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LOVELY JEKYL, WINTER PARADISE OF
American Multimillionaires
woodsman’s ax never fells the towering
branches until after nature has spent her
time and decay begins to make a longer
stay dangerous. The moss-covered roads
have now attained even greater attrac
tiveness as along each bicycle paths are
being built and soon all will be paralleled
by them. William Rockefeller and Gor
don McKay have each donated one which
bear thrlr respective names and are con
stantly used by i ie younger set that visit
Jekyl annually.
The membership of Jekyl as last made
public shows eighty-six names. There
Have been six members elected since those
names were given out, but announcement
of same has not yet been made.
Among the more prominent men of the
club's membership are:
FROM NEW YORK CITY.—Messrs.
Frances E. Baker. Frederic N.
Baker, Cornelius N. Bliss, Frank S. Bond,
M. C. D. Borden, Calvin S. Brice (estate).
Bayard M. Brown. Prescott Hall Butler.
FROM LAKEWOOD. N. J.—Messrs.
Arthur B. Claflin, George J. Gould.
FROM ST. PAUL, MINN—James J.
Hill.
FROM NEWPORT, R. L—Gordon Mc
Kay.
The only honorary member of the club
is Rev. Charles H. Parkhurst, of New
Yoft. The constitution of the club pro
vides that honorary members elected prior
to January 1, 1900, shall continue to en
joy all the privileges to which they were
then entitled, but it also specifics that
no other honorary members shall he
elected. This means that Dr. Parkhurst
is the only honorary member that the
club will ever have.
A MARTYR OF TODAY * By Loilie C Bell
Miss Bell has Written many excellent stories for southern periodicals. The following story}, nvhich figured prominently in the
special mention series of The Sunnv S:uth contest is, one of her best.
Written for CAe Sunny South
HE sultry September
HE Jekyl Island Club can
now be justly termed the
most exclusive social or
ganization in the world. Jt
is exclusive from the stand
point of members, as now
tli. mystic number that
controls t lie destinies of
tills island winter hone of
the multimillionaires of
America is only ninety-two.
Some of these days, when
lime and Providence reduce
this number, perhaps others
will be elected to take their place, but
now mar.y are applying wiile few arc
chosen to membership in the^ most care
fully guarded club winter resort on the
western hemisphere. Not only is the
membership limited, but this year, in ac
cordance with the wishes of the ma
jority, the nun.her of invitations which
is allowed each member to extend to his
friends are limited to two, so that, even
should all the members go to Jekyl dur
ing any one season (which is very im
probable), and should each one of them
carry their limit of guests, there could
he only 270 of the “chosen" set foot on
tliis beautiful club and forest reserve.
Jn connection with this pit sent limit t-
tion ot guests, and the desire of Joky?
Island Club members to be removed .- s
lar as possible from the world eiutsl.le,
there is an Interesting story told. It
stems that those enterprising gentlemen
who manage the passenger business of
tlie respective great railroadways to the
south are in some measure responsible
for the new rule, and it came about in
this way: Jekyl, famed this country over
aid familiar to newspaper and magazine
readers everywhere, has not escaped the
passenger agent's eye for advertising
purposes, and the club members have no-
ticed with increasing interest the manner
in which Jekyl was in raided on the rail
road advertising folders and fivers as one
of the winter resorts of the south. Some
of those people who travel with the
changing of the seasons conceived the
idea thfet Jekyl was a iesort to which
all could come, and as time rolled on the
mail to Jekyl club house asking for rates,
etc., inertased at an annoying rate. Then
it was that the members decided that it
would he better to emphasize the exclu-
siv.eness of their retreat, and hence it is
told that the limit order on guests went
forth.
The members feel that as they have
bought the island and have spent some
half a million dollars of their own money
In beautifying it they are entitled to what
ever rest, and comfort they can get front
it and therefore do not want anyone to
mistake their wishes.
The members also feel that the news
papers have had so much to say of Jekyl
as a resort, without specifying partteular-
Newspapers ly that it was a private
Have resort, that this too has
Given Un» in a measure misled the
welcome general public as to the
character of the island,
to It was this condition of
Island affairs that confronted
your correspondent and Mr. Gustave
Ivobbe, the well-known author, a few
days ago when application was made
to Superintendent Ernest Grob for per
mission to visit Jekyl. Only the fact
of the two applicants being known by
reputation and their papers being regard
ed as first-class journals, secured the de
sired permission, for, as Superintendent
Grob graciously put it, after explaining
the members’ position: “I know you
gentlemen and the papers you.represent.
