when
you were upstairs?" she asked suspici
ously. I related my ditenj0rtin(r encounter
with my own reflection, when I also
had been quite sudden with my pistol,
and we laughed over It together.
"Do you know." sh confided. "I
thought you were laughing because
you knew I was there, dodging around
from room to room to keep out of
your sight. Truly, did you not know
I was there?"
"I felt It," I returned soberly. "But
In- that Idlotlo way we mortals have
of denying all tho subtle best Of us,
ill
1
2V
2 fmottcon
amiable bachelor diplomat, John Bar
rett, director-general of the Pan
American Union. Besides serving as
editor and war correspondent, he has
in the brief compass of his 45 years
performed Important missions for his
Government in as many countries as
you can -count upon the fingers of your
two hands. At slipper time before the
biasing fire the widely traveled John
can be depended upon to discourse en
tertainingly of his adventures In Slam,
Japan, Cores, Siberia, India, Mexico,
Argentina, Panama and Colombia, for
he entered the diplomatic service while
only In his twenties. In the drawing
rooms of the capital he has long been
a prime favorite with the debutantes
of officialdom and as a banquet host
he has no peer.
Strength, Wealth and Pedigree.
Another leap year eligible, both or
namental and useful Is the Treasurer
of the United States, Lee McClung.
Having been a famed athlete In his
time he Is the physical ideal of the
ardent and powerful knight who could
bounce his lady love upon his saddle
and bear her off unto the priest and
his castle bold. He was the star foot
ball captain at Tale 20 years ago and
he still keeps In training upon the
tennis court. Only 41 years have got
ten past him and he is fair to look
upon. Moreover, ne has a greater pe
cuniary responsibility than any other
Amerloan.
Perhaps no American bachelor In
public life has to offer as many at
tractions as Glfford Pinchot, the "pro
gressive" agitator. He is very rich,
handsome, scholarly and young only
49. He lives In one of the show
houses of Washington, has been edu
cated not only at Yale, but In the uni
versities of France, Germany, Swits
erland and Austria; has been a col
lege professor and Federal official.
Many sportsmen regard him as Ameri
ca's greatest angler and big game
hunter. Moreover, he has the entree
of the most exclusive social circles
here and abroad. His sister. Lady
Johnstone, is tha wife of an eminent
British diplomat. So the lady who
captures him will be assured a social
career on both sides of the big pond.
There Is also a chance this year for
some ambitious lady to make herself a,
Bonaparte. When It comes to name
and pedigree there is no more tempt
ing "eligible" than Jerome Napoleon
Bonaparte, III, a Washington bachelor,
who will reach his S4th birthday this
month. He is the great-grandson of
Jerome Bonaparte, King of West
phalia and great-grandnephew of Na
poleon Bonaparte, Emperlor of France.
Although born in Paris, he is an Amer
ican citizen and Harvard graduate.
His mother died this Winter, leaving
him a fortune and the jewels of his
royal forbear.
e
I told myself It was a childish lmag-
"Jhe regarded m thoughtfully. "And
ypu do not think it strange for m to
a hr,f" all a tnmiired.
, "As incredibly strange," I replied,
"as If, plcklnff a pebble out of my
pony's shoe, I had found it a diamond."
"Well, you are here also!" she re
turned, instantly on the defensive.
"I am quickly accounted for," said
I. "A civil and mining engineer, tem
porarily idle, I am doing a little pros
pecting on my own account. It has
always been a theory of mine that this
country was never more than scratched
a little on tha surface."
"Just what my father says!" she
cried. "Are you a Berkeley man?"
she asked irrelevantly, her eyes upon
my pin.
I admitted the fact, "I wonder If
you knew my cousin, Billy Billings?
He is a D. K. E., too."
It was my great good luck to have
known Billings well, and forthwith we
were in hot pursuit of further mutual
acquaintanceship. But presently her
brow clouded, and she consulted her
toy watch.
"Dad surely ought to be back by
now." she said, with a return of her
anxiety. And then sh quite simply
expounded the mystery of her pres
ence, whicn, after all, was no mys
tery. "A few weeks ago, a man came to
papa in Los Angeles, and told a tale
of having located a mine, the richest
ever, but he had never done his as
sessment work on it. He was without
the price of a meal, not to mention
enough to get him over here, and he
offered to show papa the place and
give him a half Interest. If he would
come down here with him and re-locate.
He said there are too many
people prowling around through this
country these days you, for Instance
and that somebody els was liable
to rediscover and locate his precious
mine at any time. He got papa in
terested finally, and prevailed upon
him to come, and I made dad let me
come. Just for fun. About noon we
stopped here with the Intention of eat
ing our lunch, and papa went down
V the lake after a pail of water. I
got out and came up on the porch to
peep in the windows of this house. In
the wink of an ey that ungrateful
wretch was off with the car, and left
papa and m staring at each other
from opposite sides of the roads like
a pair of Cheshire cats. And the
worst feature of it was, he had the
lunch basket!"
I silently passed her the cracker
tin. She took one and nibbled it as
she continued. '
"We held a council of war, and de
cided the only possible thing to do was
for dad to walk back 10 miles or so,
nd try tar get a conveyance of some
sort at a ranch we passed. I never
walked that far In my life, at once I
mean, and would have been a great
hindrance to him, when time Is so im
portant. And we both thought I would
be perfectly safe in this old house, so
papa gave me his derringer and left
me. And not a soul came by, or a
thing happened until you."
