Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-07-08

The Plueky American Woman Who
May Some Day Virtually Rule England.

/ From the New York Sun.
! A few years ago Miss Jennie Jerome, the
\ second daughter Of Mr.. Leonard w. Jerome,
/ met Lord Randolph Churchill at dinner In
| Paris. Attracted by her beauty and the bril-
| liancy OF her conversation he soon confined his
| attention to her. Those who sat near them
| stopped talking and listened to them with un-
| disguised admiration. Miss Jerome was noted
for her conversational powers, but they had
Lever seemed to her friends as brilliant as on
this occasion. Lord Randolph, however, proved
match for her. Her satire was met with
sparkling repartee. and her wilt and humor for
once found a fair exchange. When the ladies
had Withdrawn Lord Randolph turned to q
friend and said enthusiastically:
"Ihats the brightest woman ever met, v and
added, with the seriousness OF q fatalist, "and
mean to marry her."
.Singularly enough. while he was saying this
remark concerning him to one of her sisters
Perhaps that evening she played her favorite
Chopin nocturne more tenderly and wooingly
than ever; at all events, Lord Randolph was
not slow in discovering that he had made as
deep an impression on her as she had on him.
Within fortnight OF their first meeting they
were engaged, and very soon afterward mar
ried. BY this union Lord Randolph secured a
wife whose aspiring and ambitious tempera-
ment has spurre1 him on in his political ca
reer, and whose income is sufficient to form
welcome addition to his small annuity. Mr..
Jerome conveyed to his daughter before her
marriage the valuable property upon which the
University club oi this city stands. Lord Ran
doiph IS younger son OF the late Duke OF Marl-
borough. Between his elder brother. the pres
ent duke, and himself there has long existed
feeling of hatred, to which, rather than TO his
enthu ,iasm Tor the liberal cause, the dukes OPP
position I'D Lord Rtndol III is credited.
mat this opposition has inspired Lady Ran
dolph Churchill to take part in her husbands
canvass, as related in our cable dispatches. has
not surprised her host of friends here who
know her to be as plucky a. she is accom-
piished, and who remember that while she can
play Chopin divinely, she is also an intrepid
follower OF the hounds, and usually in at the
death. Indeed, her friends openly proclaim
that large share of her husbands political
success should be credited to her, that his rise
into prominence dates from the time when she
began to coach him, and that his brilliant guer
rilla tactics are inspired by her. 1t is possible
that her friends eXa tgerate the part she plays
In her husbands political affairs, and that his
to underestimate his ability. Though he is
nOminally a conservative, be is in some respects
more democratic in his ideas than the average
liberal. His views on the Irish question show
strong traces Of American influence, and his
political methods often have a dash of Ameri-
can pluck in them. His wife, during their
journ in Ireland won the hearts of the people,
in Lord Randolph of the traditional conserva-
tive views on the Irish question is due. He Is
thoroughly progressive, another American char
acteriStic. In these opinions and methods his
wfeS influence may be traced. She is his men,
tor, and should Lord Randolph ever become
premier, her friends say she would virtually
rule England. 1t is almost certain that she will
some day be Duchess of Marlborough, for the
present dukes son, the Marquis of BlandfOrd,
some day the dukes title and possessions will
go to Lord Randolph.