Ednvin Gould's $5,000 stable on Jeky.
therefore do not feel that you will mis
represent us in any way.”
With these kind words Superintendent
Grob literally turned over the keys of
Jekyl and soon had a pair of the finest
roadsters in the Island stables drawing
a stunning trap for our disposal. In
the drive which followed Mr. Emmet
Taylor accompanied Mr. Ivobbe an'd my
self and pointed out the many improve
ments that money and labor have made
in the everlasting efforts that are al
ways in evidence to make this the most
attractive and restful resorts in the
world.
To begin with, the club house has been
thoroughly gone over during the summer
just passed, and added to this an annex
has been built, which cost some $125.0im).
This annex in exterior appearance is on
the Italian renaissance order nnd as its
imposing side greets the eye of the club
member landing from the boat after, a
long ride from the north it is restful in
the extreme. This part of the club house
was built during the summer by six mem
bers. viz.:
Messrs. Charles Lanier, Cornelius N.
Bliss, Morris K. Jesup, Samuel Spencer
and John S. Kennedy, of New York city;
Messrs. Edmund Hayes and J. J. Al
bright, of Buffalo, N. Y., and Mr. Fran
cis Bartlett, of Boston. Mass. Of these
Mr. Samuel Spencer has been down and
selected his apartments, and they are'
now being prepared for his coming later
in the season. Mr. Francis Bartlett, ac
companied by his niece, Mrs. Guy Nor
man, a prominent social leader of Bos
ton, Is now on Jekyl arranging the apart
ments that he and his guests will occu
py. This apartment annex bids fair to
rival in popularity the famous "Sans
Souci,” the first apartment house built
on Jekyl, .and which has long been one
of the most admired buildings belonging
to the club members either here or else
where.
The "Sans Souci," in fact. Is almost as
much discussed by the club members as
the Island itself, and it was in the upper
rooms that the meeting between Senator
Marcus Hanna and ex-Speaker Reed oc
curred during the visit of the late Presi
dent McKinley a few years ago.
The "Sans Souci" is owned and was
built by Messrs. J. Pierpont Morgan, Wil
liam Rockefeller, Joseph Stickney, Rob
ert C. Pruyn, J. A. Scrym-
Million* ser and Mrs. W. P. An-
aires Who derson, one of the two
Btail* lady members of the club.
*la® This season one of the
Sans Jouci most active members of
the club promises to be
Edwin Gould. His brother. George Gould,
is also a member, and ills other brother.
Frank, has his application in, and will
probably be elected later. Mr. Gould last
summer bought the D. H. King. Jr., cot
tage, a picturesque Mexican building with
swimming pool and court to add to its at
tractiveness. This is the cottage which
Mr. King donated to the marine hospital
service for use during the Spanish-Amer-
ican war, but which they could not ac
cept.
Mr. Gould has spent several thousand
dollars In beautifying the yards and sur
rounding grounds and some $5,000 on a
stable in which he keeps some of the
best blooded animals that come to Jekyl.
Just off from Mr. Gould’s grounds is the
church In which : Jekyl islanders worship,
and in the small but neat wooden building
Dean Hoffman, the richest clergyman In
the world, preaches to the richest people
in the world during his stay on the
island. The dean is fond of. Jekyl, and
comes down early for the season. The
club members arc fond of him and enjoy
his services very much.
Near the church and Gould retreat Is
the “Maurice” cottage, a $35,000 structure
built of tabby and wood, that is owned
and occupied every season by Mr. and
Mrs. C. S. Maurice, of Athens, Pa. It
is one of the beautiful buildings that one^
secs lroir. the steamei deck in passing \
Jekv] on route to Fernandina, and never I
fails to arouse the interest of passengers. I
Mr. Strothers, of Pennsylvania, also has a
beautiful cottage near these two, and its
hospitable doors have opened to the mer-
sun
shone with,more than the
warmth of midsummer. It
had beat down fiercely and
pitilessly on the hot. dusty
streets 1 of Macon since
early morning, and though
th? shades of evening were
beginning to fal! nnd the
hands of the city clock
were well past 5 there was
scarcely any change to he
felt. As the Central train
pulled up at the shed, its
crowd of tired, humid-looking passengers
hurrieiji out from the din and smoke and
made their way to the line of hacks, or
past tljem to the cars,'seeking their varied
destinations.
Among the first to -step from the plat
form |and elbow his way through" the
crowds was a young man of some eight
or nlnj& and twenty. Just as he came out
from the station, an old White-haired ne
gro. who Ijad been waiting patiently on
the curbstone for more than, an hour, has
tened toward him. He touched his hat
respectfully as he came up.
