Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1885-07-16
Jennie Jerome.
LORD EtNnuirH en- EcnirI'> BRILLIANT
WlFE-A NEW YORK Olaf WtIpMtN piE
A DUCHESS.


\ few years ago Mss Jennie Jerome. the
second daughter Of Mr. Leonard ". Jerome.
met Lord Randolph Churchill! at dinner
in Paris. Attracted hy her beauty and the
brllliancy OF her conversation, he soon con-
fined bis attention 20 her Those who sat
near them stopped talking and listened to
them with undisgui.ed admiration. Miss
Jerome was noted for her CONGREGATIONAL
powers. but they had never seemed to her
friends a. brilliant as on this occasion. Lord
Randolph, however. proved match for her.
Her satire was met with sparkling rrpar;ee,
and her Wit and humor for once found a
fair exchange. When the adde's had with
drawn, Lord Randolph turned to friend
and said enthusiastically
That's the brightest woman ! ever met"
and added, with the seriousness Of fatali>t.
e and mean to marry her
Sngulariy enough. while he was saving
this Miss Jerome making an almost
identical remark concerning him to one Of
her sisters. Perhaps that evening she
played her fayoIite Chopin nocturne more
,enderly and uoongly than ever; at all
events Lord Randolph was not slow in dis
covering that he had made ss deep an i'm
IN a fortnight Of their first meeting they were
engaged and very soon aneTward married.
By This union Lord Randolph secured wife
whose aspiring and ambitious temperament
has spurred him on in his political career.
and whose income is sufficient 10 form
welcome addition to his small annuity Mr.
Jerome conveyed to his daughter before her
marriage the valuable property upon which
the University club of this city stands
Lord Randolph Is a Younger son of the late
Duke Of Marlborough. Between his elder
brother, the present duke, and himself there
has long existed feeling of hatred to which
rather than to his enthusiasm for the Liber-
al cause, the dukes opposition 10 Lord Ran
doiph IS credited.
That this opposition has inspired Lady
Randolph Churchill to take part in her hus-
bands canvass, as related ia our cable dis
patches, has not surprised ner hosts Of
friends here who know her to be as pucay
as she is accomplished. and who remember
that while she can play Chopin divnely,
she IS also an intrepid follower ofthe hounds
usually in at the death. Indeed her friends
openly proclaim that share Of her hus-
bands political success should be credited
to her, that his rise into prominence dates
from the time she began to coach him and
that his brilliant guerilla tactics are inspired
by her.
1t is possible that her friends exaggerate
the part she plays in her husbands political
affairs. and that his unpopularty here leads
her American friends to underestimate his
ability Though he is nominally a eonserya-
tive, he 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 dash Of American pluck in them.
His wife, during their sojourn in Ireland won
the hearts of the people, and it is no doubt
TO her that the modification in Lord Ran
dolph of the traditional conservative views
on the Irish question is due. He is thor
oughly progressive, another American char
acteristic. In these opinions and methods
his wife's influence may be traced. She is
his mentor, and should Lord Randolph ever
become premier her friends say she would
virtually rule England. II 10 almost GER
tain that she will some day be Duchess of
Marlborough. for the present dukes son.
the Marquis of Blandford. is sickly lad and
there is little doubt that some day the dukes
title and possessions will 60 to Lord Ran
dolph.