"Are you mot rather glad I hap
pened?" I ventured.
"Yes. I am." she answered frankly.
"It waa setting mighty, spooky for i
.
This leap year's list of young bsche
lor scions of the great multi-millionaire
families is unusually promising.
First there Is young William Vincent
Astor, who will become of age during
the year. He is the only son of John
Jacob Astor, who, after naving been
divorced by Mrs. Ava Willing Astor,
married Miss Force a few months ago.
Another bachelor Astor is John Jacob
the Fifth who Is the younger son of
William Waldorf. He will be 26 this
year and his prospective Bhare of his
father s estate is estimated at $70,000,
000. He is an officer in the most aris
tocratic of London regiments, the
King's Life Guards. Several years
ago, while his troop was at swimming
practice, he dived in and saved a troop
er who. after having been kicked
senseless by a horse, had fallen into
the water.
A prospective head of the house of
Gould is also In this leap year's mat
rimonial market. This is Klngdon.
eldest son of George Jay Gould, the
present head of that multi-millionaire
family. The share of the latter's es
tate, to which young Klngdon will be v
entitled, is estimated at $10,000,000
He and his younger brother have been
subjected to spartan discipline by their
father, who built them a gymnasium
and polo field upon his Lakewood es
tate, Georgian Court.
The great Vanderbllt family, too, has
a young bachelor, Harold S., a eon of
William K. .and a brother of the Duch
ess of Marlborough. He Is only 2.
'Then the Qoelet family has to offer
to the lady with the proper dot, Rob
ert Walton, who 1b 31. He Is the eld
est of the two children of the late Rob
ert Goelet, td.
In the multl-mllllonair house ot
Havemeyer there Is a rich cateh in the
person of Toung Raymond, a bachelor
who will this year reach the 28th. year
mark. He is the grandson of Wil
liam Frederick, let, founder of the
fortune, and the son of William Fred
erick, 2d.
Heirs to Princely Fortune.
Other promising catches in the great
tnulti-mllllonalre families are:
Pierre Lorillard, 3d. Harvard grad
uate, and his brother Grlswold, who
will reach SO and 27 this year. They
are both sons of Pierre, Jd.
Raymond Belmont, nearly 34, and his
brother Morgan, almost 20 sons of
August Belmont and each heir to one
third of his fortune.
Marshall Field, 3d, grandson of the
merchant prince and son of late Mar
shall Field, 2d. He Is the male head
of the house and will be 19 in a few
months.
Philip D. Armour, 8d, grandson of the
beef baron and one of the two sons
of the late Philip D., 2d. He is making
ready to celebrate his 18th birthday.
Few young gentlemen upon this
(Concluded on Page 4.)
r
gr zoves
a fact, and cold. But I wish that my
father would haDben.'
As If In answer to her wish there
was a sound of wheels outside. She
whisked to the door, and I followed,
not too far behind to witness the look
of tens anxiety on the face of the
newcomer give place to one of pleased
relief on beholding his daughter, safe
and Joyous. The sight of my pony
must indeed have given him some bad
moments as he approached.
My inconnue cleared the situation at
once by introducing me as one who
belonged to the same frat an Billy
Billings, and had been "most kind."
"Very glad to know you, Mr. 8ta
nup," said the old gentleman, extend
ing his hand with perfunctory cor
diality. While his daughter adjusted
her hat and veil, and looked for her
gloves, his eyes rested thoughtfully
upon my range pony. Huddenly his face
lighted. He turned with animation to
me.
"That look like a mighty good lit
tle broncho," he suggested.
"I presume my daughter has told you
of our ridiculous predicament It has
occurred to mo that If you would drive
her on to Hawthorne, and led me your
pony, I might outwit that scoundrel
yet. He knows no more about a ma
chine than I do about roping a steer,
and he Is bound ,'to come to grief be
fore he gets very far. I used, to be
very familiar with this country once
myself, and I can come pretty near lo
cating that mine now without any fur
ther assistance from him. It can be
but a short distance from here in an air
line, and I can cut through the hills on
the pony."
The suggestion was promptly ap
proved by me, and Daughter's protest
ing "Papa?" was met with a somewhat
brusque reply.
"It is the best that can be done, my
dear. I am determined not to be made
a monkey of by that scamp. There is
a decent hotel in Hawthorne. Mr. Stan
up will take you there, you will engage
a room for me and register us both,
and I will be with you som time to
morrow." He imprinted a hasty salute upon his
daughter's cheek, and was off at a
swinging lope across the plain. Daugh
ter turned to me with a little laugh
that was almost a sob.
"You seem to be in for it!" she said.
"It sure looks as if I were elected,"
I replied, dissembling my exceeding Joy,
lest I should appear to be taking an un
fair advantage of the situation. Then
I proceeded, as matter-of-factly as if
nothing epochal had happened to me,
to give the team a drink and extin
guish the fire upon the hearth. For I
would have no snapping sparks destroy
mv blessed House of Dreams. Per
chance I might wish to pass my honey
moon in it. Nothing could seem be
yond th bounds of possibility now:
noe even that l snouia win mis lair
maiden whose name I did not know as
yet, but whom my heart had Joyously
acclaimed at the very moment whan she
was pointing a pistol at my head.
As we drove away rrom tne House,
Papa rode into a gully between the
hills and disappeared from our view.
And under the brooding sky in all that
dun world, there were but we two, as
alone as the first pair.
.(Copyright by Shortstory. Pun. Co.),