“Marster’s expectin’ yer, Marse Wey-
land, and he sont de carriage. I lor it out
<Iis way on ’count of do horses b^1n’ skit
tish. Doy ain't been druv lately. ,T
‘‘How is your mastir, David?”
“He ain't no bettor, Marse Weyland. He
knows eberyt’ing and talks monstrous
strong ylt; but de doctors say he ain’t
apt to last de night out. I'se glad yer
got here. Mars2 Weyland. Seems Ink he
set his heart so on yer comm,’ and do
po' old man’s so pitiful like and erlone."
The young map did not speak again un
til they r ached the carriage.
"Drive fast. Dave,” lie said, then briefly:
"It Is hot, I know, but the roads are good.
The “Sans Souci" apartment house on ‘Jekijl
rlest of the many merry Jekyl entertain
ments that the season abounds with. Re
tracing one's steps back from the direc
tion that leads to the cottages above
mentioned Is to pass the club house and
annex and thence down the riverside road
way past the "McKay cottage." owned by
Mr. Gordon McKay, the Newport society
leader, and Mr. H. K. Porter, the wealthy
Pittsburger. V
This road leads to the entrance to the
beach, and it 13 one of the most beautiful
In this country. On the beach the broad
Atlantic rolls and tumbles, while over the
white, clean sand the members find am
ple room for the famous “sun baths.”
enjoyed only on the beacih »t Jekyl. Here
the temporary care-free men of money
walk with their coats off, lie in the sun
in luxurious ease and enjoy that which
nature gives them out of a clean sky,
while the music of the surf falls with
comforting notes upon the tired brain.
After leaving this beach the “members
have-nearly 30 miles of the finest drives
that shells end level roads can produce
and throughout them the forest in al
most primeval state gives shade and cool
ing comfort to the eyes.
The massive gray-bearded moss-covered
trees both -attract and delight*the north
erner who always associates this .trc-pical
foliage with the land °*
Ideal flowers and each year
Climate realizes wl-fh increasing
Penpitsof pleasure that Jekvl qom-
Many mar.ds to the .square Inch
Diversions as much . of. it as does
Florida. All through the
drives the woodland and scenes are mag
nificent in the'lr quiet beauty and the
Y\'e ought to make it in an hour.”
He slammed the door of the old-fash
ioned vehicle as he seated himself, and
then with a thoughtful air be drew a let
ter from his pocket and read it ever with
a puzzled expression. It was written, in
a tremulous, straggling band. "Please
come to me at once,” it ran. “I must
see you before I die. I had thought to
live until you came back to Graystonc,
Tint the Lord has willed that I shall not.
There is something I would tell you before
I go. Something that concerns the birth
and babyhood of Olive, your wife. Some
thing that will affect her future ns well
as clear up the mystery of Iter past. Say
nothing to her of this, but come.” The
. letter was signed “Rc-nald Lyle.”
At last with an exclamation of Impa
tience, he refolded the paper and put it
away. AVhat was the use of puzzling
over that which one was to know in a
few short hours; and how could it matter
to him what Olive was or who her people,
were? Besides, it might come to nothing
after all. Olive had been thelr's from
baby he ad, since the wild autumn night-
Ttis father brought her home.- What could
the strange old recluse of the Cedars
know of her? - '
He had been thinking so deeply that-
time and distance slipped away unnoticed
. nnd he came back to himself with a start
as they entered the gloomy avenue of
cedars that led to the home wnet-e no had
been summoned, and gave the beautiful
old place its name. He stepped ^from the
carriage quickly as It drew up at the
entrance, and as it was turned aside and
driven toward the rear cAthe house, he
ascended the steps and rang the bell.
The Mimmors was answered immediately,
as if some one had been watching for his
coining, and a tall, dark-eyed mulatto
woman bade him come in.
Usually the abiding places of sickness
and death are darkened and still, but the
large, airy room ho entered bore no sem
blance of darkness or sadt.css. The blinds
wc-re thrown wide ojicn, the curtains pull
ed back, a mocking bird was singing in
th ■ window and the glory ot the evening
sun lay over all.
On the high-posted, white curtained bed
In one corner a man was lying, his bright,
steady black eyes strangely at variance
with his white hair and the deathly pal
lor of his_ face.
"It was like you to come,” ho said in a
strong, clef.r vtiee, “but I felt you would.
