The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-10

The Story of an American Girl Who viii One
Day be Duchess.

Day be a Duchess.
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 brilliancy of
her conversation, he confined his attention
to her Those who sat near them stopped talk
INF and listened to them with undsculsed ad-
mratlon. Miss Jerome was noted for her con
versationai powers, but they had never seemed
| to her friends as brilliant this occasion
LORD Randolph, however, proved match for
| her Her satire was met with sparkling
| repartee and her wit and humor for once found
fair exchange When the ladies had with
drawn, Lord Randolph turned to friend and
| said enthusiastically:
That's the brightest woman l ever met and
added with the seriousness of fatallst land
mean to marry her"
| Singulary enough while he was saying this
Miss Jerome was making an almost identical re-
mark concerning him TO one Of her sisters. Per
haps that evening she played her favorlte
Chopin nocturne more terderly and woOlngly
than ever at ali events, Lord Rando ph 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 en-
| gagged, and very soon afterward married BY
this union Lord Randolph secured a wife whose
aspiring and ambitious temperanent has
| spurred him on in his political carer, and whose
| income is sufficient to form a 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
Liberal cause the Dukes opposition to Lord
| Randolph is credited.
That this opposition has inspired Lady
| Randolph 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 as she is accomplished and
| who remember that, while she can play Chopin
divinely, she is alsu 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 cred
| tied to her. that his rise into prominence dates
| from the time when she began to coach him, and
that his brilliant guerrilla tactics are inspired by
her. 1t is possible that her friends eXaggerate
| the part she plays in her husbands political af-
| fairs aud that mis- unpODularity here leads her
American friends to underestimate his ability.
| Though he is nominally Conservative, 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 infiu
ence, and his political methods often have a
dash of American pluck in them. His wife, dur
ing their sojOurn IN Ireland. won the hearts of
the people, and it is no doubt to her that the
modification in Lord Randolph of the traditional
Conservative views on the Irish question is due.
he Is thoroughly progressive, another American
characteristic In these opinions and methods
his wifes influence may be traced. She is his
| mentf r, and should Lord Randolph ever become
Premier, her friends say she would virtually
rule England. 1t is almost certain she will
some day be Duchess of Marlborough, for the
present Dukes son, the Marquis of Blandford, is
a sckly lad, and there is little doubt that some
day the Dukes title and possessions will so to
Lord Randolph.