River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-09-27
THEFAsT NOBILITY.
How a British Earl aud His Wife Went
hroagh Mllliuns.

4hroagh Millions.
The Earl OF Lonsdale, who died in En-
gland the other day, was only twenty six
years of age, but managed to make some
stir in the fashionable world. He was one
Of the richest peers in England, one Of the
hardest drinkers, one of the most reckless
gamblers and an unrivaled spendthrift.
When the earl succeeded to the title and
estates in 1879 he was not quite of age.
He had a considerable amount of ready
money to start with and an income of over
$3.50, 600 a year, which was, or should have
been, ample to maintain him in magnificent
style. In 1878, he took unto himself life
partner who was well qualified to assist
into bankruptcy. This was the beautiful
Lady Gladys Herbert, sister of the
Earl of Pembroke and daughter of
Lord Herbert of Lea, better
known as Sidney Herbert, an eminent
British statesman. She is neatly SIX feet
high, and of the dark Jewish type of beau
ty, and is known by the pet name of LIS
Gitana, or the Gypsy" Some years ago,
Lady Herbert, the mother of La Git ms,
and another daughter joined the Catholic
Church. The tall and handsome Gitana
did not follow their example, but dashed
into the gay world of dance, song, and
Craftsmanship, and met Lord L. hsdale.
Both loved the world too well, and not
wisely. before and after marriage. The
fashionable bathrooms of London, Paris,
and Vienna, the race courses of Europe
the yachting and hunting excursions of the
night and day, the season and sunshine of
life, found these attractive two if not the
leaders at least the chief features. The art
world was ransacked for Lady Lonsdale,
and prineely income brought
to her mansion many costly
gem of the painter and jeweIer. Her dia-
mond bill in seven months was said to have
been 100000, and her upholstery and
bric-a- brac invoices were double that sum.
To this menu the noble earl added sundry
and divers, such as twenty-five blooded
race horses, various improvements on three
country estates, and large steam yacht,
the Northumbria. The marriage was the
lady's own choice, being against the wish
of her family, and her brother refused to
attend her wedding on account Of Lord
Lonsdale's habitual intemperance and
spendthrift habits. In two months Lady
Gladys had to return to her mother, ana
her husband committed the disgraceful act
of announcing in the papers that he would
rot be responsible for her bills. But there
was something besides the size of the bills
behind the scandal, the name of notorious
young rake, a Yorkshire baronet, who re-
Gently married an American wife, being I'M
pleasantly coupled with Lady Lonsdale's.
An account of queens drawing room q
year or two ago gave the following descpip-
ton of Lady Lonsdale's appearance thereat:
Her dress is said to have cost 100 guineas
and it quite looked as if it had. 1t was of
the richest white satin, the petticoat being
completely covered with the most exquis-
itely painted groups of flowers, which were
repeated at intervals upon the train. The
diamonds were indescubably magnificent
and on one side of her corsage was fastened
black pearl of fabulous size, sat round
with brilliants. From the shoulder straps,
which served as sleeves, hung strings of
pearls, a novel and beautiful arrangement
Her lovliness is the dark Jewish type
she is called the 'Gypsy'-and really, when
enhanced by these magnificent adornments,
she looked like some gorgeous vision of
oriental royalty summoned from the pages
of Disraelis own glowing fiction. The
premier paid her marked attention at the
drawing room.
All this racket, as bacnelor and married
man, was more than even the princely in-
come of the Lowther estates could stand,
and by 1879 Lord Lonsdale enjoyed the
distinction of being practically bankrupt,
as well as q lbertine and drunkard. So
hard pressed was he, indeed, that in the
spring of that year, he aucti0ned off
all the china and bric-a- brac in his pos
session that was not strictly entailed. All
things considered, his death will not be a
great loss to the English peerage.