Your -father never tailed me. He was
faithful unto death, and I was right to
judge the son bj the father. Godfrew Ran
dolph Weyland—your father’s name, your
father’s face—how it brings the old days
back to me!”
r ’You knew my father, then,” said God
frey, "I am glad of that. Most of the
friends cf Ills bo.vhod dtys, like he and
mother have passed away. It is a great
pleasure to meet with you. but why did
you not let U3 know before? Ever since
the summer when we came back tc, Gray-
stone from the city and found you at the
Cedars, Olive and I have wanted to know
tur neighbor, but you would not let us
come.”
"I dared not let you come," said the old
man lowering his voice, “ard yet," reflec
tively, ‘T need not have feared. They
would never dream of seeking me here. I
have been safe for years and years, but I
flared not believe. Ah. you do not know
the terrors that live eternally hofere the
face of a hunted man! I had meant to go
to my grave as I lived, in silence, but I
could not die alone, the shadows were too
awful and the silence so lonely. But Olive
must not know. My sorrows would shadow
her life and bring grief and regret to a
heart which I pray God may never know
them. You will not tell her what I s.;y
to you today?"
“Need you ask it, if it is aught that
will bring sorrow to her?” said Godfrey,
earnestly. “But why talk of it now?
This excitement will make you worse.
Why not wait?”
"I cannot wait,” said the old man in a
calmer voice- • "In spite of the strange
unnatural strength that has come to me
today, I know that I am dying. I must
tell you nor; or never. But before I be
gin, go to the innev room there and bring
me the picture that faces the door. I can
tell you better with Hilary’s eye3 looking
into mine.”
Still more mystified, the younger mart
rose to do the other’s bidding. Th 3 room’
he indicated joined the one they occupied,
and was separated from it by heavy vel
vet portfires As ho pushed them aside
and entered. Godfrey was amazed at the
beauty within. It was a veritable fairy
bower in white and gold, and facing the
western windows, where the light would
fall on It best, was a life-size painting
of a young woman. He hardly knew what
he had expected, but certainly not this.
The face was the most beautiful he had
ever seen; wavy masses of golden hair
fell over the white shoulders: glorious
eyes of a dark, purplish gray shone from
under silken lashes, and a smile seemed
to hover around the perfectly formed lips.
The expression on the face was so real
and lifelike that he Lit almost that it
was a living human being that he gazeu
upon.
An answering smile’ played around the
lips of the» dying man as Godfrey placed
the picture where his eyes could rest upon
it. and an expression of divine peace crept
over his face.
"I wilt begin at the beginning," he said
softly, "and tell the story I have to tell
yen just as it comes, so you can under
stand. It begins with my -0 liege days,
when I first know your father. There
was little in common between us. He
was a bright, lovable follow of 20; rich in
health, happiness and tills world's goods.
The only sen of a wealthy southern
planter, the idol ct his father and moth
er's hearts, and the center of fond anil
unlimited hopes; while 1 had no relatives
cr friends, and was far past the age
when boys usually seek col!<»;e. Poorer
than the pot rest employee of the place.
I was existing somehow, snd working my
way through as pupil-teacher.
"As I think of :t now, l wonder hfnv I
managed to live. That is one among the
miracles that seem to have made up m -
life. I saw your father often. He was
always bubbling over with life and good
spirits and kindly feeling toward every
one. He had tried many times to draw
me out of my shell, and though my heart
warmed toward him for his kindness, I
i "pulsed him steadily until charce threw
it in my way to pull him cut of the river
one day, and, as he insisted, saved his
life. After that nothing I could say or
do could send him away. He lavish, d
every favor on me that he dared, and
stood by me always. I say dared, for L
vas painfully proud and stubborn in
those days, and covered my poverty and
hard life under a shell ol' silence and re
serve that few could break through.
"When we parted on leaving diir a?.u i
mater, Randolph begged me to visit him,
or at least to write- hint sometimes. Th.:
former I refused, the latter I half way
promised to do; but 1 never kept the
promise. Somehow 1 could not. He wrote
me when he first went home, and again
just before his marriage. After that
there was a long silence.
“The years passed on. They were filled
with hard work for mo, and I hardly-
noted their passing. I had no compan
ions but my books. My few moments of
Idleness were devoted to them and to the
thoughts and dreams they awakened.
Leading this life of isolation. I h id never
known anything of the companionship of
woman. I do not suppose i had talked
with one an hour since my mother’s
death: and I was past 30 when Hilary
came to me, dazzling me witii the light
and sweetness of her beautiful presence.
“I knew her first through her brother,
Noel Earnscliff, the- man who brought
me fhe greatest happiness and strongest
Continued on last page
The na<w club house of the e fekyt Island millionaires
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