though mary beth lived until 1925 , dying of cancer in september of that year , we can safely say that she changed little over time - that her passions and priorities in the late nineteenth century were pretty much the same as in the last year of her life if she ever had a close friend or confidant outside the family , we know nothing of it and her true character is rather hard to describe she was certainly never the playful , cheerful person that julien was , she seemed to have no desire for great drama , and even at the countless family reunions where she danced and supervised the taking of photographs and the serving of food and drink , she is never described as 'the life of the party ' rather she seems to have been a quiet , strong woman , with very definite goals and it is possible that no one was ever really close to her except her daughter stella but we shall get to that part of the story by and by .