Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-10-31
4 FAMOUS WOMAN.
"Reminiscences Of the Duchess OF Marl-
bOrough-iler Beauty and Her Um.
&Overnablo Temper-fIer r. vver in
Politics..

OF tho UOcheAs OF marl-
borough:tier Beauty "nd Her Un-
&oyernsblo Temper-sIer r. Sver I'm
There are few in modern history who
succeeded in making such q stir in the
world, or in swinging AZ much real
power, as Sarah, Duchess Of Marlbor.
0ugh. For fifty years dictatrese in the
fashionable - we'll as the political cir
oles Of England, says q writer in the
Kansas Monthly, Lady Marlborough's
life is interesting to the student of ger.
eral history; but her career is even
more interesting to the common reader,
who hopes it may throw light upon the
question: Docs he who gains all that
ambition seeks gain happiness also9
Born in 1860, "Queen Sarah," as the
courtiers used to call her, heard the
shouts that welcomed six successive
monarchs to the throne. She was
sent to court at the age Of twelve,
where she became the constant play
mate and companion of that princess
over whom she was destined to exert 80
great an influence. Whether she loved
Anne then, or ever, may rest question
Of doubt but that she allowed the
princess to love her, and that they
were very intimate, was more than ap-
parent.
While her elder sister was participant
ing in the gayeties of the court of
Charles l, now receiving with ridicule
a PRICES addresses, now in a fit of
mad mirth Disgusting herself as an
orange girl and crying her fruit
through the streets of London, Sarah
jennings led q comparatively retired
life in the household of the duke of
York, afterwards James H. It was
not the fashion in the time of Charles
II to educate woman as it had been
in tho Elizabethan age. So We sup
pose that Sarah's art and accomplish
ments consisted mainly in riding, dane
ing and dressing.
At the age of II she first met Lord
Churchill, afterward Duke of Marlbor-
ough. She seems to heve been fascin-
ated at once by the young officers
appearance, his face, his form, and
above all by his dancing. He was,
certainly just the man to captivate
a young girl. Macaulay speaks Of him
as unrivaled in sagacity and address,
and endowed by nature with . certain
coolhntrepidity which never failed him,
either in fighting or in lying" Turenne
called him 1.-The handsome English
man." and Lord Chesterfield, the
best authority in matters of this
sort, declared that his man
ner was irresistible, either by
man or woman. It was no wonder
che admired him; but although he
could not fail to admire her beauty
and the frankness of her disposition, It
is somewhat remarkable that the ava.
ricious Churchill should have asked q
poor girls hand in marriage. The truth
is, he loved her, and in spite of lovers
quarrels and harsh words, loved her to
the last. Hear his tender words to his
young wife: 81 hope all the red spots
of our child will be gone against 1 see
her, and her nose straight, SO that I
may fancy it to be like the mother, for
she has your colored hair: would
have her to be like you in all things
eloe."
He was very proud of the duchess
luxuriant hair, and knowing this, she
once attempted to revenge herself for
some offence by cutting it off and lay
ing it in q room through which he
must pass. He never alluded to the
affair; but, years afterward, she found
treasured up in his cabinet tho precious
locks. Throughout life he showed the
same self command and though in his
last illness he is said to have been worn
out more by the duchess constant
squabbles than by the ravages Of dis
ease, he always opposed love to anger
and patience to. petulance. :''To the
last hours of his life Sarah enjoyed the
pleasure and distinction of being the
one human being who was able to mis-
load that far-sighted and sure-iooted
judgment, who was fervantly loved by
that cold heart, and who was servilely
feared by that intrepid spirit"
Her domestic life, however, was not
at all pleasant. Her five daughters
seem to have inherited her furious tenn
per, and she lived in perpetual warfare
with them. 'I wonder you and your
mother cannot agree" MARLBOROUGH
once remarked to one of them; "y0u
are so alike"
Pope speaks of the Duchess of Marl-
OOAVss$SA4 40 O4A0 WIN
"Witll herself or others, from her BIRTH"
Finds al her lie tnc warfare upon earth."
Swift, Bolingbrnke, and other story
writer's took delight in ridiouling her
avarice and high temper.
Put If she had malicious enemies,
she had also warm friends. The Prin-
cess Annie loved her with an affection
that might we'll be called idolatrous.
Lady Churchill WAS the leading spirit
in the minor cout that gathered about
that princess during the reign Of her
father, James II Playing cards in
the evening, riding in Hyde Park (not
then Hyde Park, but a fashion;ii,'c
country drive or sailing on the Thames
past fair meadows and green woods,
now within the boundaries at the mo
tropolis, these two ladies' were constant
companions. We may imagine what
attention would he attracted on these
occasions by the delicate features, love-
" complexion, AMI queenly carriage Of
Annie's first lady Of the bed-chamber.
Perlia,s the Independence on: which
she prided herself had not then de-
gene1 ted into insolence. AT all events,
Annie found her a charming compan-
ion. Lady Churchill would not flatter;
the princess did not want to he flatter-
ed, she wanted friend. "Your high
ness" at every sentence wearied her.
Why not converse as simple friends2
For this purpose simple names were
dopted ais NY frank, open temper" {"
says lady Churchill, sled me to pitch
on the name Of Freeman" The prin-
cess became Mrs. Morley and under
these names they corresponded with
each other. On the eve Of the rcvolu-
ton of 1858, Mrs. Freeman's influence
became SO great that it became an i'm
portant question whether or not she
would favor the accession of William
aud Mary, and the settlement of the
crown on William in case of Mary's
death. Anne would be the lawful sue
oess0r in that event. She would, un-
doubtedly. follow Lady Churchill's ad-
vice about yielding her right of success
sion. At this juncture, Lady Church
i'll herself had the wisdom to seek the
advice of others.
It WIS decided that Anne should de.
sert her fathers cause and unite her
fortune with those of William and
Mary. The king had already been de-
serted by "Est il possible, " as Anne's
husband was called from the stupid
exclamation by which he was continu-
lilly expressing surprise or concealing
. secret knowledge. Anne followed
him secretly and by night. Stealing