Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-03-28
LORD DURHAM AND HIS CURIOUS
COUkTSHIP AND HONEYMOON.

ne lOt VI ioru, hhe that VI u pofoc-
man, is not always happy one. BY way
Of illustrating the truth and force of this
fact We may refer to and describe the case
Of the Right Honorable John George, the
earl Of Durham, prominent member of
the House of Lords and the owner OF
three-fourths of the collieries in the VI
cinity Of Newcsstle-on-Tyne and Sunder-
land, in the northeastern part of England,
near the Scottish border This being true,
Lord Durham is very rich, and being very
high in rank. ought to be, We should nat
urally suppose, very happy. Buthe is not.
He is in trouble, which seems to be in
crea.ing. The Right Honorable John
George is praying for decree of nullity
Of his marriage with the Right Honorable
Ethel Elisabeth Louise, countess Of Dur
ham, born Ethel. etc, Miner, on the plea
that Ethel, etc, was, at the time the mar
riage took place. of unsound mind and in
capable, mentally, Of being contracting
party TO the marital bargain. This will
seem, at once. to be q most extraordinary
plea. my Lord" was fairly we'll ac-
quainted with Miss Miner, for months be-
fore the marriage was "solemnized," (that,
in the circumstances, is the word for it),
in St. Peters church, Eaton Square, Lon
don. II she we're then insane or idiotic,
it would seem that he ought to have known
it. But Lord Durham was human-very.
That is to say, he was a man, and as
American men and women, we, the mem
bers of the GLoBE-REPUBLIC family may
recognize a common tie and quality of
humanity, and possibly enter into his feel
ings. Miss Miner was very beautiful, as
her unfortunate mother, now in mad.
house, was and still is. And the Earl was
very much in love with her. And all who
have ever been in love (and especially
those who have been unfortunate in love)
will follow the story Of my Lords" mis-
fortunes with interest. The very facts of
the story make it pathetic. The lady
q lovely a. q dream, stately, graceful
was picture seldom seen, and never re-
produced on canvas or in marblei Yet
during all the courtship the only words
that could be got from her by her ardent
lover we're simply yes" or INC" or, more
frequently, II don't know" She seemed
incapable Of participating in conversa-
ton; and when the Earl spoke to her of
her "coldness" and earnestly but lovingly
demanded the cause, she would
say: 1T is something too dread
fsl." 1t was indeed. She felt the
shadow and the chill of her great misfor
tune surrounding her and crushing her.
But love, in this instance, was bHnd-and
deaf and dumb alsol The Earl was so in
fstuated that he could not see what man
in ordinary circumstances must have dis
cerned. He had lost his head as well as
his heart. He was told by the friends of
Miss Ethel that spe wss "shy," land that a
fuller acquaintance would remedy her dit
6dence. But it never did, for she said
what the Earl took to be yes" and the
marriage followed. and even after that her
talk was in monosyllables, and discon-
nected and incoherent. When the un-
happy pair arrived at Lsmbton House,
near Chester-le street, where our esteemed
Mr.. William Grant, was born,
Lord and Lady Durham were greeted by
many distinguished people but the lady
gave no recognition to the kind words
spoken to her. And the servants in her
were treated in the same man.
ner.
And sfterward, when Lord Durham, at |
the opening Of Parliament, delivered the
address to the Throne, Lady Durham, who
had been taken to the House of Lords to
hear it, gave no heed to it, whatever. and
did not recall it afterwardl
Poor Lady Durhaml Poor Lord John
George, the Earl What hungry young
Patrick of the Green Isle, blessed with the
smiles and prattle Of his black-eyed and
blue checked Bridget, with not
, "ha-penny" to bless him
self with, is not happier
than he7 The last chapter of the
story is like the first The lady was
really, hopelessly insane. In the hospital
where she had been placed she greeted
,er husband. occasionally, with warmth
md kisses, and then relapsed into what
seemed to be an imbecile state. The Earl
vas young, and an Earl must have poster
ty to perpetuste his name and titles and
inherit his estates and honors. And so
uit for separation is brought. That he is
untitled to much consideration, beyond
,ity at bis misfortune, is not at all clear.
The lady was insane before and when he
married her, and man in his right MIND,
lear from the insanity of love, must have
Tho Honrl4 IL IL L