Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-28
The Wellesley Scandal.

London Letter.
The case Of Colonel Wellesley is one of the
most interesting that has been published for
long time. Wellesley, at one period of his lite,
might have been regarded as the spoiled child
OF fortune. In appearance he was specimen
of that splendid and almost fauItless beauty
which is sometimes to be seen in the men OF the
English upper class, tall, thin, but muscular,
falr-hared and with features at once delicate
and distinguished. While still but compare
tive youth he had reached, through the influ-
ence of his relatives, to the position of a colonel
In the guards. Then he was appointed attache
at st. Petersburg, at which place | may men,
ton he became an acquaintance and friend
OF poor j. A. MacGahap, the celebrated
American correspondent of the London
Daily Ne'cs, who passed through the
Russian capital on his return from his
Wellesley became first military secretary at vi
enna and then public opinion began to cry out
against the extraordinary favors that were thus
beng heaped in such rapid succession on the
head OF the young soldier. He had, meantime.
married Lord Cowleys daughter, a marriage
apparently suitable in age, rank and tastes
Things went we'll till Wellesley paid long visit
to London, and there he had the misfortune to
go to the Gaiety theater. l have already men,
toned this popular place of London entertain
HCl, anu IL 10 CcltttiiiS, tuou1ll uOG very ldTRe
perhaps the most significant institution of the
kind among us. 1t is there that Connie Gil
christ-a snub-nOsed and silly looking girl of
about nineteen-wears the Lonsdale diamonds
1t is there that, when the theater itself closes
and the stage-doOr opens. fashionable and dis
slpated yOuth-Or. as they are now called. our
jeunesSe stdge-dOOTey-waits: AID ladies of the
ballet. with salary of about five or ten dollars
week, drive up in coaches and four.
THE HEROINE.
Kate Vaughan has long been the belle of this
theater. She has no histrionic ability She
has scarcely any voice, but she has grace in
motion that may certainly be described as Won
derful. Before she met Wellesley she had al
ready won many hearts, and, indeed, when he
made her acquaintance for the first time was on
friendly terms with another member of the aris-
tocracy. From the latter she agreed, after some
persuasion, to fly with Wellesley; and there is a
funny story of two special trains being sent from
the Charing Cross depot almost within an hour
OF each Other-the one bearing Miss Vaughan
away with the new lover. and the other convey
ing the discarded and discOnsOlate friend. The
sequel to the whole business came few DAYS
ago. Wellesley was brought before the divorce
court by his wife, made no defense, and, of
course. was Immediately non-suited. The story
now goes that he intends Immediately to make
Kate his wife, and if this be true, her fortune
will certainly be a curious one Col. Wellesley,
If do not mistake, is the heir presumptive to
the Duke OF Wellington. and the Duke Is child
less and upwards OF seventy. If all this be true
Kate, the ddnSense. will become Kate. the duch-
ess. 1t is not the first time that the arstocracy
has been recruited from the boards of the British
stage,