Jula Ward Howe, Reminiscences: 1819-1899

[74] this natural leading to advantage, had he not become his father's man of business, and thus been forced to devote much of his life to the management of the great Astor estate. At the time of which I speak, he resided on the unfashionable side of Broadway, not far below Canal Street.

At this time I was often invited to the house of his father, Mr. John Jacob Astor. This house, which the old gentleman had built for himself, was situated on Broadway, between Prince and Spring streets. Adjoining it was one which he had built for a favorite granddaughter, Mrs. Boreel. He was very fond of music, and sometimes engaged the services of a professional pianist. I remember that he was much pleased at recognizing, one evening, the strains of a brilliant waltz, of which he said: ‘I heard it at a fair in Switzerland years ago. The Swiss women were whirling round in their red petticoats.’ On another occasion, we sang the well-known song, ‘Am Rhein;’ and Mr. Astor, who was very stout and infirm of person, rose and stood beside the piano, joining with the singers. ‘Am Rhein, am Rhein, da wachset susses Leben,’ he sang, instead of ‘Da wachsen unsere Reben.’

My sister-in-law, Emily Astor Ward, was endowed with a voice whose unusual power and beauty had been enhanced by careful training. We sometimes sang together or separately at