The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-03-20

the relief of the evicted tenants $4,000
There have been ex xpended by committee
composed of Parnell, John Dillon and Ar
thur OConnor 60, 500 for the relief of evicted
tenants. Some other small amounts have
also been expended There is now on hand
between f25,000 and 926000 all OF which IS
invested in American securities in the names
of five trustees"
Lady Florence Dixie, the youngest child of
the family, was married in 1875 to Sir Alex
ander Beaumont Churchil-Dixie, baronet,
the head of family seated in Leicestershire
since the time of Elizabeth, and distinguished
b. its loyalty to the royal cause during the
civil war. She is wonderful horsewoman,
good sailor, an enthusiastic traveller, and
trenchant writer. Two of her books Across
Patagonia and "In the Land of Misfortune"
have more than ephemeral value. While
in Zululand as a special correspondent of the
London Morning Post Lady Florence made
great sensation by her vehement plea in be-
half of Cetewayo. In Irish affairs she has
long taken an active part, expressing her
sympathy publicly with Mr.. Gray at the time
OF his incarceration, devoting herself with
characteristic impetuosity to relieving dis
tress in the suffering districts of the west and
finally falling foul of the land league i'll a
pamphlet called AN Address to the Tenant
Farmers and People of Ireland, with Advice
and Warming" in which she urged them to
call upon the financial administrators of the
league for a statement of the manner in
which the funds had been expended.
The retort of the Land League took the
shape of paragraph in the Irishman asking
Lady Florence if she had ever been expelled
from the court of Queen Victoria, and, if so,
for what cause. Her letter in reply was re-
fused insertion by the Irishman, but the
Freeman's Journal published her statement
OF the case, which was as follows:
LADY DIxIE's CARD.
In the Irshman of two or three weeks
back, there appeared under the head OF
Query" the following question:
ITO put Lady Florence Dixie's courage and
frankness to the proof we shall ask her ques-
ton, and shall expect plain and straight
forward answer. Was she-Lady Florence Dixie
ever expelled from the court of Queen Victo-
riaY And, If she ever was expelled from that
court, will she be frank enough 10 tell us What
was the causel"
The occurrence which was some years ago
the subject of remark in London society"
papers, was in each and all related in the
form of a joke, and may be truthfully and
simply explained as follows: During one of
my many expeditions to foreign parts 1 had
occasion, for convenience sake, to cut
my hair short and on my return to Eng
land was presented at court on the occasion
of my marriage, | was very young then,
and though | had been to court before l was
not aware that the etiquet OF the same was
so stringent that a head uncrowned by
feathers was not the right thing l. in con-
sequence, did not wear them. The result
was a letter next day from the Lord Cham
herlain reminding me that it was not etiquet
% attend Her Majesty sdrawng-room with
out feathers and lace on the head and
begging me next time / attended drawing
room to kindly observe this rule To this
communication | at once replied, expressing
my regret at having unintentionally in
fringed the etiquet or court rules, and there
the matter dropped. Later on an order
Vame out in the Court Journal regulating
he number of feathers and the length Of
veil which court rules for the future en-
| sorced on those who were desirous of attend
ing drawingrooms. The sIbject for short
| sme gave the society Journals good food for
HS.a'f and harmless joles In which 1, like
many Others, heartily joined. 1t not, how
ever, being the peculiar ambition of my life
to attend drawing-rooms at court nor to
wear false hair in order that might be en-
abIed to don feathers and veil, have
simply preferred to keep my hair short, and to
forego that immense pleasure" of attending
any more drawing-rooms